For legal purposes, document injuries with photographs or video, as soon as possible.

First-aid

  • If wound is open, wash with water and soap.
  • Cover with clean, dry dressing (like a gauze pad).
  • Apply ice to reduce swelling. Wrap ice in cloth or use ice pack. Do not apply ice directly to skin.

Call ambulance for

  • Injuries to head, neck, or spine.
  • Prolonged vomiting.
  • Blood in urine if hit in back.
  • Swelling, tenderness, discoloration, hard areas, or signs of shock following abdominal injury.

Shock is a sequence of organ failures when blood cannot get oxygen and nutrients to tissues. Shock can happen when a person has bled out a large quantity (half-liter or more) of blood. Fear and restlessness are usually the first signs of shock.

Aftercare

  • Pain and swelling may increase, and area of redness and bruising may expand for up to 3 days.
  • Apply ice as long as swollen.
  • Rest with injured arm or leg elevated. Use a compression wrap (ACE bandage).

See doctor for

  • Injuries to face (get checked for fractures).
  • Injuries that affect movement of a joint.
  • Signs of infection (these signs do not occur until at least a day after the injury):
    • Red streaking of surrounding skin.
    • Pus draining from area.
    • Tender lumps or swelling in armpit, groin, or neck.
    • Foul odor from area.
    • Generalized chills or fever over 99.5F.

American Academy of Ophthalmology doctors want to document eye injuries from rubber bullets and tear gas. If you have a severe eye injury from a rubber bullet, tell your ophthalmologist the cause. Posts and public documentation help, but we need medical evidence to restrain police.

Head Injury

If you have a head injury, see a doctor.

  • If the doctor says you are OK, go home. Return to action only after a full week of no symptoms.
  • Try not to injure head again; multiple head injuries can cause death.

Aftercare, serious head injury

Go to the hospital. When you go home, a responsible person should stay with you to watch for serious symptoms. First 24 hours after injury are critical.

  • Rest in bed the first 24 hours.
  • Do not take any non-prescribed medicine, including aspirin, for at least 24 hours.
  • The person watching you should wake you every 2 hours for the first 24 hours. See checklist below for signs he should look for when he wakes you.
  • The person watching you should wake you every 4 hours the second day and every 8 hours the third day.

See doctor if injured person

  • Cannot be awakened.
  • Vomits.
  • Is unable to move arms and legs equally well on both sides.
  • Blood or fluid drips from ears or nose.
  • Temperature above 100F.
  • Cannot breathe well or breathes in a funny pattern.
  • Has a stiff neck.
  • Pupils are unequal size or shape.
  • Has convulsions.
  • Noticeable restlessness, confusion, or disorientation.
  • Has persistent headache.

Online first aid guide

Bookmark these links in your phone:

Source

CC BY-SA. Derived from works by David Werner (1977/1992, Where There Is No Doctor), Boston Area Liberation Medic Squad (2001, Aftercare Sheets), Bay Area Radical Health Collective (2003, Aftercare Sheets), and Sugar Solidarity (2020).

Based on infosheets (1, 2) produced for 2011 Arab Spring, revised for 2014 Ferguson uprising by A. Grace Keller (reviewed by Brian Dominick). This is the third revision.