6. First Aid and Emergency Preparedness

Demonstrate first aid

6a.
Demonstrate first aid for the following:
  • Object in the eye
  • Bite of a suspected rabid animal
  • Puncture wounds from a splinter, nail, and fishhook
  • Serious burns (partial thickness, or second-degree)
  • Heat exhaustion
  • Shock
  • Heatstroke, dehydration, hypothermia, and hyperventilation

At Tenderfoot you treated cuts, scrapes, blisters, and minor burns. Second Class demonstrates first aid for seven categories that go further — from something as ordinary as an eyelash in your eye to a heat emergency that can turn dangerous fast.

Merit Badge Guide First Aid Merit Badge Guide
Step up to advanced emergency triage, splinting, hurry case intervention, and CPR/AED certification.
Related Guide: First Aid Merit Badge Guide — https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/first-aid/guide/

Object in the Eye

Don’t rub the eye — that can drive debris deeper or scratch the surface. Try flushing gently with clean water, or lift the upper lid over the lower lid to let tears wash the object out. If it doesn’t clear or is embedded, cover both eyes loosely and get medical help.

Bite of a Suspected Rabid Animal

Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for several minutes, control any bleeding, and cover it. This bite needs medical attention regardless of how minor it looks — rabies is fatal once symptoms start, so identify the animal if it’s safe to do so and report the bite promptly.

Puncture Wounds: Splinter, Nail, Fishhook

For a splinter, remove it with clean tweezers along the angle it entered, then wash and cover. For a nail, control bleeding and seek medical care — deep puncture wounds carry a real infection risk. For a fishhook, if the barb hasn’t gone all the way through, don’t force it back out; get medical help to remove it safely.

Serious Burns (Partial Thickness / Second-Degree)

Cool the burn under cool (not ice-cold) running water for several minutes, cover loosely with a clean, non-stick dressing, and get medical care — second-degree burns blister and damage more than the surface layer of skin. Never pop a burn blister or apply butter or ointment.

Cross-section diagram comparing the skin depth affected by first-, second-, and third-degree burns

Heat Exhaustion

Watch for heavy sweating, weakness, cool clammy skin, and nausea. Move the person to shade, loosen clothing, cool them with water, and have them sip water slowly. Heat exhaustion can progress to heatstroke if it isn’t treated.

Shock

Signs of shock include pale, cold, or clammy skin, rapid shallow breathing, a fast and weak pulse, nausea, and restlessness or confusion. Lay the person flat on their back. If you are certain there are no head, neck, back, pelvic, or leg injuries, elevate their feet about 12 inches to improve blood flow to vital organs. Insulate them with blankets underneath and on top to preserve body heat. Do not give them anything to eat or drink.

Heatstroke, Dehydration, Hypothermia, and Hyperventilation

  • Heatstroke: A life-threatening failure of the body’s cooling system. Symptoms include extremely hot, red, dry (or heavily sweating) skin, rapid pulse, disorientation, or unconsciousness. Call 911 immediately and cool the person aggressively by any means: immerse in cool water, wet their clothing, or place ice/cold packs on the neck, armpits, and groin.
  • Dehydration: Thirst, dry mouth, headache, and dark urine. Rehydrate gradually with cool water or electrolyte fluids.
  • Hypothermia: Shivering, confusion, lethargy, slurred speech, and loss of coordination (the “umbles”). Get the person out of wet clothes, wrap them in dry layers and wind protection, insulate from the cold ground, and warm them gradually — never rub cold skin briskly.
  • Hyperventilation: Rapid breathing, dizziness, tingling in fingers, and lightheadedness. Help the person sit quietly, calm down, and breathe slowly through pursed lips or a single nostril.