# Show basic first aid Part of the Tenderfoot guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://scouting.university/scouts-bsa/ranks/tenderfoot/guide/index.md) *4. First Aid and Nature* > **4a.** Show first aid for the following: - Simple cuts and scrapes - Blisters on the hand and foot - Minor (thermal/heat) burns or scalds (superficial, or first-degree) - Bites or stings of insects and ticks - Venomous snakebite - Nosebleed - Frostbite and sunburn - Choking Most outdoor injuries aren't dramatic — they're the small stuff that ruins a trip if you don't know how to handle it. This requirement covers eight situations you're genuinely likely to face on a campout, and asks you to show, not just describe, how you'd treat each one. Merit Badge Guide: [First Aid Merit Badge Guide](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/first-aid/guide/): Master the comprehensive wilderness triage, trauma care, and emergency response techniques required for Eagle Scout. ### Show first aid for simple cuts and scrapes Clean the wound with water, apply an antiseptic if available, and cover with a sterile bandage. Watch for signs of infection — redness, swelling, warmth — over the following days. ### Show first aid for blisters on the hand and foot Cover an unbroken blister with moleskin or a padded bandage to reduce friction: cut a "doughnut" hole in a piece of moleskin slightly larger than the blister so the pad cushions the hot spot without sticking to the blister itself. Don't intentionally pop it — an open blister is an open door for infection. If it's already broken, wash it gently with soap and water, apply an antiseptic, and cover it like an open wound. ### Show first aid for minor burns or scalds Cool the burn under running water for at least 10 minutes. Don't apply ice, butter, or ointments. Cover loosely with a sterile, non-stick dressing once it's cooled. ### Show first aid for insect and tick bites or stings For a sting, scrape out the stinger with a straight edge (don't pinch it, which can inject more venom) and apply a cold compress. For a tick, grasp it with fine tweezers as close to the skin as possible and pull straight out with steady pressure — don't twist. ![Comparison showing correct tweezer grip close to the skin and a straight upward pull versus an incorrect twisting motion](https://ik.imagekit.io/doulacoop/tr:w-1376/su-assets/scouts-bsa/ranks/tenderfoot/guide/tick-removal-technique?v=ce3b3410) ### Show first aid for a venomous snakebite > **Safety First!** > > Call 911 immediately. Keep the person calm and still to slow venom circulation, and keep the bitten limb resting level with or slightly below heart level. Strip away tight jewelry or clothing near the bite before swelling starts. Wash the bite gently with soap and water. Do not apply a tourniquet, cut the wound, use suction or ice, or give caffeine or pain medicine — none of these help, and they make the injury worse. ### Show first aid for a nosebleed Sit the person forward (not tilted back), and pinch the soft part of the nose for 10 minutes without checking early. Leaning back lets blood run down the throat instead of stopping the bleed. ![Side-by-side comparison of correct nosebleed treatment, head tilted forward, versus incorrect, head tilted back](https://ik.imagekit.io/doulacoop/tr:w-1376/su-assets/scouts-bsa/ranks/tenderfoot/guide/nosebleed-head-position-comparison?v=67cdabbc) ### Show first aid for frostbite and sunburn For frostbite, move the person into shelter and warm the frozen skin gradually using skin-to-skin warmth (like placing hands under armpits) or warm water (100°F–105°F). Never rub frostbitten skin, don't pop frostbite blisters, and keep away from direct heat sources like campfires, which can severely burn numb tissue. For sunburn, apply cool damp cloths and aloe vera lotion, drink plenty of fluids, and protect the skin from any further sun exposure. ### Show first aid for choking > **Be Prepared! A Patrol Member Starts Choking at Camp** > > Choking cuts off breathing fast, and hesitation costs time you don't have. > > - **Step one**: Ask "Are you choking?" If they can't speak or cough, act immediately. > - **Step two**: Stand behind the person, wrap your arms around their waist, place the thumb-side of your fist against their abdomen just above the navel (well below the rib cage), grasp your fist with your other hand, and give quick inward-and-upward abdominal thrusts (the Heimlich maneuver) until the object clears. > - **Step three**: If they become unconscious, lower them to the ground and begin CPR, sending someone to call for emergency help. ![Annotated photo showing correct hand position, fist placement above the navel, and upward thrust angle for abdominal thrusts on a choking person](https://ik.imagekit.io/doulacoop/tr:w-1376/su-assets/scouts-bsa/ranks/tenderfoot/guide/heimlich-maneuver-hand-position?v=1e1fbf37) Video: [What to Do When an Adult is Choking (Responsive) — American Red Cross](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R3RWC-xx1I) > **Did You Know?** > > Good Samaritan laws in most states protect you from liability when you help someone in a medical emergency in good faith — as long as you don't go beyond what your training covers. Practice these with a leader or an older Scout watching, not just by reading the steps. First aid is a physical skill, and the only way to show it is to actually do it. --- - Previous: [Care for knife, saw, and ax](https://scouting.university/scouts-bsa/ranks/tenderfoot/guide/req3d/index.md) - Next: [Identify hazardous plants](https://scouting.university/scouts-bsa/ranks/tenderfoot/guide/req4b/index.md)