What is first aid?

First aid is the immediate medical help given to people for very minor injuries, or the help given to people until they can be seen by a medical professional who can take care of their injuries or medical problems. First aid may include cleaning and bandaging wounds, attempting to stop bleeding, protecting the safety of the injured person until the ambulance arrives or the person can be taken to a hospital, or even providing basic medications such as aspirin if a heart attack is suspected. However, it is important to remember that if the person has more than a minor scrape or cut, he may need immediate medical attention after first aid.