If you need immediate help,
please dial 911

Attempted Suicide / Person is Unconscious / Person is Bleeding

How To Help Someone Who Is Bleeding

Call 911

Stop The Bleeding

  • Apply direct pressure on the cut or wound with a clean cloth, tissue, or piece of gauze until bleeding stops

  • If blood soaks through the material, don’t remove it. Put more cloth or gauze on top of it and continue to apply pressure.

  • If the wound is on the arm or leg, raise limb above the heart to help slow bleeding

  • Wash your hands again after giving first aid and before cleaning and dressing the wound

  • Do not apply a tourniquet unless the bleeding is severe and not stopped with direct pressure

Clean Cut Or Wound

  • Gently clean with soap and warm water. Try to rinse soap out of wound to prevent irritation

  • Don’t use hydrogen peroxide or iodine, which can damage tissue

Protect The Wound

  • Apply antibiotic cream to reduce risk of infection and cover with a sterile bandage

  • Change the bandage daily to keep the wound clean and dry

When To Call A Doctor

  • The wound is deep or the edges are jagged or gaping open

  • The wound is on the person’s face

  • The wound has dirt or debris that won’t come out

  • The wound shows signs of infection, such as redness, tenderness, or a thick discharge, or if the person runs a temperature over 100º F

  • The area around the wound feels numb

  • Red streaks form around the wound

  • The person has a puncture wound or deep cut and hasn’t had a tetanus shot in the past five years, or anyone who hasn’t had a tetanus shot in the past 10 years

Source: WebMD