Self-Care at Home

Begin basic first aid. Immediately call 911 if you have a severe injury, any shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, or other symptoms throughout your body. If you are aiding an injured person with these symptoms, lay the person down and immediately call 911.

• Remove yourself or the victim from the accident area.
  
  
• Remove any contaminated clothing.
  
  
• Wash the injured area to dilute or remove the substance, using large volumes of water. Wash for at least 20 minutes, taking care not to allow runoff to contact unaffected parts of your body. Gently brush away any solid materials, again avoiding unaffected body surfaces.
  
  
• Especially wash away any chemical in your eye. Sometimes the best way to get large amounts of water to your eye is to step into the shower.