What to do while waiting for help

Take the following actions until help arrives:

• Swallowed poison. Remove anything remaining in the person's mouth. If the suspected poison is a household cleaner or other chemical, read the container's label and follow instructions for accidental poisoning.
• Poison on the skin. Remove any contaminated clothing using gloves. Rinse the skin for 15 to 20 minutes in a shower or with a hose.
• Poison in the eye. Gently flush the eye with cool or lukewarm water for 20 minutes or until help arrives.
• Inhaled poison. Get the person into fresh air as soon as possible.
• If the person vomits, turn his or her head to the side to prevent choking.
• Begin CPR if the person shows no signs of life, such as moving, breathing or coughing.
• Call Poison Help at 800-222-1222 in the United States or your regional poison control for additional instructions.
• Have somebody gather pill bottles, packages or containers with labels, and any other information about the poison to send along with the ambulance team.