» The first step is to stop the bleeding by elevating the injured area and pressing firmly on the wound with a clean cloth or bandage.
» If you can't stop the bleeding, make a tourniquet to tie around the wound. However, do this only as a last resort, because it could cause tissue damage. (It's possible to reattach a limb for up to three hours after using a tourniquet.)
» Wrap the amputated limb in a clean cloth that has been soaked in salt water (two teaspoons of salt mixed into a quart of bottled water).
» Keep the wrapped limb cool but never place it directly on ice; that causes tissue damage. Instead, put the limb inside a sealed plastic bag on ice — but don't use dried ice, which can lead to frostbite. Proper cooling can preserve a limb for up to 18 hours.
