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Be
prepared for any emergency:
What you need to know about first-aid kits
By Alan Krawitz
Medical emergencies can arise anytime and anywhere with little
to no advance warning. They can take many different forms from minor
cuts and abrasions to more serious injuries including deep wounds, poisoning,
allergic reactions, sudden illnesses and even dental emergencies.
My own brush with a medical emergency was a couple of years ago when
I was hiking at a state park on eastern Long Island. The trail wasn’t
completely free of obstacles and I ended-up tripping over a rock in
the middle of the trail. The fall wasn’t severe but I wound-up
with a nasty cut on my left knee. If I had followed medical experts’
advice and kept a first-aid kit in my car, I could have treated my wound
immediately with an anti-bacterial ointment and applied a clean bandage.
Instead, I had to wait about 35 minutes until I got home to tend to
my wound.
Luckily, the wound didn’t get infected. But, I shouldn’t
have taken the chance and neither should you.
Emergency preparedness and medical experts agree that a well-stocked
first-aid kit is an essential first line of defense when dealing with
various types of medical emergencies. They suggest that kits be kept
in the home, at work and in all vehicles.
Experts add that first-aid kits should be kept in easily retrievable
locations that are out of the reach of young children. However, older
children who understand the purpose of first-aid kits should know where
they are being stored.
Many companies and organizations, such as The American Red Cross, streamline
the task of assembling comprehensive first-aid kits and sell ready-made
and pre-assembled kits with varied contents. For example, The American
Red Cross Personal Emergency Preparedness Kit with Backpack is a one-person
pack containing basic supplies such as emergency drinking water and
a mini first-aid kit with assorted bandages and antiseptics that could
prove vital in an emergency. The American Red Cross Emergency Smartpack
with Backpack contains five packs of essential supplies to protect against
the weather, maintain hydration and nutrition, treat minor injuries
and signal for help.
However, for those who wish to customize their own first-aid kits, both
the Mayo Clinic and the Federal Emergency Management Agency say that
basic components of any first-aid kit should include:
First-aid basics:
• Adhesive tape
• Antibiotic ointment
• Antiseptic solution
• Bandages, including elastic wrap (Ace, Coban) and bandage strips
(Band-Aid, Curad, etc.) in assorted sizes
• Instant cold packs such as (Therma-Kool Reusable Hot/Cold Packs,
Instant Disposable Cold Packs)
• Cotton balls and cotton-tipped applicators
• Disposable latex gloves or vinyl gloves, at least two pairs
• Duct tape
• Gauze pads and roller gauze
• Eye goggles
• First-aid manual
• Soluble lubricating jelly or other lubricant
• Plastic bags for disposal of contaminated materials
• Safety pins in assorted sizes
• Save-a-tooth storage device containing salt solution and a travel
case
• Scissors, tweezers and a needle
• Soap or hand sanitizer
• Sterile eyewash, such as saline solution
• Thermometer
• Triangular bandage
• Bulb suction device for flushing out wounds
• Auto-injector of epinephrine (EpiPen), to treat an allergic
attack, if prescribed by a doctor
Over-the-counter medications:
• Activated charcoal (to be used if instructed by a poison control
center)
• Aloe vera gel
• Anti-diarrhea medication
• Oral antihistamine (such as Benadryl, others)
• Aspirin and non-aspirin pain relievers
• Calamine lotion
• Hydrocortisone cream
General Emergency items:
• Cell phone and recharger
• Emergency phone numbers, including contact info for doctors,
local emergency services, road service providers and regional poison
control centers
• Small, waterproof flashlight and extra batteries
• Candles and matches for colder climates
• Sunscreen
• Mylar emergency blanket
• First-aid instruction manual
And, once your first-aid kits are assembled and properly placed, don’t
forget to check the kits regularly, at least every three months, to
replace old batteries and expiration dates on medical supplies.
Further, emergency experts also recommend taking basic first-aid courses
in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) that also cover how to use an
automatic external defibrillator (AED), an increasingly common, potentially
life-saving medical device used on patients suspected of being in cardiac
arrest.
More information on first-aid procedures, products and training is available
through CWI Medical, a leading
provider of high quality medical supplies and healthcare products to
Acute Care Facilities and the general public. CWI Medical is also an
ACHC Accredited organization maintaining standards of excellence in
the Healthcare Field for more than 15 years.
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