Imagine this situation, you’re on an outing with your troupe of friends when suddenly your best mate slips off the track and twists his leg letting out a loud cry. What are you going to do in such a situation? Well, rest assured as long as you have a handy first-aid kit to wish away all the injuries. A well-equipped first-aid kit acts as the foundation against any emergencies or accidents as a good precautionary measure before and after an incident has occurred. The contents of the first aid kit should change to match the situation or location where the kit will be put touse. You can find common elements in each kit. A fully stocked first-aid kit ensures that you respond urgently and efficiently to commonplace injuries and emergencies anywhere and at any time!
It is advisable for you to keep at least one first-aid kit in your home and one in your car. Store the kits in a perfectly dry place where itis easy for you to get them. Also, educate any children in your household about the benefits of using first-aid kits. Moreover, it would not hurt if you teach them how to use the contents of the kit since kids are the most vulnerable beings to injuries themselves.
- Do-It-Yourself Kit
Many people opt for a DIY first-aid kit to protect them against future incidents. They forge together an assembly of some commonly found utilities. One good way to go about this kit is to break it up into two separate compartments: one of the compartments should have bandages and the other one should be made for strictly keeping medicines. If you are making a bare-bones kit, add plenty of gauze, including at least a few rolls of ace and butterfly bandages and some non-adhesive gauze. As for the medication, always keep Tylenol, an anti-inflammatory such as aspirin,moleskin for blisters, tweezers for splinters, Benadryl and some diarrhea medication which would be sufficient for most short-term needs. Also, if you chip in a few good pairs of rubber gloves, scissors, alcohol pads, lots and lots of duct tape and a face shield,you would be ready to go. Do not forget to add a small Tupperware container which can be used as an alternative for a cheap, waterproof carrying case.
The biggest advantage to building your own first-aid kit is that you are fully aware about the contents of your kit and where they are kept inside.The hardest part is that you would be buying everything you need in small quantities to keep the first-aid kit light and compact.Usually keeping a first-aid manual acts as a nifty first step in your quest to use first aid box’s contents wisely. Remember, nothing can replace first-aid training, but if you happen to have a good manual to help you during emergencies, it’s all the more good. You may consider including supplies for outdoor injuries such as stuff like antiseptic towels for cuts and scrapes and antihistamines for allergic reactions.
- Disaster Management Kit
Disaster never informs you before it finally knocks you down hard and rough. It is for this reason that a steady and complete disaster first-aid box should be ready. A disaster kit should be built in such a way that it is able to sustain at least four people for three days. A standard first aid kit for natural calamities or disasters should includeat least 9000 calories’ worth of food and 27litres of water. The contents are stored in a huge plastic or metal bucket, which can be used as a makeshift toilet if direly needed. Many survival experts suggest that the storagebucket can also be used to cook and boil water. Disaster management kits also come equipped with a universal wrench thatcan be used to close damaged gas valves or as an emergency radio.
- Backpacker’s Mate
A backpacker first aid kit is usually helpful for people who undertake long trips to exotic locales.For instance, some ultralight & watertight backpack kits weigh as little as just 0.3 KGs and contain supplements like trauma pads, rolls of duct tapes, syringes and other necessary medications.
This kit usually contains more than enough bandages to scab up serious skin wounds. Take for instance, the case of an irrigation syringe. It may sound intimidating to someone with limited medical knowledge, but they’re actually crucial for flushing out deep cut marks or wounds. They make it difficult for amateurs to induce further injuries since they don’t contain needles.
- Automobile Kit
A first-aid kit for automobiles is a must if you go on long drives more often than not.The first aid kit should notbe stashed in the trunk, and it should be able to get you back on the road and out of danger. For instance, a standard automobile road kit is a 45-piece strong first-aid kit that also comes with an air compressor, and a couple of jumper cables. If you want to further expand the list you can chip in some gloves and scarves for coping with brutal winter breakdowns.
- Pocket Companion Kit
Pocket first-aid kits as the name suggests are pocket friendly in nature and fit into your pockets with ease and grace. A pocket first-aid kit essentially contains all the materials needed to take care of minor skin wounds and is small enough to fit in a pocket, making it perfectly ideal for hiking and long bike rides.
A pocket friendly first-aid kit provides relief for painful blisters, and the antiseptic pad and alcohol pad ensures that the wounds remain clean. These kits come in handy when you are going out on long trips against sunburn, and sea sickness that are all common injuries at sea. For instance, the Marine 300 comes equipped with an aloe-vera gel, nausea medication medicine with a complete guide to marine medicine. While this kit wouldn’t be sufficient for a professional crew heading out into the ocean or the sea for several days, it’s sufficient for a family on a fishing excursion.
Make it a point to check your first-aid kits regularly to ensure necessary items like flashlight batteries work properly and replace any obsolete supplies that have run the course of time. As mentioned above, prepare children of all hues for medical emergencies in such a way that they are age-appropriate. You can get yourself or your loved ones enrolled to emergency programmes of humanitarian aid organizations such as The American Red Cross that offer training and resources, plus give classes to help people understand and use first-aid techniques properly and effectively.
Author Bio
Mayank is an avid reader, musician, and YouTuber who loves everything about the Internet. In this article the author talks about different types of first aid kits that can help you greatly in case of an emergency. You can reach him on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/MayanktheKazama