Having a well equipped first aid kit on hand can be a life saver, particularly if they are present at sporting events or in manufacturing plants or warehouses where there is a high probability of injury occurring. Almost all fitness centers and office buildings are required to have one.
AED – Automatic Electronic Defibrillator
The first thing that should be present along with, or as part of your first aid kit is an AED, or automatic electronic defibrillator. These devices have helped to save thousands of lives. When a person is experiencing a heart attack, their best chance of survival will depend on early defibrillation. Waiting until emergency personnel arrive is often too late for the defibrillator to be effective. Hence, it is of the utmost importance that you have an AED present. A modern AED does not require a lot of special expertise to operate. You simply apply the two paddles to the wall of the chest as shown on the diagram that accompanies the defibrillator. One paddle will go on the left side of the chest, above the left nipple and the other paddle will go on the left ribs. The device will then analyze the persons heart rhythm and determine if a shock is needed. It will notify you the a shock is needed, warn everyone present to move away from the patient, and shock the patient. It will then analyze the heart rhythm again, and apply another shock if needed.
In general, an AED will only recommend giving a shock if the person has a heart rhythm called ventricular fibrillation, it can also be used for ventricular tachycardia that is pulse less. In any event, the user does not have to analyze the heart rhythm, the machine will do this for him or her. Consequently, it can be used by lay people.
First Aid Kit – Trauma Supplies
Of course your first aid kit will have a lot of other supplies, such as equipment to handle trauma injuries. This will include a lot of bandages, dressings, adhesive tape, and antiseptics used to clean and dress wounds.
CPR – Equipment For Airway Management
You should also have equipment for airway management. This may include a pocket mask, that will you use for rescue breathing while performing CPR. There may also be some other devices to keep an airway open, such as, a bag valve mask, nasopharyngeal airway, oropharyngeal airway, and a manual aspirator or suction device. Of course it will also contain the standard stethoscope and sphygmomanometer.
Equipment And Instruments
Your first aid kit should also have some other equipment. It is good if it contains a thermometer, tweezers, scalpel, alcohol pads, cotton swabs, scissors, and trauma shears. In addition it should contain some type of braces and slings so you can quickly immobilize broken limbs.
Medications. Some of these medications are controversial to have in a first aid kit, however, they can be life-savers.
Some people think it is not necessary to have all of the above equipments in their homes, but some people also regret it because they did not have have when they need it the most. I hope you can put your life and safety as the priority and protect yourself and your family by having First Aid Kits and other life saving equipments ready in your home.
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- License: Creative Commons image source
License: Creative Commons image source
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Mick Chan has been working in safety supplies and emergency kits industry for more than five years. As a product manager for ESafetySupplies, he knows all the requirements from OSHA. He likes to write and share his ideas about the importance of safety and emergency prevention.
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