subject: First Aid Kits And Trauma Kits - Preparing For An Emergency [print this page] Every home, car and office should be stocked with first aid kits and trauma kits in the event of an emergency. First aid supplies can be used to treat injuries ranging from a minor cut to a serious burn when it is not possible to seek immediate medical attention. Trauma kits can be used in major disaster situations and can even be used to treat victims in makeshift triage centers. There are many different types of items to include in these kits that vary depending on how, when and where the supplies will be used. Kits also vary in size and can be used to treat just a few people or have enough supplies to treat hundreds of injuries.
First aid kits are available in many different sizes and varieties. However, the most common items included in these kits include latex gloves, adhesive bandages, tape, gauze, ice packs and tweezers. It will also include a variety of first aid creams and ointments for a burn. Alcohol pads, antiseptic wipes and antibacterial hand sanitizer are other common items found in first aid kits. Finally, most of these kits will also include a small guide with instructions on how to treat common injuries.
Trauma kits usually contain supplies that will be used by experienced medical professionals. Some of these items include latex gloves, bandages, gauze pads, adhesive tape, blankets, shears, tourniquets, ice packs and eye wash. It may also contain the items necessary to make a splint, tools to create an emergency airway, ointment to treat burns, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, antiseptic and even insect repellent.
Additional items found in trauma kits can be used to set up and run a makeshift triage center at the site of an emergency or natural disaster. A triage center is an area set up to treat victims of a disaster in a location that is not typically used as a medical center. These types of kits contain a large variety of medical equipment and supplies, as well as items needed to organize and manage a triage area. These common supplies include tarps, barricade tape, bull horns, walkie-talkies, radios and light sticks. It also usually includes triage forms to keep track of patients and medical guides that provide instructions on providing care to victims. Additional triage items might include clipboards, golf pencils, safety vests, goggles and hard hats. Finally, these emergency centers sometimes use specific tools depending on the expertise of the doctor or staff who is working to treat victims.
