| Monday, March 3, 2008 |
| How To Stock Your Home First Aid Kit |
Everyone should have a well-stocked first aid kit handy for the home as well as the car. You never know when you will need it, and it is always better to be prepared for an emergency. First aid kits should also be checked once or twice a year to ensure that the supplies have not expired, and refill any items that have been used. There are ready-made kits available at many retailers, but you can also stock your own to ensure that the products you have on hand are good quality items. A plastic shoebox with a snap-top lid can make an effective first aid kit, and fits nicely on a shelf or under a seat in your car. You can also fill a smaller box with some bare essentials to create a first aid kit for the park or soccer games. No matter where you are, it is always a good idea to have some band-aids and a few other supplies available.
The Necessities
Bandages are usually the first basic that people think of when they begin stocking a first aid kit. Bandages of assorted shapes and sizes are a good idea, so you are prepared for a variety of cuts and scrapes. Butterfly bandages should be included to hold cuts closed, and gauze pads can come in handy to help stop bleeding. Include a roll of hypoallergenic adhesive tape to help hold your gauze pads in place. A roller bandage is also a good choice in your first aid kit, to give support to a sore ankle or other joint. Other supplies that you will need to have on hand to treat cuts and abrasions will be antibiotic ointment and latex gloves. A bottle of water and antiseptic towelettes are a smart addition for cleaning and rinsing wounds out before dressing them.
There are a number of medications that your first aid kit should include. Pain relievers such as acetaminophen and allergy medication are both good choices. You can add eye drops, and stomach medications for indigestion and antidiarrheals to round out your medicine inventory. Syrup of Ipecac is also important to have on hand, but never administer it without checking with your poison control center first. Make sure before taking any medication from your first aid kit that the medicine is not expired and check dosage information every time you use it – especially when administering medicines to children.
Last but definitely not least, a first aid manual should be a top priority for your first aid kits, along with emergency numbers for your doctor, pharmacy and poison control. A first aid kit filled with supplies is only useful if the owner knows how to use the items! Don’t wait until an emergency to wish you had a first aid kit on hand; stock it now and rest assured that you will be prepared if an urgent situation comes along. |
posted by Johny @ 8:45 AM  |
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| First Aid Information Should Be Available To Everyone |
Whether it is at your home, in your car or workplace first aid information should be readily available to everyone in case of an emergency. All types of medical emergencies can pop up from a small cut on a finger to a person suffering a massive heart attack and appropriate first aid information needs to be handy.
The American Red Cross is an exceptional source for first aid information and has information on just about every emergency contingency. Accurate, updated information could mean the difference between life and death and in some cases; you may have to take care of yourself.
At home, you should be aware of the first aid information for every chemical in your home. Not necessarily memorizing every item in your home, but knowing where to find the information can save a lot of grief in case of an emergency. Material Safety Data Sheets are available for every dangerous products sold in the United States.
These information sheets contain information on the manufacturer, including an emergency phone number to call in case all efforts to deal with this particular chemical fails as well as the actual contents. You will need the content information if you have to contact the poison control center. They also will tell you what to do in case of exposure or ingestion, which is very valuable first aid information in case of exposure. To obtain a material safety data sheet on any potentially poisonous or otherwise dangerous product, contact the manufacturer or the store at which it was bought.
Contact Information Is Also Important
Some important first aid information that many people overlook is who to contact in case of emergency. The phone number of your family physician should be posted in a conspicuous place along with a list of any and all prescriptions you are taking, as well as the dosage. This could prove to be valuable first aid information as some drugs used in emergencies may not be compatible with your prescriptions. Additionally, make sure you list any allergies you may have to certain drugs. This information could be lifesaving.
Unless your area has emergency 9-1-1 calling, you should also have the police, fire and ambulance phone numbers listed near the doctor’s information. It’s also a good idea to have the name and number of a relative or close neighbor who can be counted on take care of smaller children in the event of an emergency and you have to leave for the hospital. |
| posted by Johny @ 8:45 AM |
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