WHY DO I NEED A FIRST AID KIT, TODAY?

There will come a  time in your life when you wish you had a first aid kit close by. We constantly hear accounts all the time about people who get injured and didn’t have a first aid kit.  Here are several good reasons why it’s time to get your first aid kit now (https://www.mfasco.com/blog/health-topics/why-Is-a-first-aid-kit-important.html, n.d.)!

Accidents and injuries can occur anywhere – at home, at the workplace, while driving or while participating in sports events. It is crucial to be prepared for such medical crises. Keeping a first-aid kit at home, in your car and in the office can assist you in reacting effectively to common injuries and emergencies (https://www.pickeringsafety.com/blog/10-reasons-to-keep-a-first-aid-kit-in-your-home-and-office/, 2020).

To have at least one first-aid kit in your home and one in your car – Store your kits wherever they are easy to get to and out of the reach of young children. However, be sure  that your children who are old enough to understand the purpose of the kits ,know where they are (Staff, 2018)!

Emergency services are often spread thin – this is especially true when storms and major catastrophes strike. When travelling on the road, having a well-stocked first aid kit could be a game changer. We spend a lot of time on the road on our way to and from work, visiting friends, shopping, or going on vacation. Nevertheless, there are frequently times when drivers are on the road in unforgiving conditions and accidents will happen when you least anticipate them! It’s always good to be prepared and have a first aid kit in your car. Drivers should always do their best to be ready for any potential medical emergency on the road, even if you are not medically trained, you may be able to assist an hurt person with your first aid kit.

A first aid kit serves as a basic resource –  it may be your only  means of assistance until further medical help arrives. This kit will also help you treat minor injuries that do not require trained medical assistance, such as minor cuts.  “But if there are any patient on the scene, you can now offer your help – using your first aid kit – to those who need it” (Barday, 2019)

First-aid kits help you manage  medical emergencies as quickly as possible.In a crisis, a delay of just a single minute can cause irrecoverable damage. First Aid Kits extend basic and swift care for common medical injuries like burns, cuts etc.  A first-aid kit contains, depending of course on what’s in it,  all the fundamental medical products in one easy location.  In case of such an emergency, you do not have to waste valuable time assembling the proper  medical items needed. A well-equipped first-aid kit, in most cases, may help avoid further difficulties or  injury or medical complications.

Keeping  a first aid kit handy can be cost effective – It’s less likely that if a wound is treated without delay with a first-aid kit,  it  will require less complicated attention in the future.

You can really take a first-aid kit with you anywhere – whether you’re travelling or living/working in a small space. There’s really no excuse not to keep one on hand.  Your first-aid kit will come in handy if anyone around you experiences any of the injuries mentioned above. Children and elderly people are most susceptible to injuries and accidents. First-aid kits are  an indispensable medical item for everyone (https://www.pickeringsafety.com/blog/10-reasons-to-keep-a-first-aid-kit-in-your-home-and-office/, 2020).

Response when there is no responder – There is never a good place to get injured but when help is out of reach; a first aid kit will be your  best friend.  You can’t always count on others to help, so be prepared.

We only have so much blood, scary but true. –  If your injury includes blood-loss, you only have valuable seconds to get the necessary supplies to stop the bleeding.  Keeping a first aid kit or at the very least a tourniquet, close by can provide the extra time you need to seek help.

Kids will be kids – You can guarantee  that kids will get hurt, sooner or later due to either a lack of experience or just plain recklessness, it all adds up to someone getting hurt.  Cuts, scrapes and burns are the  usual injuries you can  anticipate, so prepare a first aid kit with the suitable supplies. 

Liability – nobody wants to think about being sued.  Businesses are obliged by law to keep first aid supplies readily available when there is no first reply within 10 minutes.  Be sure your first aid kit is stocked with the required ANSI first aid items.

Protect your employees or people you care about – When an injury occurs, a well-stocked first aid kit can save someone’s life.  Think about others who are risking injury while on the job and do the right thing.  Make sure everyone knows you have a stocked first aid kit ready to use and tell them where it is in case an accident occurs.

Peace of mind – Being prepared, and doing the right thing and even being able to help others when injury occurs is reason enough to want a first aid kit close by (https://www.mfasco.com/blog/health-topics/why-Is-a-first-aid-kit-important.html, n.d.)

Worst Case Scenario – When reading about and researching your personal protection options, it’s easy to get caught up in guns, knives, holsters, armor and like items. However, if you ever need to draw your weapon it will be because something has gone terribly wrong. A bad guy is committing or threatening an act of serious violence; people may already be wounded. You yourself may get hurt, depending on how things unfold. In the aftermath of the incident, your ability to provide opportune and effective first aid may be what beats the Reaper, and the life you save will more likely than not, be your own. Having and IFAK or AFAK nearby—in your car, your briefcase, your desk, your purse, etc.— is a necessity. Having some minimal trauma supplies on your person is also advisable (Jenkins, 2016).

Active Shooter Situations – Active shooter is a term that invokes pictures of gunmen walking through schools or offices, shooting unsuspecting innocent bystanders. It can also mean any attackers or even groups of fanatics working together to attack gatherings of people in public places. Whether we’re talking about a single bad guy or a group, the term is the same. Once the shooting has stopped, it could be a long time before help or first responders arrive.  It’s during this time that you must determine if you’re going to be a bystander, a another victim or an immediate responder. Are you going to just stand by and do nothing ,or do something? That choice becomes much easier if you have planned in advanced and you are prepared (Rod Brouhard, 2020).

References:

Barday, N. (2019, November 22). https://www.health24.com/Medical/First-aid/About-first-aid/heres-why-you-need-a-first-aid-kit-in-the-car-20170607. Retrieved from https://www.health24.com: www.health24.com

https://www.mfasco.com/blog/health-topics/why-Is-a-first-aid-kit-important.html. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mfasco.com: https://www.mfasco.com

https://www.pickeringsafety.com/blog/10-reasons-to-keep-a-first-aid-kit-in-your-home-and-office/. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.pickeringsafety.com/blog/10-reasons-to-keep-a-first-aid-kit-in-your-home-and-office/: https://www.pickeringsafety.com/blog/10-reasons-to-keep-a-first-aid-kit-in-your-home-and-office/

Jenkins, M. (2016, Febuary 9). USA Carry. Retrieved from https://www.usacarry.com/considerations-about-first-aid-ccw/: https://www.usacarry.com

Rod Brouhard, E.-P. (2020, January 11). https://www.verywellhealth.com/staying-safe-from-and-treating-active-shooter-injuries-4121190. Retrieved from https://www.verywellhealth.com/staying-safe-from-and-treating-active-shooter-injuries-4121190: https://www.verywellhealth.com

Staff, M. C. (2018, July 11). https://www.mayoclinic.org/. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/: https://www.mayoclinic.org/