World First Aid Day: Five essentials you must include in your first aid kit
September 12 is observed as World First Aid Day. World First Aid Day helps spread awareness about the importance of first aid and proper accessibility to it. First aid is the first and immediate assistance given to any person suffering from either a minor or serious illness or injury, (the “three P’s” are the primary goals of first aid) with care provided to PRESERVE life, PREVENT the condition from worsening, or to PROMOTE recovery. The day was started by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in 2000 to educate people in the world of the benefits of first aid, need of first aid and the right way to do first aid
The Five Most Important Items for a First Aid Kit
- Bandages and dressings –a few adhesive bandages and gauze dressings to cover wounds
- Antibiotic cream – check the expiration date
- Scissors to cut dressings, clothing, rope, seatbelts and more
- Needle-nose tweezers to pull out splinters, ticks, thorns and rattlesnake fangs
- Gloves to protect yourself from blood and other body fluid
- Recognize the emergency. Does someone look like they’re in trouble?
- Call the ambulance or any other appropriate authorities you think you should.
- Ask them questions in case the situation escalates to unconsciousness.
- Be kind and calm.
- Tend to the person’s injuries (if possible)
Listed below are the 5 top reasons why first aid training is so important.
- Increases safety
- Helps save lives
- Helps relieve pain
- Makes people more secure
- Prevents the situation from becoming worse
Basic first aid knowledge is very helpful in dealing with trauma situations. Not just the medical help they provide, but the confidence they exhibit is very helpful during casualties. Being trained to provide first aid is useful to oneself and society.
