First Aid Tribe

First Aid Kit

What should a good first aid kit have in it ? The essentials have to be: Gloves, Masks, Ventilation barriers, Eye protection, training and a little common sense for the First Aider. For the Casualty, sterile dressings, bandages and some water for cleaning wounds or flushing (eyes, burns). With these few things you can safely use CPR and an AED, deal with Serious bleeding, Shock, Spinal Injury management, Burns, Choking, Heatstroke, Epilepsy and many more to a high standard.

Gloves and a mask should now be on the top of everyone’s list. Whilst they have always been important, their use is so much more vital now. As we progress through 2020 I hope that most people will have these protectors in their bags, cars, homes and offices, so that we can continue to protect ourselves and others with confidence. It would be a very sad world if people stopped helping others because they are scared for themselves. Gloves and a mask help to solve this.

For the general First Aid Kit, we move into Triangular bandages, scissors (for the bandages), swabs and sterile cotton to clean and dress wounds, splints, tweezers, safety pins, penlight, thermometer, cold pack, plastic bags (for rubbish). Also hot packs for certain bites and stings and cold packs for strains, sprains and swelling. I like to have steri-strips to close smaller wounds. When I was doing a lot of first aid with the rugby clubs I had electrical tape to keep bandages in place because it is designed to stick in damp environments. Keeping a bandage on someone’s head when they have been sweating is tricky without a roll of electrical tape (cyclists and runners take note). Antiseptic soap and wipes for the casualty and disinfectant for any surface touched by used swabs or bandages is a very good idea.

We then move on to more specific items for known family issues. Things like sweets (diabetics), painkillers, anti-histamine for allergic reactions and activated charcoal for poisoning.

I spent many years running on and off a rugby pitch dealing with a wide variety of injuries. 2 children kept me busy with the usual childhood trips, falls and silliness. As a complementary therapist I have had a chance to look at so many things that are offered for day to day issues, from a wide variety of suppliers. I am a great believer in an integrative approach to treating injuries and illnesses. I am not a supporter of an uneducated approach to things but, I have used healing to stem pain while waiting for an ambulance on the side of a pitch, as many times as I have applied a triangular bandage. At this time there isn’t an educated/scientific reason why this should work, but it does, though not for everyone (in my own experience). 

I trust in many herbs, homeopathy, healing and energy work. I am allergic to most anti-biotics so I rely on many traditional remedies to deal with infections. I do use arnica externally for bruising but I cant take it internally as it gives me stomach pains. I believe totally and completely in the power of diet (our general intake of food) to support our immune systems and aid in body repair, as well as mental stability. I believe in organic foods because I don’t want to ingest the remains of chemicals on food. So, my first aid box at home has homeopathic remedies, herbs, materials for a poultice, iodine and coconut oil hand wipe, salt pipes, neti pots, tongue scrapers and a host of other good stuff that works for me and my family.

So, what is in your first aid kit ?. Is it dusty box, stuck in the corner that hasn’t been used for years ?. or maybe even one that has not been topped up or checked for many months ? Maybe you are into sports and have a wider variety of bits and bobs but nothing useful ?. Time to dust it off, check it out and make it a workable tool. Remember your gloves, mask and ventilation barriers so that you can have the confidence to be kind to others. 🙂