Emergency Supplies Blog

Triage is defined as the act of prioritizing patient according to the severity of their injuries. The idea behind a triage system is that it allows the medical personnel to treat as many patients as possible in situations where treating them is difficult due to situation, terrain, or shortage of medical personnel. Triage kits and their use are an essential part of the success of any triage operation.  You will want to obtain a basic triage kit to set up your operation.

You will also want to obtain the tools necessary for quick and efficient CPR as well as a portable stretcher or two or three for easy and quick evacuation of the most seriously injured patients.   

In most cases of natural disaster situations such as earthquakes, non medical personal will find themselves involved in a type of triage known as S.T.A.R.T. which stands for simple triage and rapid treatment. This is simply designed to identify the injuries quickly and get the most seriously injured to hospitals for full care as soon as possible. That’s why it is important for volunteers to know the ins and outs using a triage kit.

For many people, keeping an emergency kit includes food, bandages and batteries.  During these times of high stress, people also forget that they have important documents such as social security cards, insurance papers and things of that nature.  Here’s a list of items that should be included in your emergency supplies  such as family records, medical records, wills, deeds, social security number, charge and bank accounts information and tax records, including copies of other important documents.

• Have copies of your medical insurance and Medicare cards readily available.
• Keep a list of the style and serial number of medical devices or other life-sustaining devices. Include operating information and instructions.
• Make sure that a friend or family member has copies of these documents.
• Include the names and contact information of your support network, as well as your medical providers.
• If you have a communication disability, make sure your emergency information notes the best way to communicate with you.
• Keep these documents in a water proof container for quick and easy access.

Medical first aid kits and supplies are indispensable in times of emergencies. This collection of supplies allows you to take immediate action against injuries that can happen anytime. And because you can never know when an emergency can happen, it is always a good idea to keep separate first aid supplies in your home, car and office. As a matter of fact, it is more prudent to have separate kits in each major section or room in your home. This way, you can always reach for medical first aid kits in a snap.

Your medical first aid kits and supplies should not be too small like a matchbox or too big like your garage. While there is no hard-and-fast rule about how big your first aid kits should be, you must make sure that your emergency medical set can contain all the essential items for first aid treatment. Also, take into consideration the weight of your first aid kit. It is better to have a lighter box than a heavier one because you will definitely need to carry it to many areas, not just inside your home, but also in other places where there is an emergency. Nevertheless, the type of container for your first aid supply can be varied according to your needs. You can use a re-sealable plastic bag or even a clean toolbox for your supplies.

Medical first aid kits and supplies should be placed in good open location, meaning, your kits can be easily seen by anyone inside your home. If you have kids, make sure that they understand the importance and the uses of having first aid kits. You will never know when you will rely on your kids to respond to emergencies, especially those that involve you, so you might as well teach them early on. Furthermore, if you can not afford to have multiple first aid supplies, you can just invest on one medical first aid kit and place it somewhere in the central area of your home such that you can see it and grab it from wherever you are coming from.

Medical first aid kits and supplies basically include bandages, adhesive tapes, cotton balls, clinical gloves, anti-bacterial solutions and eye goggles too.  See First Aid Supplies on our web site and you will notice that the main components of good medical first aid kits include items that protect not just the injured but the respondent as well. Above all, make sure that your first aid supplies are of good quality. You can get your kits and supplies from reputable drugstores and online, or you can assemble them yourself.

Great suggestion on adding in the Ipecac for poisoning.  I am a EMT.  So you know I have more to add.  Besides the basics you could also add more Ace bandages, for sprains, etc…; antibotic ointment and/or Antiseptic wipes will be used on just about everything; a birting kit; a blanket blood presure unit burn gel, draws the heat out; burn ontiment; butterfly stiches; calamine lotion; eye dropper; eye wash kit; flashlight face mask; insect/snake bite kit; cold packs; heat packs; magnifing lens; smelling salt; sponge sterile pads; stethescope; tourniquet; tounge depressor, and a tweezer.    

Really I am more impressed just to see that people have a first aid kit in their homes and in their cars and then leave the more serious work to the professionals.  That really is the ideal situation.

Emergency food bars and sealed camping meals are really great to keep on hand for emergency evacuations.  I personally keep a couple of days supply of both on hand and supplement my plan with my kitchen supplies.  

Basically, I keep a duffle bag in my kitchen and a list of the extra staples, that I keep on hand.  My list include canned soups, vegatables, and  fruits.  Also, cereals, crackers, pasta, and rice.  Along with lots of peanut butter.

In addition, we have a freezer with lots of frozen food meals and some ice that we could all put in our cooler if need be.

I think this is a more sensible plan than going out and buying 25 cans of beans or MRE meals and sticking them in a box somewhere.

The thing we found out when we did a practice complete building evacuate was that we were missing proper traffic control people and tools, both in the building and out in the parking lot.  If it had been dark the sitauation would have been even worse.    People tend to panic in an emergency situation and proper crowd control in the building and in the parking lots is key in a total evacuation situation. 

What we did was to enlist more floor captains and we supplied each floor with emergency wands and lantern flashlights.  The wands work great for directing people and cars and really what you want to get is the biggest flashlight or lanters you can find.    Get your emergency lighting before you need them.

A disaster situation can be a true test of leadership. People can panic and forget their common sense. They need someone to guide them on the next practical steps to take.

But in a panic situation, the leader should be heard above the crowd.  A bull horn is a practical gadget that should be included on the list of items in a community-disaster-management plan. This will help the designated official to be heard when he gives out his instructions.

Everybody’s outdoorsman needs a good first aid kit.  The outdoor first aid kit below is perfect for the sportsmen in our family. 

Knowing that the guys have this kit and a couple of extra solar blankets helps me feel more comfortable about them going out hunting, as I know they have some emergency supplies and a few first aid supplies. 

One of the most important things to add to or have in your auto emergency kit is a thermal blanket or solar sleeping bag.   These item are small and fit easily in your glove box.  Great for auto emergencies and outdoor survival.

These blankets generally retain 90% of your body heat, can be used as a ground cover, and will protect you from the elements.

I can’t believe how many houses I have been to that do not have a first aid kit.  It happens all the time, and I always urge each of my friends to keep one inside of their homes just in case anything happens.  Nobody ever expects a disaster, but that is really the crux of the issue isn’t it?  Disaster always strikes at the worst possible time and the only thing that we can do is to prepare ourselves as best as possible.

A first aid kit is a simple, inexpensive way for us to have something available at the drop of a hat.  Although when we are at home, emergency services are available for us to utilize, having full reliance on these services might not be the wisest thing.  Being prepared in advance at home and out on the road is.