Having a first aid kit, whether at work, home or on the road can come in handy and could be the thin line between able to manage an injury before one can access medical help and disaster. With that in mind, it is correct to say that having the right first aid kit can be lifesaving. But with so many options of first aid kits that all promise to be the perfect fit, choosing the right first aid kit can become a tricky affair. Here are a few things to help you choose the right first aid kit.
Factors to consider
Purpose
The environment where a kit is used determines what kind or type of kit you might need. For instance, if you are looking for a kit for a hiking trip, then it is important that the kit comes with supplies for blisters and other common hiking injuries which might not be the case if you are shopping for a home first aid kit. Knowing where you intend to use the first aid kit will, therefore, guide you when making your choice.
Size
After narrowing down your choices based on the purpose, the next step is to determine the size of kit you need. This is mainly dependent on the number of people who will be using the kit. For example, a small kit can serve up to around 20 people in the event of minor injuries and only a maximum of 5 with serious injuries while a large kit can be used by up to 100 people depending on the type of injuries. Therefore, if your first aid kit is meant for the house, you may not need one as big as that needed for an office.
Common types of injuries
The type of injury that is most likely to occur can guide you towards choosing the right first aid kit. Depending on the environment and the risk factors that come with that said surrounding, the needs for first aid kits is different. For instance, a kit for the office may not include supplies that are needed to treat snake bites or blisters but instead will need supplies for common injuries such as cuts, bruises, allergies, etc.
Portability
First aid kits can come in two types, portable and fixed. A fixed kit can have more supplies including those that may be heavier while a portable one is normally less bulky. When choosing a portable kit, it is important to check whether it is easy to move from one location to another such as checking for straps or wheels. On the other hand, since fixed kits cannot be taken to the injured person they need to be located somewhere that can be easily accessed in the event of an emergency and thus you might have to consider making space for it.…