One of the most important elements of emergency preparation is emergency trauma first aid. In a major disaster, the availability of first aid supplies to help restart breathing, stop severe bleeding, or perform other basic medical responses such as treating shock may save lives. Having a trauma first aid kit or mobile trauma first aid station may help you save your own life or those of others as medical responders may will be overwhelmed for hours or even days.

True Emergency First Aid Kit

A standard family first aid kit, while helpful, may not be adequate for responding to a true disaster. A few bandaids, some anti-itch cream, and a pair of tweezers will do very little to stop bleeding or give CPR. Minot cuts and scrapes will be survived without medical treatment, but major injuries or trauma may not be.

One should select a trauma first aid kit that has extensive supplies and has been designed for use in major disasters. Such an emergency first aid kit may be more extensive and expensive than a first aid kit designed for a weekend picnic, but may provide much needed critical care in an emergency.

Extensive First Aid Supplies

When selecting a trauma first aid station or trauma first aid kit, make sure it has extensive first aid supplies that meet OSHA guidelines and ANSI standards. The following is a list from a MobileAid Trauma First Aid Station that was designed to meet these standards:

Quick-Response Trauma First Aid Pockets

First Aid guide book
Writing tablet
Pen
Flexible emergency evacuation stretcher
Scissor utility shears 7-1/4″
CPR filter/shield adult/child
Instruction and inventory sheet
Waterproof document pouch
First Aid flag and pole (extendable)
Face mask with eyeshield
Vinyl gloves (pairs)
Protective gown
Disposable incident blanket

Quick- Response Trauma First Aid Module A – Protection, Instruments, Sanitation:

(1) First Aid instruction chart
(1) Bandage scissors 5 1/2″
(1) Splinter forceps 4 1/2″
(1) Kelley forceps 5 1/2″
(1) Flashlight (penlight)
(1) Hand sanitizer (4 oz)
(1) Sunblock SPF 30+(4 oz)
(1) Insect repellant (2 oz)
(2) Emergency blankets
(2) Vinyl gloves (pairs)
(4) AA batteries
(10) Instant towels in a tube
(12) Bio-hazard bag
(25) Aspirin (2 5-grain tablets)

Quick-Response Trauma First Aid Module B – Wound Cleaning & Treatment:

(1) Hydrogen peroxide solution (4 oz spray)
(2) Sting & Bite swab
(2) Eye wash 1 oz sterile
(3) Vinyl Gloves (pairs)
(3) Emergency water pouches (4oz)
(6) Burn gel – 1/8 oz foil pack
(10) First Aid cream 1 gm foil pack
(10) PVP iodine swabs 1/2cc each
(10) Wound cleaner towelette
(12) Cotton tip applicator 3″
(14) Hydrocortisone 1% 1/8 oz foil pack

Quick-Response Trauma First Aid Module C – Wound Dressing and Bandaging:

(1) Compress bandage 4″ with telfa pad
(1) Bloodstopper bandage
(1) Triangular bandage 40″ x 40″ x 56″ w/ safety pins
(1) Waterproof adhesive tape 1″ x 5 yards
(2) Waterproof adhesive tape 1/2″ x 5 yards
(2) 2″ x 6″ gauze bandage
(2) Co-Flex bandage 2″ x 5 yards
(4) Eye pads with adhesive strips
(6) Non-adherent pad 2 x 3″
(6) Gauze clean-wrap bandage 2″
(8) Gauze pads 3″ x 3″ 12 ply
(10) Plastic 2″ x 3″ patch bandage
(10) Woven knuckle bandage
(16) Bandage strip 1″ x 3″
(16) Butterfly closure (medium)

Quick-Response Trauma First Aid Module D – Large Wound Dressing and Bandaging:

(1) Bloodstopper bandage
(1) Waterproof adhesive tape 1″ x 5 yards
(2) ABD combine pad 5″ x 9″
(2) Burn dressing gel-soaked 4″ x 4″
(2) Sterile gauze roll 4 1/2″ x 4.1 yards
(4) ABD pads 8″ x 10″ sterile

Quick-Response Trauma First Aid Module E – Hydration & Cold Application:

(3) Emergency water pouches (4oz)
(4) Cold pack unit 5″ x 6″

Mobility – Mobile First Aid Station

Once you make sure that your trauma first aid solution is extensive. The next most important attribute to ensure is that it is also high mobile. While a small emergency first aid kit will generally be easily carried, one with more extensive supplies can get very heavy and awkward.

Safety professionals that work with LifeSecure often indicate that they feel hampered in their response to major medical emergencies because their trauma first aid supplies are either contained in heavy duffel bags that are hard to carry for any great distance (say across a large facility) or, worse, stocked in bolted-in, stationary wall-mounted first aid units that are really designed to require the patient to come to the kit vs. allowing the kit to move to the patient. Though, some wall units can be removed and carried, once again, the weight and bulk becomes an issue if any distance is involved.

MobileAid Trauma First Aid Stations carry extensive supplies in a rolling station that allows for superior mobility.