What should be in a car first aid kit

The fact that every car must have a first-aid kit, every driver learns at the driver's courses. Its equipment can be basic and supplemented by the driver himself. In this article, we will consider what each of the kits of a car first aid kit should contain and whether it can be assembled independently.

Before proceeding to the study of the first-aid kit, let us recall that its presence in the car is not just a whim of government officials, but timely medical assistance, and for someone a real chance to survive in a car accident. For this reason, it is important that it is not only in your own cars, but also in the cars that you rent.

Choose a ready-made car first aid kit or build your own

The complete set of first-aid kits for a car is approved by the state standard of Ukraine 3691-2000 "First-aid kit medical automobile". This white paper was last revised and updated in 2013.

In modern realities and with the development of medical technologies, some items of the “basic” first-aid kit can be considered somewhat outdated and, if desired, they can be supplemented with updated medical devices and drugs.

A prime example would be a rubber tourniquet to stop bleeding. It should be standard, but can be upgraded with a more effective CAT (Combat Application Tourniquet) hemostatic mechanism. This tool is actively used by the US military, NATO and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In the future, it is planned that such a device will be included in the standard car first-aid kit, but at the moment it needs to be purchased separately.

In addition to standard medicines, the driver can put in the first-aid kit medicines and devices that are necessary directly for him and his passengers. These can be medicines for the heart, for high blood pressure, a non-contact thermometer, a tonometer, etc.

What should be in a first aid kit

The driver's first aid kit should contain first aid in case of injury and to stop bleeding. According to statistics, it is precisely because of severe blood loss that 80% of people who get into an accident die. If the victims quickly stop the bleeding with the help of the funds available in the first-aid kit, there is a high probability that they will remain alive and will be able to wait for the arrival of doctors.

The following remedies will help stop bleeding:

• CAT(Combat Application Tourniquet);
• tourniquet of Esmarch;
• elastic bandage 10 cm wide and 5 m long;
• sterile bandages of different widths;
• non-sterile bandages of different widths;
• antimicrobial wipes or gel strips;
• hemostatic wipes with furagin;
• sterile wipes and a dressing bag;
• paramedical scissors with rounded ends;
• notepad and pen.

We list the contents of the first aid kit:

• medical scarf for dressing;
• gel anti-burn bandage;
• disposable valve for artificial respiration;
• medical gloves;
• thermal cover;
• anatomical tweezers;
• safety pins;
• non-sterile bandages and cotton wool;
• gauze sterile wipes;
• rolled and bactericidal adhesive plaster.

Each set must be packed separately. On sale there are packages for cars that can accommodate up to 9 people with a driver - AMA-1 equipment. For cars with a large number of seats, the AMA-2 package is provided. It includes the same funds as in AMA-1, but in larger quantities.

In addition to devices and medicines, the first-aid kit should contain instructions for its use. But as practice shows, during an accident there is no time to get acquainted with it, therefore it is important that every driver, before getting behind the wheel, undergoes a course of emergency medical care.

Conclusions

In order to provide yourself and your passengers with first aid in time during an accident and thereby save someone's life, make sure that there is always a car first aid kit in your car. Be sure to check its availability if you decide to rent a car. When renting at Narscars, you don’t have to worry about it, because our company cares about the health of its customers, so each of our cars has a fully stocked first aid kit.