World First Aid Day: Uses of The Items That Should be Part of First Aid Kit

World First Aid Day is an annual drive to create awareness among people about the significance of first aid in our daily lives.

Every year, the day is observed on the second Saturday of September. This campaign aims to familiarise people about the importance of first aid and its help in the treatment of injuries and even saving lives.

First aid training is not just meant for specialists but is a simple yet useful skill every individual should have.

World First Aid Day was first introduced in the year 2000 by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. This year we celebrate it on September 12 i.e. today.

What is First Aid?

First aid is the immediate response or assistance offered to an individual who has suffered an injury or any other medical illness. One cannot be fully dependent on professional healthcare services as we may not always be in a situation where immediate accessibility to them is possible. One has to be prepared for such situations.

First aid includes various methods and techniques which may involve use of specific tools or sometimes even without it. A first aid kit contains some medical equipment that can be used in an emergency situation. Let us now see what constitutes a first aid kit and their uses.

A First Aid Box or Kit is usually assembled in a plastic or metallic container. In some cases, wooden or fabric containers are brought to use. Some of the commonly found items in a first aid box include:

Band-Aids: To apply on mild cuts and wounds

Cotton Balls: To clean wound

Cotton Swabs: Also used for cleaning the affected area

Iodine: This is used as an anti-septic to prevent infections in the wound

Bandages: To wrap or cover the injured part of the body

Hydrogen Peroxide: This is another anti-septic used to clean wounds

Alcohol or non-alcohol antiseptic wipes

Scissors: To cut gauze and bandages

Some other common items are Ice pack, Saline, Dressings, Eyewash, Antiseptic solution, etc.

These first aid kits are a must have for homes, workplaces, shopping malls, parks and recreational facilities and other places. But just having the tool is not enough, more and more people need to be trained in using it.