It is tough to find a ‘pre-packaged’ first aid kit that fits a modern family’s needs. Many of the high-end first aid kits are designed for job sites, so they contain enough supplies to treat many, many people. Other kits have items for the minor cuts and scrapes, but not the real emergencies. Safety Squad has responded to many emergencies, in clinical settings as well as within the community. Below are three critical first aid kit items that many families don’t know about:
Thermal blanket: In case of internal injury or blood loss, shock can be life-threatening. Keeping the person warm is critical. Medical grade thermal blankets work quicker and faster than traditional blankets. And, they are inexpensive (most are less than $6.00), they have no expiration date, and they are tightly packaged to fit easily into first aid kits (most are no more than 8” X 6” X 4”). None of us want to think of this kind of extreme emergency. But, this is the reason we have first aid kits – for the emergency. Most of us parents keep the character Band-Aids and antiseptic wipes in other, more accessible places, like the bathroom drawer or medicine cabinet.
Liquid Benadryl: An allergic reaction can happen out of the blue. What would you do for a severe allergic reaction, that presents for the first time, and
There are a lot of topics that accompany this booster seat conversation, the least of which is when to move into a booster, (4 & 40) is NOT a rule. We're not talking about that here (except to say.. boosters are often a demotion in safety, not a graduation from a 5 point harness).
After "When to go into a booster?", the number one question we get from parents about choosing a booster seat is which style is safest – high-back or no back (backless). Both styles have passed mandatory federal safety testing, so they are both safe. The answer to this question depends on your vehicle and your child. Here are the two most important things to consider:
What kind of head support does your vehicle’s back seat offer? Is there a head rest? Where are your child’s ears in relation to the head rest?
Your vehicle’s headrest helps with whiplash protection. If your vehicle doesn’t have a head rest, or has one that you are not comfortable with, you will want to purchase a high back booster. Of if you have a tall child and the ears are above the vehicle headrest when sitting in a backless booster, you will want to purchase a highback booster.
How is your child’s behavior while sitting in the car? Remember that the booster seat only ‘raises’ your child up in the vehicle – crash protection is
It's been a while, but we're posting again. More to come. Here's a practical tip. Even though many kids are super tech savvy, very few will know how to call 911 on your phone if the screen is locked. Test this with your kids. Watch what happens when you give them a phone with no guidance. Of course, if you have an android or another smart phone, tweak the instruction to reflect how kids can dial quickly.
Calling 911 on an iPhone: 1. Swipe to right 2. Press "Emergency Call" 3. Dial 9-1-1 4. Press green "Send" button
