Is it a first aid or a trauma kit? OR…..is it both?
The correct answer is that it should be either one or the other and that you should know, both, the differences AND the limitations of each. A first aid kit isn’t a trauma kit, though it can have some traumatic care items in it, and a trauma kit isn’t a first aid kit, by our definition. So, which is which? I’m glad you asked that question. Lemme ‘splain you….
Having a first aid kit is just as essential as having a trauma kit because they both fill very specific roles. First Aid is what is done immediately after recognition of a sudden illness or injury and can, indeed, be lifesaving depending on what actions need to be taken and what items are on hand. What we want to do is try to separate “First Aid” from “Trauma” and clearly delineate what they are in our line of work. First Aid, to us, is more minor, non-life-threatening injuries, our “boo boos” while trauma is some type of injury which requires immediate actions to be taken in order to preserve life.
