First-aid kit
By H. Kishie Singh

TIMES are changing!

There was a time when car manufacturers gave you a vehicle, and from then on, you were on your own.

A significant step taken by the country’s largest auto manufacturer in promoting road safety is to make a first-aid kit available to car owners.

Not only the driver, but the whole family should know what first aid is all about. Who knows, the driver himself may need first aid!

1. First aid is just that, the first help you give to a person who is injured or suddenly becomes ill.

2. It is used to help preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening and promote recovery.

3. Medical aid should be rendered by trained professionals at the scene or in a hospital.

I would recommend that you consult your family doctor for do’s and don’ts about administering medical help.

The first-aid kit costs Rs 550 and is divided into three parts. Part one is for small cuts and wounds. Part two is for dealing with medium cuts and wounds, and part three is for severe bleeding and burns.

Instructions are printed in bold letters and are easy to follow.

The kit has bandages, triangular bandages, surgical gloves, scissors and a breathing mask in case mouth-to mouth resuscitation is required.

The introduction to first aid is explained as A-B-C — airway, breathing, circulation.

The recommendations are as follows: Airway — keep the airway in the throat clear i.e. if the injured is not breathing, resort to mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

For this, make the victim lie on his back comfortably. Do not support the head as the tongue could block the air passage. Allow the head to fall back so that the mouth stays open naturally and breathing is easier.

Procedure A leads to B, for breathing.

The kit includes surgical gloves.Use them while attending to cuts and wounds. It’s safe for you and the injured person. There is an adequate supply of bandages and otsher equipment. A pair of surgical scissors is also provided. It can come in handy in case clothing has to be removed by cutting.

The next step, circulation, advises you to raise the injured limb,for that helps reduce loss of blood. Keep the injured calm so that he doesn’t go into a state of shock. Again make him lie down comfortably. Send for help immediately.

If you have a warning triangle, place it about 50 metres behind the scene of the accident to warn other road users. If possible, disconnect the battery terminals. Remove the ignition key.

If people are in the car, do not drag them out. You must know how to remove an injured person.

Besides laceration, cuts and bruises, there could be broken limbs or burns. Injuries to bones and joints need special attention. This can be recognised by a swelling, uneven angle of a limb, or even a bone piercing the skin. The injured may be in pain and unable to move that particular limb.

The best first aid is to support and steady the limb. There should be no further movement to induce further injury. Wait for professional help.

Injuries to the eye could be serious and no one, except a doctor should deal with them. Put a light bandage over the eye and leave it to a professional. You could do more harm than good.

An accident victim could be unconscious. The danger in such cases is that the tongue could drop to the back of the throat and choke the air passage.

Never feed anything, even water, to an unconscious person.

If a bandage gets blood- soaked, do not attempt to remove it, as it may pull off the skin and cause further damage. Just apply another bandage over it.

Again, your family doctor should tell you how to deal with such situations.

In case there is a fire, you must remove the injured from the car. Move to a safe distance. Explosions and burning petrol are very dangerous. Stay far away!

A few items not included in the kit, but which could be added to it, are: bottle of water, strips of band-aid, Burnol, potassium permanganate crystals.

Happy motoring!