Nice kit, right? This trauma and first aid kit has everything you need to stop major bleeding, plus additional first aid items to treat a variety of injuries, like burns, eye injuries, broken bones, and open chest wounds. But what specific items are needed to stop massive bleeding? There are several essential items you’ll need to ensure you’re prepared to stop bleeding when seconds count. Check out the guide below on must-haves in any trauma kit.

What Should All Trauma Kits Include?

1. PPE

Personal protective equipment, or PPE, is designed to protect the wearer from blood-borne pathogens and other diseases, along with irritants in the air. PPE in a trauma kit should include nitrile gloves and if possible, masks. 

2. Tourniquets 

Tourniquets can stop a life-threatening bleed in an arm or leg and buy an injured individual time to get to the hospital. Belts and scarves are not effective. The key to a tourniquet's success is the windlass, a durable rod that increases compression beyond one's own strength. Invest in a trusted brand like the SOF® T or the CAT.

3.  Gauze 

Sterile gauze is used to apply pressure to heavily bleeding wounds. Deep heavily bleeding wounds need to be packed with the gauze, then a pressure bandage should be applied.. 

4. Pressure Bandage

Pressure bandages are made of elastic fabric and may also have a wound pad. They are used to wrap wounds, and because of the elastic, they continue to hold pressure on that wrapped wound. 

5. Emergency Blanket

Trauma patients are prone to hypothermia regardless of the outside temperature. This is because the loss of blood leads to shock, where the body can’t properly provide oxygen to the cells, leading to a drop in core temperature. For an injured person, this can lead to a loss of clotting ability, risking hypothermia and death. It’s far easier to prevent hypothermia than treat it—that’s why lightweight trauma blankets that reflect a patient’s body heat are a necessity in trauma kits. 

To ensure you always have the right equipment on hand during an emergency, reach out to Think Trauma Kits of Los Angeles, CA. They provide first aid kits, emergency medical supplies, and defibrillators, along with trauma kits that are appropriate for anyone to use, regardless of medical experience. They also offer training supplies to help individuals learn the best techniques for administering first aid in an emergency. Visit their website to learn more about their products.