Importance of Organizing and Labeling Supplies

S

Smash05

Joined
Jul 16, 2007
Messages
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Two situations arose recently that prompted me to write this post. While I was out of the house a few weeks ago during a Nor'easter the storm door on the rear of our apartment broke free from a repaired latch and took out part of the porch railing. My fiance was unable to find any cordage which would have allowed her to secure the door and effect a quick repair.

This past Saturday, I sliced open my left hand on a piece of broken glass while taking out the garbage. I sent my fiance in to get the first aid supplies, and she was unable to locate small pieces of guaze, butterflies and tape quickly. After getting the bleeding under control quickly, I was able to sort through our myriad of bandages and supplies to find what I needed to patch myself up.

We sat down and talked this weekend about how it is not enough to simply show one another where things are, or so use general labels such as first aid or tools on certain storage containers. We're committed to listing contents on all storage containers, and to break down the first aid supplies and other supplies into bags that are clearly labeled for contents and number. What good is a first aid kit or BOB if you don't know what is in it!!
 
labeling is often a good thing, but with home FAKs I prefer clear, flat, compartmentalized containers where I can visually scan by size and type without having to take time to read.
 
mistwalker said:
labeling is often a good thing, but with home FAKs I prefer clear, flat, compartmentalized containers where I can visually scan by size and type without having to take time to read.
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No reason you can't do both. I have all my bandages in Clear quart bags, but labeling them as well might help with quicker decision making. It depends on how you tend to process information.
 
My wife is not first aid oriented and I have kids so what I did was a sort of filing cabinet first aid kit.

I found a box the right size and labeled it clearly and everyone knows where it's at. Then I took gallon sized pleated bottom ziplocs and labeled them by injury (versus by materials, so that they don't have to waste time getting tape out of one, roller gauze out of another one, etc.). I don't have it in front of me but I think it's broken up into: Burns, Cuts and Scrapes, Fractures and Sprains, Eye Injuries, etc. Each bag is labeled with a piece of blaze orange duct tape with the name of the injury on it. In each bag is everything you need to treat multiples of that injury and each bag also has a first aid guide, EMT shears and pen light.

Now if someone is injured I can send one of my kids to the kit and tell her to get the Burn Kit, or whatever. I find this helps to calm them down and of course helps them to be organized and efficient.
 
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kage said:
My wife is not first aid oriented and I have kids so what I did was a sort of filing cabinet first aid kit. I found a box the right size and labeled it clearly and everyone knows where it's at. Then I took gallon sized pleated bottom ziplocs and labeled them by injury (versus by materials, so that they don't have to waste time getting tape out of one, roller gauze out of another one, etc.). I don't have it in front of me but I think it's broken up into: Burns, Cuts and Scrapes, Fractures and Sprains, Eye Injuries, etc. Each bag is labeled with a piece of blaze orange duct tape with the name of the injury on it. In each bag is everything you need to treat multiples of that injury and each bag also has a first aid guide, EMT shears and pen light. Now if someone is injured I can send one of my kids to the kit and tell her to get the Burn Kit, or whatever. I find this helps to calm them down and of course helps them to be organized and efficient.
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Outstanding idea, I'm going to steal it;)
 
kage said:
My wife is not first aid oriented and I have kids so what I did was a sort of filing cabinet first aid kit. I found a box the right size and labeled it clearly and everyone knows where it's at. Then I took gallon sized pleated bottom ziplocs and labeled them by injury (versus by materials, so that they don't have to waste time getting tape out of one, roller gauze out of another one, etc.). I don't have it in front of me but I think it's broken up into: Burns, Cuts and Scrapes, Fractures and Sprains, Eye Injuries, etc. Each bag is labeled with a piece of blaze orange duct tape with the name of the injury on it. In each bag is everything you need to treat multiples of that injury and each bag also has a first aid guide, EMT shears and pen light. Now if someone is injured I can send one of my kids to the kit and tell her to get the Burn Kit, or whatever. I find this helps to calm them down and of course helps them to be organized and efficient.
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Smash05 said:
Outstanding idea, I'm going to steal it;)
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Me too, I think that's a great idea!
 
Smash05 and Mistwalker: Please do!

I originally tried doing it in a hanging file box, but it wasn't big enough and the hanging files I used weren't strong enough and it was pricey.

I forgot that I also have a Major Bleeds Kit, with trauma pads, roller gauze, gauze pads, steri-strips, tape, petrolatum gauze, Bolin Chest Seals, 3" x 14 ga. catheters, compression bandages, SWAT-T, and hemostatic agent, etc.

If I ever get around to it I'll make logarithms for each kit (basically a flow chart with step by step instructions: is it bleeding? Yes - apply direct pressure over the wound, etc.) People who aren't used to it often forget everything they know when someone they love is injured, so step by step instructions are nice to remove some of the thinking.
 
kage said:
Smash05 and Mistwalker: Please do!

I originally tried doing it in a hanging file box, but it wasn't big enough and the hanging files I used weren't strong enough and it was pricey.

I forgot that I also have a Major Bleeds Kit, with trauma pads, roller gauze, gauze pads, steri-strips, tape, petrolatum gauze, Bolin Chest Seals, 3" x 14 ga. catheters, compression bandages, SWAT-T, and hemostatic agent, etc.

If I ever get around to it I'll make logarithms for each kit (basically a flow chart with step by step instructions: is it bleeding? Yes - apply direct pressure over the wound, etc.) People who aren't used to it often forget everything they know when someone they love is injured, so step by step instructions are nice to remove some of the thinking.
Click to expand...

Yeah... It's a lot easier to be methodical when you're not emotionally attached.
 
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