I showed the paramedic my discount car kit. Here’s what I heard

Drivers of passenger cars driving on Polish roads are not required to have first aid kits. However, most of them, for rational reasons, bring them with them. I do the same, so I showed my first aid kit to the emergency medicine doctor to assess its usefulness.

1. In Poland, there are no regulations that would impose a first-aid kit in a passenger car or regulate its contents. In the European Union, these regulations differ from country to country, but most are based on the German standard DIN 13164
2. Most of the car first aid kits offered in Polish stores and discounters are based on the same standard. In addition to having the first aid kit, you also need to know what it contains and how to use it correctly
3. Emergency medicine doctor Sławomir Wilga: «Knowledge and awareness are one thing, taking action is another. Sometimes people are afraid to touch the injured person »
4. You can find more similar news on the TvoiLokony home page

Car first aid kit from a supermarket – is it worth it?

Contrary to appearances, drivers of passenger cars are not required to carry car first aid kits. Such a compulsion is not imposed on them by any regulations, but only by common sense and a rational approach to the situation on the roads. As a result of the lack of regulations, in automotive stores, discount stores and popular chain stores you can find a whole range of first aid kits of various shapes and equipment. That’s why I bought one of these first aid kits and showed it to a paramedic.

After opening the first aid kit, I saw a dozen tightly packed sachets, each of which has a different purpose and application. I think that if I was in a crisis situation, I would sooner buy the necessary dressing in a store than find it in a car’s first aid kit. However, this is not a disadvantage of the first aid kit, but rather my lack of knowledge of its contents and the way of using the materials stored in it. And this despite the attached first aid leaflet.

—A regular car first aid kit is only intended to pre-treat more serious wounds — until professional assistance is obtained. And for such activities, its equipment is sufficient. The most important thing is to quickly stop any potentially life-threatening haemorrhages and begin basic life-saving activities — Dr. Sławomir Wilga, a specialist in emergency medicine, reminds in an interview with Medonet.

You can find the rest of the article under the video.

«No mouth-to-mouth artificial respiration»

As Wilga explains, in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, mouth-to-mouth artificial respiration is no longer recommended. It is worth recalling the principle that a rescuer should put his own, also epidemiological, safety first.

— A mask or mouthpiece for artificial respiration without a microbial filter is no longer recommended. A mask with a self-inflating bag would be ideal — adds Dr. Wilga.

European standard of a car first aid kit – DIN 13164

As already mentioned, Polish regulations do not regulate the equipment of a car first aid kit, so when choosing it, it is worth following the guidelines of the European Union. She recommends the use of first-aid kits in accordance with DIN 13164, which was established by the German Institute for Standards, which strictly defines the equipment of first-aid kits in cars. Most manufacturers of first aid kits write on the packaging itself whether its product complies with these recommendations.

The DIN 13164 standard assumes that the first aid kit of a passenger car should contain:

1. individual dressing G. — 1 piece;
2. individual dressing M — 2 pieces;
3. individual dressing K — 1 piece;
4. elastic band 4 m × 6 cm — 2 pieces;
5. elastic band 4 m × 8 cm — 3 pieces;
6. set of patches — 1 set (14 pieces);
7. adhesive tape 5 m × 2,5 cm — 1 piece;
8. dressing cloth 40 cm × 60 cm — 1 piece;
9. dressing cloth 60 cm × 80 cm — 1 piece;
10. compress 10 cm × 10 cm (2 pieces in a package) — 3 pieces;
11. triangular scarf — 2 pieces;
12. Scissors 14,5 cm — 1 piece;
13. vinyl gloves — 4 pieces;
14. emergency blanket 160 × 210 cm — 1 piece;
15. soaked handkerchief — 2 pieces;
16. mouthpiece for artificial respiration — 1 piece;
17. First aid instructions with a list of emergency telephone numbers;

Certainly, however, you should not keep medicines in the car’s first aid kit. These preparations must be stored in conditions strictly defined by the manufacturer, which are difficult to find in a car.

It is also worth noting that most drivers keep first aid kits in the trunk. In the event of a collision with the rear of our car or a blocked tailgate, it may effectively hinder first aid.

Car first aid kit – price

The price of a standard, discount car first aid kit varies depending on the seller from 25 to 45 PLN. However, the cheapest of them can be purchased at auction portals for just over PLN 16.

“People are afraid to touch the injured person”

Can Polish drivers provide first aid and effectively use the contents of the car’s first aid kit? Dr. Wilga has no illusions.

— More and more people are educated enough, but knowledge and awareness are one thing, and taking action is another. Sometimes people are afraid to touch the injured person, they call an ambulance and wait for the ambulance to arrive. I believe that introducing periodic first aid training would be good for everyone — the medic will say.