There are so many different options in first aid sets – small first aid kits, large first aid kits, various professional trauma bags, even military trauma bags.  The inventory of materials and supplies in these setups varies widely and the number of different class specifications makes comparing and contrasting the various trauma bag contents difficult at best.   Products on the market can range from a basic medical “survival bag” up to and including a very comprehensive first responder trauma bag.

There are industry descriptions that range from the size of the group that the kit is intended to service (you may hear such terms as “5 man kit”, “15 man kit”, etc) to very specific applications such as EMT trauma bags or even Combat Trauma Bags for Armed Forces medics.  How does one choose the best option for a specific application out of a host of first responder packs and stocked trauma bags?

A large consideration should be made on three main points: the number of people present, the amount of time required for first responders (EMT or Fire Department) to respond, and the level of first aid training present in the group.

The number of people referenced by a kit can be somewhat misleading – it may lend some insight into the number of band-aids and gauze pads in a specific kit, but it tells us very little about the depth of care that the kit is able to provide.   Obviously some knowledge about the number of people being serviced by a kit and the duration that the group might have to withstand before restocking occurs is very important.  Generally it is more appropriate to break down the proper level of response by issuing the best responder kit per square footage in the facility or by a specific number of employees which will be assigned to the kit.  For instance, it may make more sense to purchase four comprehensive kits for 25 people per kit rather than try and cover everyone with one “100 Man” kit which may only provide the bare basics in care.

The delay in EMT response is another large consideration – basic patient stabilization and care may be the only thing required in densely populated areas where emergency response is under 5 minutes.  Naturally you may want to prepare for more than the best-case scenario, since emergency care can be severely delayed or even non-existent in a catastrophe or large-scale emergency.  Care in rural or remote areas can obviously assume a protracted response, sometimes in excess of 20 minutes – longer for difficult to find construction projects or poorly marked county roads.  Situations like these require much more comprehensive kits, generally including an AED (Automated Electronic Defibrillator) to assist in resuscitation from cardiac arrest.

Training is the third major consideration – all the tools and equipment in the world are useless without a fundamental knowledge o f medical response and the proper first aid applications.  Even in situations where response is under 6 or 7 minutes, an untrained responder can do more damage than good if the victim is handled improperly.  Basic prudence would suggest that everyone should have basic first aid and CPR training, but if the skills are not regularly honed and practiced then panic can set in during an emergency.  One solution to aid training is to provide an EID (Emergency Instruction Device) in your stocked trauma bags – more information on the EID can be found through Critical Response First Aid.  Designed to be a visual and auditory aid in a crisis and to prevent panicked responders from doing more harm than good, the EID can prove to be a vital part of your first response program.

All the variables can make a decision on first aid and response kits very difficult; if you need more information or have questions, a wealth of knowledge and support exists from a company’s safety group to the resources available from a distributor, such as http://criticalresponsefirstaid.com Critical Response

We first had the pleasure of watching the Signing Time and Baby Signing time videos after the birth of our fourth child.  Complications with his delivery left him with severe hearing loss in both ears; we were fortunate to discover his condition before he was two months old.  Because of the type of hearing loss he has suffered, hearing aids will benefit him – but we feel strongly that teaching him American Sign Language at an early age will help him develop his language skills that may otherwise be weakened by his hearing loss.

In our search for an effective way to teach our family ASL, we stumbled on the Baby Signing Time and Signing Time videos produced by Two Little Hands Productions.  We couldn’t have begun to guess how dramatically our other children (ages 2, 4 and 6) would embrace the lessons and vocabulary presented to them by Signing Time.  My deaf son isn’t even four months old and within a few short weeks my other children have built a vocabulary of more than 200 signs.

Signing Time is built on the same multi-sensory input model as all the classic preschool learning programs, from Sesame Street to Baby Einstein.  Repetitive signing combined with terrific songs, dancing, animations, stories, written and spoken words are the hallmark of these programs – ever changing, attention grabbing tactics that quite simply work.  Not only do they work on the youngest children, they work all the way up – the Baby Signing Times are obviously more basic and focused on the types of signs that would most help a pre-speech toddler, but while the Signing Times are by no means out of reach of those same pre- or mid-speech children, my oldest loves to watch and sign along with the rest of his siblings at 6 years old.  He obviously has a large spoken vocabulary and our interest in his learning of ASL is mostly surrounding his youngest brother, but even he has begun implementing signs in his everyday conversation as a reinforcement of his spoken words.

Our youngest son is currently benefiting the most from the program.  Signing Times was born out of the family events of its creators, Rachel and Aaron Coleman, when they discovered their daughter was born with profound hearing loss.  As they taught signs to their daughter, it became clear that she could communicate with signs at a much younger age than her contemporaries.  Anxious to see if all children could get clear messages across through signing, the Colemans began teaching other children.  Their suspicions confirmed, the Signing Time videos were born.

At a few months past 2 years old, our second to youngest has all the classical frustrations that come from knowing exactly what he wants without a clear way to communicate it.  We’ve been overwhelmed by the number of confrontations we’ve avoided simply by being able to understand that he wants a banana and not an apple.  That he’s thirsty, not hungry.  That he’s sad and not hurt.

It’s not just the final benefits that he loves; every day we ask if the kids want to watch a Signing Time video – he jumps up and down shouting “beebee sign time” while going through all the signs for the opening song.  Signing Time has captured that elusive something extra – something that goes beyond simply “good educational value” and into a special place where true entertainment and joy meet the educational experience.

It’s not just about signing, either – especially for our 2 year old.  In the context of learing sign language, he’s learning his alphabet, numbers, colors, counting and basic spelling.  Having watched hours of these videos with the kids over the last few weeks, I can’t stress it enough – there are nothing but positives in these videos.  Well produced, cleanly and professionally made, these videos are a joy to watch and learn from.  Signing Time, both Baby and the regular, have fundamentally changed our family for the better.  What we had originally accepted for our deaf son has positively impacted every member of our family, both immediate and extended.  We can’t speak highly enough of these videos – please help your child (regardless of hearing ability) to develop strong lingual skills, reduce frustration and create a bond at a much younger age than tradition would keep.  Pick one or two up today – we promise you’ll fall in love with Signing Time.

After seeing our review, one of our extended family members added her perspective:

“We signed with both of our kids and it was truly amazing. Babies have lots to say! I would agree that it cut down on the “terrible two’s” signinficantly because I do believe that a lot of tantrums at that age are a result of  communication frustration. Good for you for being so proactive! I always encourage all parents of babies to sign, it’s not as hard as it sounds and the rewards of communication are incredible.”

Couldn’t have said it better myself!

Check it out – CLICK HERE to see for yourself!