We all know how difficult it can be to get ahold of supplies after a disaster. It is one of the scariest scenarios many people could ever imagine. How can I take care of my family without the proper tools, and how long will I be without those necessities? It can be a make or break situation, and the only way you can make sure your family will make it is by stockpiling the things you will need ahead of time. Most of us already know we should have a nice stockpile of bandages, gauze, antiseptic ointments and pain relievers. However, there are other supplies that you may not know you should be stockpiling. Here is a list of a few supplies that you may forget about but should be stockpiling for those unforeseen emergencies:
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Elastic / Ace Bandages - These are typically used for strains or sprains. However, there are many other uses for these bandages. You can use them to hold other bandages in place, hold hot/cold packs in place, reduce swelling and many other useful things.
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Butterfly Bandage - A butterfly bandage can be used in place of stitches in an emergency. This bandage is specifically designed to pull the skin on either side of the wound together in order to successfully close the wound.
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SAM Splints - A SAM splint is a moldable splint that can be used to immobilize numerous types of wounds such as the legs, forearms and fingers. If you do happen to break something, you will feel a lot better having the SAM splint in your medical supplies stockpile.
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Crutches / Walker - If you do happen to hurt your legs or feet in an emergency, you will still want to stay mobile. If you were fortunate enough to have some crutches or a walker handy, then you can still move around without having to depend on the help others.
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Israeli Bandage - An Israeli bandage is a special type of bandage that is used to stop the bleeding of hemorrhaging wounds. This bandage has saved many lives, and it would not hurt to have it in your medical supplies stockpile.
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Clotting Powders - If for some reason the Israeli bandage does not stop the wound from bleeding, your next step would be to use clotting powders. This should help stop or slow the flow of blood from the wound and would be a great addition to your medical supplies stockpile.
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Tourniquet - The last option for stopping the flow of blood coming from a wound would be a tourniquet. You would be wise to keep one handy in your medical supplies stockpile for emergencies.
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Benadryl - Benadryl can come in handy for any type of allergic reactions we may have. It might be a good idea to keep some extra stock on hand in case an emergency situation should arise.
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Oral Airways - These devices can be used during more severe allergic reactions. An oral airway can keep a person’s airway open while waiting for Benadryl to take effect, which makes it an excellent addition to your medical supplies stockpile.
There are multiple items that you should have in your medical supplies stockpile. There is nothing worse than not having the things you need in an emergency. However, just because you have the supplies in your kit does not mean you should use them without the proper knowledge and training.