Emergency relief system

• US 6,957,738 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2001
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DLM Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: DLM Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Hammond, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mohandesi, Jila M.
• Application Number:
  US09/963,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20020104774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,490 Days
• Field of Search: 206/570, 206/571, 206/572, 206/576, 206/803, 206/459.5, 206/38, 206/425, 206/438
• US Class Current: 206/570
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 17/00 First-aid kits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/803 Emergency, e.g. flare, first aid, survival pack

Abstract

The first aid kit of the present invention includes a case that includes means for providing quick access to the contents carried by the case. The case further provides, on the inside, a plurality of regions, defining compartments, arranged in an accordion style columnar array. Contained in the compartments are packs which are specifically designed with products appropriate for a particular first aid situation arranged according to a system of medical priorities following the principle of triage, from the most serious to the least serious first aid situation. The first aid kit further provides an guidebook that contains detailed instructions regarding the products contained in each pack as well as instructions on use of the products for different types of first aid situations. The first aid kit further includes an overview card that is an overview of the components of the first aid kit, identifying each of the packs for quick reference in a first aid situation. Each of the packs contains medical products specifically selected for different types of first aid situations as well as an instructional card that gives quick reference instructions for administration of first aid in these situations.

Claims

1. A first aid kit comprising:

a carrying case defining an interior which includes means for providing quick access to the interior, the carrying case having a plurality of compartments in a card catalogue/file cabinet-like array;

a plurality of packs, carried in the compartments, each pack being designated by a descriptive label, and each of the packs containing a plurality of first aid products for the management of a particular first aid situation and arranged according to a system wherein the packs are aligned in the case starting from a position where an emergency responder is located relative to the case in the order of;

a pack containing products for the management of a breathing first aid situation, a pack containing products for the management of a bleeding first aid situation, a pack containing products for the management of a shock first aid situation, a pack for the management of a head and spine first aid situation, a pack for the management of a bone first aid situation, a pack for the management of a burn first aid situation, and then a pack for the management of a bites and stings first aid situation; and

an instructional card within each pack, the instructional card having a corresponding descriptive label with the pack and bearing instructions for use of the contents within the pack for the first aid situation described on the label and instructing the user to check a set of vital indicators of a person requiring first aid.

2. The first aid kit of claim 1 further providing a guidebook that includes instructions regarding the products contained in each pack and wherein the instructions are set forth in graphical depictions to guide the use in the use of the products of each pack.

3. The first aid kit of claim 2 wherein the instructional cards contained in the packs are capable of being combined to form a duplicate guide book such that a secondary responder can read the matching instructions on the instructional card to a primary responder who can follow the guidebook graphical depictions simultaneously.

4. The first aid kit of claim 1 wherein each pack includes a causative indicating graphic.

5. The first aid kit of claim 4 wherein the causative indicating graphic is as icon depicting the cause of the first aid situation.

6. The first aid kit of claim 1 wherein each pack is designated a size or shape which is different than the size or shape designated to the remaining packs.

7. The first aid kit of claim 1 further wherein the carrying case is an accordion style collapsible case.

8. A method for arranging the contents of a first aid kit comprising the steps of:

assembling a collection of packs containing products for the management of particular first aid situations;

ranking the seriousness of the first aid situation to be managed using each pack in an order beginning with the most serious and ending with the least serious first aid situation;

placing the pack for the management of the most serious first aid situation in a front compartment of the first aid kit; and

arranging the remaining packs in a card catalogue/file cabinet-like array and in an order of descending seriousness in the first aid kit behind the pack for the management of the most serious first aid situation.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

adding a new pack for the management of a new first aid situation by;

determining a seriousness ranking of the new first aid situation;

comparing the seriousness ranking of the new first aid situation to the seriousness ranking of the packs arranged in the first aid kit;

locating the pack for the management of the first aid situation that is ranked as the next less serious situation as compared to the new situation;

placing the new pack in front of the pack for the management of the first aid situation ranked as the next serious situation as compared to the new situation.

10. A method for the administering first aid comprising the steps of:

identifying a victim requiring first aid,

obtaining a first aid kit, the first aid kit having;

a carrying case defining an interior which includes means for providing quick access to the interior, the carrying case having a plurality of compartments in a card catalogue/file cabinet-like array;

a plurality of packs, carried in the compartments, each pack being designated by a descriptive label, and each of the packs containing a plurality of first aid products for the management of a particular first aid situation and arranged according to a system wherein the packs are aligned starting from an emergency responder in the order of;

a pack containing products for the management of a breathing first aid situation, a pack containing products for the management of a bleeding first aid situation, a pack containing products for the management of a shock first aid situation, a pack for the management of a head and spine first aid situation, a pack for the management of a bone first aid situation, a pack for the management of a burn first aid situation, and then a pack for the management of a bites and stings first aid situation; and

an instructional card within each pack, the instructional card having a corresponding descriptive label with the pack and bearing instructions for use of the contents within the pack for the first aid situation described on the label and instructing the user to check a set of vital indicators of a person requiring first aid;

identifying a pack of products within the first aid kit by matching the first aid situation with the pack of products bearing an icon depicting the first aid situation;

managing the first aid situation according to the instructions printed on a card contained within the pack of products for the management of that particular first aid situation; and

replacing the pack of products for that particular first aid situation with an identical pack of products.