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What a Military First Aid Kit Teaches About Workplace Emergency Response


— May 12, 2022

Along with training for preventative measures, knowing how to perform first aid can help avoid serious injury.


The workplace should be safe for employees to do their daily tasks undisturbed and with peace of mind. An emergency response plan that employers can implement would ensure that this happens.

An emergency response plan provides the procedures that employees will have to implement when there’s a crisis at the office. Like a military operation where everything needs to run smoothly for all soldiers’ safety, companies should carry out the plan for a workplace with precision.

We can learn a lot from looking at a military first aid kit as it shows how prepared they are for any situation. With strict training and guidelines, the soldiers perform their duties, and this should be the theme for workplace emergencies as well:

  1. Military Soldiers Always Act Preventatively

The best businesses have a thorough strategy that will prevent injury in the first place. Soldiers will look out for each other and treat minor inconveniences before they become major concerns that could bring down the whole group.

Soldiers receive training on various items like those from SAM Medical to apply first aid appropriately. They need to know what to do and what’s needed should an emergency arise. Their training is part of preventative measures to keep the soldiers safe, and companies should do the same in the workplace.

Businesses should continually train their employees to ensure that everyone is aware of procedures they can follow to keep them safe on the job.

  1. Helps Reduce the Impact of Injuries

Along with training for preventative measures, knowing how to perform first aid can help avoid serious injury. There’s always a risk for specific workplaces and human error is inevitable.

The difference between severe injury or death and a minor happening is a quick reaction from bystanders. Like on the battlefield, workers should look out for each other and keep each other out of harm’s way. Being able to support one another reduces the impact of injuries if they do occur.

  1. The First-Aid Kit Prepares Soldiers for Action

A well-stocked first-aid kit gives everyone in the workplace a safety net to fall back on should there be any incidents. Knowing that whatever the workday may entail, the first aid kit would be able to handle a massive relief to workers.

Of course, no one wants to wish for an accident, but the necessary equipment is available to care for the wounded. Workers who know how to use what’s available for emergencies give them the courage to soldier on. No one would blindly go into a situation unprepared unless they want to fail.

  1. Act Quickly and with Care

Reaction time is crucial for injuries in and out of the war zone. First responders sometimes have a few minutes to stop the bleeding, immobilize a fracture, or administer medications. The response is crucial.

Woman in brown blazer on stretcher with cervical collar; image by Alexisrael, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, no changes.
Woman in brown blazer on stretcher with cervical collar; image by Alexisrael, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, no changes.

The first hour after an injury is the golden hour where the workers or concrete jungle soldiers would make the most life-saving decisions. Following the safety plan, applying all the training while using the fully stocked medical kit, and doing so with care would be the best approach to minimize permanent injuries or death. 

  1. Keep Recovery in Mind

Soldiers can’t lie and wait for medical assistance in the field. They have to mobilize as soon as possible. Evacuation from an enemy-infested area is a priority, or the soldier may be caught and killed. For this reason, his teammates should give him the critical help he needs, but keep in mind that he still needs to move.

As harsh as this may sound in reality, the same is true for companies. The whole production can’t halt until the wounded worker returns; the show must continue. For companies to prevent losing valuable time and money, their safety plan should include strategies for recovery after an injury or emergency.

To Conclude the Exercise

A few likenesses are visible between soldiers in battle and a highly productive work environment. Both need to operate like well-oiled machines to ensure that everyone can continue the mission they set out to accomplish. When one brother in arms has fallen, the whole team will jump in to assist with an all for one attitude.

One of the reasons they can do this is because they have the knowledge and equipment that would make giving the help effortlessly. With the bravery of a soldier, employees in a workplace can also help their team members. The first aid kits remind them what could go wrong, how they can jump in when it does, and that their actions save lives.

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