Adventure® Medical Kits Ready to Airlift Humanitarian Aid Modules
Published on 14 July 2010
Oakland, CA – Adventure® Medical Kits (AMK), a leading developer and supplier of medical kits and survival gear to NGO’s around the world, today unveiled three new purpose specific modules for humanitarian aid workers to distribute to populations in areas recently struck by a natural or manmade disaster.
AMK developed each of the self-contained units to address the particular humanitarian needs of disaster situations. The first of the three modules, the Individual Medical Unit (IMU), offers components that are essential when medical supplies or personnel are not readily available. It includes essential medications and materials for stopping bleeding and treating wounds, including trauma pads, sterile dressings and conforming gauze. Since infections are always a concern during a major disaster, the IMU also comes with Benzalchonium Chloride Wipes and triple antibiotic ointment, to prevent wounds from becoming infected.
The second unit, the Individual Survival Unit (ISU), is ideally suited in situations where populations have been rendered homeless by a disaster. This unit includes a Heatsheets® Survival Blanket, which can be used for generating warmth, constructing shelter and signaling rescuers; a 1 litre Nasco Whirl-Pak® Bag for collecting and storing water; a pea-less Rescue Howler Whistle, for alerting aid workers; and a large orange garbage sack, which can be used to store materials and also doubles as an additional blanket or shelter source.
The last module, the Individual Hygiene Unit (IHU), contains components that enable people who have been displaced by a major natural or manmade event -- and likely do not have access to running water -- to stay clean and in turn help prevent the spread infectious disease. The hygiene unit comes with wash-up towlettes; alcohol-free Adventure® Hand Sanitizer, which kills 99.9% of germs and bacteria; compressed EZ Towels, which can be used for cleaning the body; Benzalochonium Chloride Wipes for killing disease causing bacteria; and a large garbage bag for disposing of waste.
All three of the new modules come with easy-to-understand multilingual instructions, which guide survivors of a major catastrophe on how to use each of the components. Additionally, AMK is offering various components available on a la carte basis, including QuikClot®, a US Military approved hemostatic bandage designed to stop severe – even arterial -- bleeding in as little as five minutes.
AMK believes that its new series of modules will make it much easier for aid agencies to ramp up to meet the needs of a catastrophe.
“With the new module system, aid agencies can simply evaluate a disaster scenario and match it with the correct module – or modules -- among AMK’s menu of options,” said AMK’s marketing director Frank Meyer.
“The inclusion of the multi-lingual instructions contained in each unit,” Meyer continued, “will also help workers in the field to more quickly distribute supplies to survivors, freeing them up to focus on helping those people who are in critical need of medical help or attention.”
AMK will be showcasing the three new aid modules at the upcoming Aid & International Development Forum, in Washington, D.C. (July 22nd – July 23rd). In addition to developing innovative first aid kits and survival products for NGO’s, AMK is also the exclusive distributor of a range of leading insect repellents, bite treatments and hemostatic wound care products. Based in Oakland, CA, the company maintains offices and distribution centers in Littleton, N.H.; Barrie, Canada; Newbury, England; and San Jose, Costa Rica.