The modern day firefighter does more than protecting people from fires- he volunteers during a flood, responds to road traffic accidents, and even responds to medical emergencies. And to help him in the effort, firefighters have to carry emergency medical equipment. The content of a typical emergency responder EMS kit includes:

• Airway Breathing Equipment:

These could range from the simple oropharyngeal airway to the more complex and complete airway management system. The later includes airway protection tools like collapsible bag valve mask, chest decompression supplies, manual suction devices like V-Sac, etc. These devices are particularly helpful during an indoor fire- experts reveal that smoke inhaled in an indoor fire causes around 50-80% of deaths.

• OTC Medications and other equipment:

Over the Counter (OTC) medications are also a must-have in an EMS kit. A typical EMS quit has adhesive bandages, tweezers, forceps, scissors, adhesive bandages, and antibiotic ointments. Besides these materials, the firefighter may also need good quality medicines like aspirin, Ibuprofen, nitroglycerin, ondasentron, etc. These medications prevent further damage and sometimes protect the victim from an allergy. Medications and supplies to stop bleeding are also a must.

These are some of the most basic equipment, although the actual content within the kit may change as required by each fire department.