Small mishaps and children seem to be inseparable, no matter the precautions. Therefore, it’s crucial to educate young children about first aid kits and their purpose for those playground emergencies, that call for bandages, antibiotic ointment, and other essentials.
Hidalgo ISD’s Park Elementary School collaborated directly with the Hidalgo-Starr Medical Alliance group to help educate and provide the students with a safe environment by donating first-aid kits to the fourth and fifth grade students.
“We hosted visitors from Hidalgo-Starr Medical Alliance, they provided a goody bag that contained a first aid kit, a book, and a treat for all our fourth and fifth grade students,” said Jessica Galvan, registered nurse for Hidalgo ISD’s Elementary schools. “It was an amazing donation, which also gave us the opportunity to educate our students, and encouraged parents to seek guidance, and health education from the school nurse to understand the importance of proper wound care and hygiene.”
The Hidalgo-Starr Medical Alliance is a group of individuals such as current and/or retired physicians, their spouses, resident physicians, and medical students. These individuals are passionate about community service while emphasizing the importance of the medical field. The Hidalgo-Starr Alliance organization serves the Hidalgo and Starr counties.
“We’re very grateful to the Hidalgo-Starr Medical Alliance organization for their kind donation to our Pirateers and for teaching them about the importance of being prepared in case of an emergency,” said Erika Satarain, principal at Hidalgo Park Elementary.
The kits contained one-hundred and seventy-five items. It was designed to manage basic care in the event of an emergency. The first aid kits included items such as different sized band-aids, hand cleansing wipes, alcohol prep pads, gloves, tweezers, cold pack, and gauze. These items can assist with cleaning, treating, and protecting the wound in case an injury occurs and immediate help is not available.
“We focus on a project a year, and this year we decided to initiate our very first, first aid kit project, here at Hidalgo Park Elementary,” explained Nelda Cantu, an RGV physician’s wife. “We think it’s important to educate our community about this matter because lot of families in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) do not have a first aid kit at home to assist with minor injuries.”
This project was initiated to raise awareness on first-aid kits by empowering communities with the basic tools, training, and education that may be necessary. The kits were donated to the students to take home as a home minor first-aid kit, filled with the basic essential items.
“This initiative aims to empower families, particularly those with low income, with essential first aid knowledge,” Galvan said. “This initiative equips families with the tools and knowledge necessary to promote the well-being of their children.”
Additionally, the first aid kit is not only kid-friendly but can also be refilled as needed. It was also labeled with instructions to indicate its specific use, aiding parents in effectively treating minor wounds at home.
“I hope that through this first-aid kit donation, it sparks interest in the students towards the medical field,” Galvan concluded.