20. What should I Keep in my First Aid Kit?

What should I keep in my first aid kit?

It's important to have a well-stocked first aid kit in your home so you can deal with minor accidents and injuries. Your first aid kit should be kept in a cool, dry place out of the reach of children. Many people also keep a small first aid kit in their car for emergencies.

A basic first aid kit may contain:

• Plasters (bandaids) in a variety of different sizes and shapes
• small, medium and large sterile gauze dressings
• at least 2 sterile eye dressings
• triangular bandages
• crêpe rolled bandages
• safety pins
• disposable sterile gloves
• tweezers
• scissors
• alcohol-free cleansing wipes
• sticky tape
• thermometer (preferably digital)
• skin rash cream, such as hydrocortisone or calendula
• cream or spray to relieve insect bites and stings
• painkillers such as paracetamol (or infant paracetamol for children), aspirin (not to be given to children under 16), or ibuprofen
• antihistamine cream or tablets
• distilled water for cleaning wounds
• eye wash and eye bath
• antibacterial ointment (eg. Bacitracin)
• Tourniquet

Basic first aid manual or instruction booklet with your first aid kit.

FIRST AID KIT BY TOPIC OF INJURY

Basic Care

Antiseptic wipes (BZK-based wipes preferred; alcohol-based OK)

Antibacterial ointment (e.g., bacitracin)

Compound tincture of benzoin (bandage adhesive)

Assorted adhesive bandages (fabric preferred)

Butterfly bandages / adhesive wound-closure strips

Gauze pads (various sizes)

Nonstick sterile pads

Medical adhesive tape (10 yd. roll, min. 1" width)

Blister treatment

Ibuprofen / other pain-relief medication

Insect sting / anti-itch treatment

Antihistamine to treat allergic reactions

Splinter (fine-point) tweezers

Safety pins

First-aid manual or information cards

Wraps, Splints and Wound Coverings

Elastic wrap

Triangular cravat bandage

Finger splint(s)

SAM splint(s)

Rolled gauze

Rolled, stretch-to-conform bandages

Hydrogel-based pads

First-aid cleansing pads with topical anesthetic

Hemostatic (blood-stopping) gauze

Liquid bandage

Additional Medications/Treatments

Prescription medications (e.g., antibiotics)

Sunburn relief gel or spray

Throat lozenges

Lubricating eye drops

Diarrhea medication

Antacid tablets

Oral rehydration salts

Glucose or other sugar (to treat hypoglycemia)

Injectable epinephrine (for severe allergic reactions)

Aspirin (primarily for response to a heart attack)

Tools and Supplies

Knife (or multi-tool with knife)

Paramedic shears (blunt-tip scissors)

Safety razor blade (or scalpel w/ #15 or #12 blade)

Cotton-tipped swabs

Standard oral thermometer

Irrigation syringe with 18-gauge catheter

Medical / surgical gloves (nitrile preferred; avoid latex)

CPR mask

Small notepad with waterproof pencil or pen

Medical waste bag (plus box for sharp items)

Waterproof container to hold supplies and meds

Emergency heat-reflecting blanket

Hand sanitizer

Biodegradable soap