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What goes in them?
Home » Home Health » First-Aid Kits » What goes in them?First aid is the first medical attention given to a sick or injured person. You don’t need to be a medical professional to provide first aid (though that never hurts); you simply need to know some basic medical practices and have the proper tools. First-aid kits, therefore, are packs that contain the tools you will need in order to help a sick or injured person. These kits can be large or small, and you should tailor your first-aid kit to meet your family’s particular needs. Always include a basic first aid manual and beyond that, consider including some of the following items:
• Antibiotic ointment
• Antacid
• Pain reliever, such as ibuprofen
• Allergy medication
• Gauze pads
• Tweezers
• Thermometer
• Swiss army knife
• Insect repellant
• Latex gloves
• Cold packs
• Hot pads
• Disinfectant
• Sunscreen
• Antiseptic, i.e. hydrogen peroxide
• Fever reducer, such as acetaminophen (i.e. Tylenol)
• Antihistamine
• Asthma inhaler, if necessary
• Decongestant
• CPR mouthpiece (available at your local Red Cross)
• Alcohol wipes
• Hydrocortisone cream
• Adhesive bandages (i.e. band-aids)
• Elastic bandages (i.e. Ace bandages, with attaching pins)
• Eye drops
• Contact lens and lens’ case
• Gauze pads
• Prescription medication (notify your doctor that you will store a few extra tablets/pills)
• Scissors (for cutting tape and/or clothing)
• Adhesive tape
Finally, make sure that you include in your first-aid kit an emergency contact list. Include 911, as well as phone numbers for your doctor, the hospital, Poison Control Center, and any family members you will need to contact in the event of an emergency. It is also a good idea to put your health insurance information and a listing of each family member’s allergies and prescription medication on this list. Attach this contact list securely inside the first-aid kit; when you have a medical emergency, you don’t want to waste time searching for this information.
Above all, make sure you know how to use all the items in your first-aid kit. It does you no good to have an item in your kit if, when you have an emergency, you realize that you do not know how to use it. By storing items you cannot intelligently use, you are giving yourself a false sense of security, but you are also risking making a first aid mistake that could greatly increase the seriousness of a medical problem.
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