What is in a first aid kit? A well-stocked first aid kit is necessary in every home. You never know when you or a family member will need it. Having a first aid kit on hand will help you be prepared for minor injuries and illnesses. Here’s what to include in your home first aid kit.
Here is a great starting point.
- Bandages in assorted sizes and shapes are a must-have in any first-aid kit. Keeping a variety of adhesive bandages, gauze pads and rolls, and medical tape on hand will help you to treat cuts, scrapes, burns, and other minor injuries quickly.
- An antiseptic such as rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide is essential to clean and disinfect small wounds. It’s important to use a sterile item such as tweezers or medical scissors when tending to any wound since introducing germs from unsanitized items could cause an infection.
- Pain relievers such as ibuprofen can also come in handy for minor aches and pains and can help prevent infection.
- Antibiotic ointment is perfect for covering minor cuts and scrapes to help prevent infection.
- An oral or a temporal thermometer is great to have on hand to keep track of your family’s temperature and check if they are running a fever.
- An over-the-counter antihistamine can help reduce symptoms of allergies or bug bites.
- Gauze rolls and medical tape can wrap wounds and help keep them clean.
- An emergency blanket is a must-have for any first aid kit as it helps retain body heat during an emergency.
- Safety pins are great for quickly closing open wound edges that may require extra support.
- Tweezers are important for removing splinters or other small objects from the skin.
- Disposable gloves should always be worn when dealing with any open wounds to prevent the spread of infection.
- It’s also a good idea to keep an emergency contact list and a first aid manual in your first aid kit in case you ever need to refer to it.
- Additionally, if anyone in your family has a chronic medical condition or is taking medications regularly, include some of their medication and instructions for how to use them in an emergency.
- Antiseptic wipes, lotion, powder, or spray can help prevent the spread of germs and provide relief from itchy skin.
- A small flashlight with extra batteries is necessary in case of a power outage or other emergency where you need to be able to see in the dark.
- An instant cold pack can relieve sprains, strains, and minor burns.
- Roller bandages in assorted widths
- Scissors and tweezers
- Non-latex gloves or latex-free gloves if you have allergies
- CPR breathing barriers such as a facemask or pocket mask
What is in a first aid kit?
This is an essential list of items to include in your home first aid kit. You may want to add other items depending on your family’s needs.
For example, if you have small children, you may want to include children’s acetaminophen or ibuprofen. If you have someone in your family with severe allergies, you’ll want to make sure you have an EpiPen on hand. Assembling a home first aid kit is simple and only takes a few minutes. But having one could make all the difference in an emergency. This kit should be on your essential camping checklist.
-Andy