Emergencies can arise at any time and at any place. Therefore it is crucial for you and your family to be ready. You should always have a first aid kit in your house, which is a simple but crucial step in being well-prepared for emergencies. Sure, you can get ready-made first aid kits from the shop, but creating your own is simple and allows you to customize it to meet your family’s requirements.
Part 1
Choosing, Finding, and Keeping Up With Your Kit
Pick a good container. Both pre-filled and empty first aid containers are available for purchase. However, your home already has an adequate first aid kit container.
- Large, transparent, water-resistant, rigid, or flexible plastic containers with a zipper or latch-top cover are a suitable alternative. This allows for simple identification of the contents inside.
- A backpack or small duffel bag will do for a bigger first aid kit with more goods.
- Lunchboxes are yet another excellent choice. It can serve as a suitable first aid kit container if it is spacious, convenient, transportable, and at least partly water resistant.
- A handle is excellent since it should be simple to move to the emergency as needed.
- Additionally, you will want to be able to organize the kit’s contents by kind so you can quickly find what you need. In particular, labeled zip-close bags are a smart choice for a non-rigid container.
- No matter the container you choose, label it clearly. For example, write “FIRST AID” in many places using a permanent marker.
Make sure your kit is easily accessible. You do not want your home kit lost because it was not put back in the same place after each usage when your child cries over a “boo-boo” on her knee or buried in the back of a closet.
- Establish a special, regular place for your first aid kit, such as a shelf in a visible/accessible linen closet, and make sure everyone in your home knows where it is.
- Place the kit where little children cannot get it, but let them know where it is.
Keep your kit up-to-date. Nobody likes to get a first aid kit only to discover that the painkillers have expired or that the bandage box is empty. Regularly monitor supply levels and expiration dates.
- You have undoubtedly heard that the beginning and end of Daylight Saving Time in the spring and fall need you to check or replace the batteries in your smoke detectors. Additionally, this would be a good time to assess the contents of your first aid box and replenish it as necessary.
Part 2
Setting Up Your Kit
Add a variety of bandages. Bandages of all shapes and sizes are a must for treating minor wounds and scrapes. Your first aid efforts will be easier if you have a variety of alternatives.
- You should
put all your bandages in a transparent bag with a zip closure and permanent
marker labels. Include:
- 25 different size sticky bandages
- Gauze pads, five 3″ x 3″ and five 4″ x 4″
- a roll of fabric-based tape
- Two sterile dressings measuring 5″ x 9″
- two roller bandages, one 3″ broad and one 4″ wide (ace bandage)
- Two triangle-shaped bandages
Include the essential medical equipment. Prepare yourself to remove splinters, snip bandages, and carry out other first aid tasks without digging through the garbage. Put these in a zip-top bag with a label as well. Without a doubt, add:
- Sharp scissors
- Tweezers
- Two sets of latex-free gloves
- Oral thermometer without mercury
- Cotton swabs and balls
- CPR breathing barrier mask
- Quick cold compress
- Pamphlet with first aid instructions
- Soap and water
- Sanitizing wipes (for external cleaning only)
- Plastic bags with zippers (to dispose of medical waste)
Think about including more tools as well. If you have a large kit, think about putting helpful but optional medical equipment in a separate, labeled bag. These might consist of:
- Protective lenses
- Fabricated space (warming) blanket
- Finger brace made of aluminum
- Sticky tape
- Petroleum glycerin
- Sewing machine
- Security pins
- Bird baster (for flushing out wounds)
Make a section only for prescription drugs. Keep these labeled and isolated from bandages and tools. Regularly check the dates on expiry. Most of the following should be available in travel/trial/first aid kit-sized packs:
- Calamine lotion with aloe vera gel
- Antibiotics for diarrhea
- Laxatives
- Antacids
- Antihistamines
- Drugs that reduce pain (aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen)
- Topical hydrocortisone
- Cold and cough medication
Your unique first aid package is prepared. Every home should have a first aid kit, and every vehicle you own should have one. Write out or print out all usage instructions on a sturdy piece of paper or notecard that may even be laminated. Include the doctor’s contact information as well.