Every home should have a personal first aid kit as it keeps you prepared for different in-home emergencies like cuts, scrapes, burns, etc. You can purchase them with everything you need or your can create your own. Below are some of the things you should make sure are in your kit.
One of the major things that should be in your first aid kit are cleaning supplies and bandages. The reason is that burns, cuts, and scrapes are some of the most common injuries that will probably occur in your home. You should have:
- Gauze pads of various sizes
- Adhesive bandages of various sizes
- Ace bandages in case of a sprain
- Tape for the gauze pad
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Antibiotic cream
- Antiseptic wipes
- Latex gloves
In your first aid pack, you should also have a thermometer, especially if you have children. This can help you determine what you should do if your child is running a high fever. You should also keep some over-the-counter medications for when you have a headache, itching, stomachache, muscle aches, and more. You should keep Acetaminophen (Tylenol), anti-itch cream, antihistamines, muscle rubs, medicine for an upset stomach, etc.
You should also have tweezers to help get a shard or small piece of glass or splinter out of your hand, finger, foot, or anywhere on your body. You should also keep some rubbing alcohol in your personal first aid kit so you can pour a little over the tweezers to disinfect them. There should also be a pair of scissors in case you need to cut a bandage or maybe a piece of clothing.
Although these would not be stored directly in your first aid kit, you should have a couple of ice packs in your freezer along with a couple of heat packs stored near the first aid kit. These are good if you bump your head, fall, and hurt your ankle or anything that needs heat or cold treatment. You should also have some instant heat and cold packs in case the electricity goes out. With these instant packs, all you need to do to activate them is to squeeze them. This will have the salt and water inside to mix, giving you a cooling or warming reaction.
You should have a first aid pack in your car, home, boat, camper, etc. Always make sure you check it regularly to make sure nothing is out of date. When you use something out of it, make sure that you replace what you use as soon as possible. You should make sure that everyone in the house knows where it is kept.
If you are traveling you should make sure that your first aid kit contains something for a cough, fever, nasal congestion, and sore throat because you may not be near a drug store to get these items.
Conclusion
A first aid kit is something that should be in every home and car and customized to fit your needs. One that has been pre-made should be checked to make sure it has what you need.
