You will never regret being prepared with the right first aid supplies. It is important to have first aid kits readily accessible around the home, workplace, and in your car in the event of an injury.
Keeping your first aid kit replenished with fresh items is essential, but what should you include? Find out more about which items to be prepared with by taking a look at this first aid kit list.
Basic First Aid Kit List
You can purchase basic first aid kits, or you can put together your own. Regardless of the way you chose to go about it, be sure you have the essential items to cover all basic injuries.
Wound Care
Cuts and scrapes can vary with size, but the same basic supplies will usually help the situation:
- Large and small bandages
- Butterfly strips
- Medical Tape
- Gauze pads
- Roller gauze
- Cotton balls and swabs
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Triple antibiotic ointment
- Hydrogen peroxide or other antibacterial solution
- Sterile saline
- Adhesive tape
Burn Care
In the event of a first-degree burn, there are a few topical items to keep on hand. It may be wise to have some pain relief options as well.
The first step in caring for a burn is to stop the burning immediately. This can be done by keeping the following items on hand:
- Bottled water
- Cold compress
After the burn has been cooled, apply the following items and treat the pain:
- Non-adhesive bandage
- Sterile cloth
- Petroleum-based ointment
- Acetaminophen, ibuprofen or naproxen
Take the same precautions for second and third-degree burns and seek medical attention immediately.
Allergic Reactions
Allergic reactions can come from a variety of things. Bug bites, foods and even seasonal changes can require medical assistance.
An allergic reaction occurs when your body system identifies a substance as harmful. The reactions can be as mild as skin irritation, watery eyes and sneezing, or as life-threatening as anaphylaxis.
People who are more likely to experience anaphylaxis may be prescribed emergency epinephrine, known as an EPI pen, which is a single-dose injection that is inserted into the thigh.
For mild allergic reactions, keep the following supplies on hand:
- Over-the-counter antihistamine
- Decongestants
- Eye drops
- Nasal spray
- Cold pack
- Topical cortisone cream
- Ointment
- Cleaning solution for topical reactions
Extra Supplies to Have On-Hand
Along with the basic medical supplies, there are several additional items that might be helpful to include in your first aid kit. Let’s take a look at them below.
Emergency Contact Information
Once or twice a year, it’s advised to update any personal medication list or emergency phone numbers in the event of an emergency.
If you or a family member has a more severe medical illness, make this information very accessible and include their physician’s contact information as well as basic instructions for care.
Nonlatex Gloves
Gloves are ideal for any injuries that involve bodily fluids. It’s wise to have multiple sizes on hand, but definitely include a size large.
Emergency Blanket
Although a regular blanket could definitely be helpful in some situations, emergency blankets are made in high-visibility colors and 90% heat reflective to help keep you warm.
In addition, these are water and wind-proof, and they’re easy to handle. They store in small compartments and weigh only 2.5 ounces, making them easy to store and pack along.
Flashlight
This may seem like a no-brainer, but many first aid kits that are purchased neglect to include this very important item! Depending on the time of day and your location, a flashlight can prove to be very helpful.
Feminine Hygiene Supplies
There are obvious reasons to keep feminine supplies on hand in your first aid kit, but they can also help with wound care in a pinch. Small tampons can help treat a nosebleed, while maxi pads can easily take care of a bleeding wound.
Plastic Bags
Storage bags are easy to pack along in any first aid kit. If you knock out a tooth, lose a cap, or step on a foreign object, you’ll want to keep it stored somewhere safe.
If you are outdoors in a wooded area and pull off a tick, it is important to stick it in a bag so you can later identify it to ensure it is not a disease-carrying insect.
First Aid Kit Varieties
The supplies needed in a first aid kit at home will be different compared to those that will be used at the beach or in the mountains. If you are planning a trip with activities that differ from your usual routine, update your first aid kit to accommodate your plans.
Beach
Whether it’s a minor cut from seashells or something more urgent like a jellyfish sting, it’s important to have the right supplies on hand so you can get back to enjoying your time away.
Be sure to store your first aid kit in a safe place so it won’t get wet or exposed to too much sun. Here’s what you will need to pack:
- Bandages
- Gauze
- Waterproof medical tape
- Antibacterial solution
- Pain relief medication
- Instant ice pack
- Tweezers
- The unopened bottle of water
- Saline solution
- Aloe Vera
- Sunscreen lotion
- White vinegar – for jellyfish stings!
- Anti-itch cream
- Swimmers ear drops
- Scissors or knife
Hiking
A Hiker’s first aid kit is one of the most important things he can bring along! Both avid trekkers and those just starting out should keep these items on hand to help out in medical situations:
- Moleskin for blisters
- Bandages
- Medical tape
- Bandage wrap for sprains
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellant
- Duct tape
- Butterfly closures
- Sterile dressing pads
- Gauze roll
- Scissors or knife
- Tweezers
- Splint
- Cotton balls and swabs
- Antiseptic wash
- Saline solution
- Aloe Vera gel
- Pain relievers
- Antihistamine
- Hydrocortisone cream
- Rehydration salts
- Unopened bottled water
Accommodating Different Family Members
When members of the family have certain medical conditions, it is vital that all parties are aware of how they can help if a medical emergency should arise.
Your first aid kit should include some sort of notification to alert any medical personnel or directions for any non-medical person of the condition so they can help accordingly.
The first step when dealing with severe medical issues of this nature should always be to call 9-1-1.
Diabetes
A basic diabetes emergency kit should include the following:
- Blood sugar meter
- Extra test strips and lances
- Antibacterial swabs
- Glucose tabs or pre-measured snack
- An unopened bottle of water
- Syringe
- Your doctor’s contact information
- List of any current medications
High or Low Blood Pressure
Although it may be wise to keep a blood pressure cuff in your standard first aid kit, if you or a loved one deals with chronic high or low blood pressure, it is wise to have a few extra things in your first aid kit as well. These include the following:
- Blood pressure monitor
- Extra blood pressure cuffs, varying in size if needed
- Pulse Oximeter
- Stethoscope
- Unopened bottled water
Sports Injuries
Depending on your activity, you may want to pack different items in your first aid kit. Here are some general supplies to keep:
- Bandages
- Multiple instant ice packs
- Medical tape
- Scissors
- Medical wrap for sprains
- Aerosol cold spray
- Antibacterial solution
- Saline solution
- Triple antibiotic ointment
- Oral pain reliever
- Moleskin for blisters
- Ankle brace
- Blister plasters
Proper Storage of Your First Aid Kit
The number one tip when it comes to first aid kit storage – remember where you put it! Store your kit somewhere that is easily accessible for all members of the family.
Yearly Check-Up
Check your first aid kits on a regular basis to ensure medicines and ointments have not expired and flashlight batteries still work. Refill any used supplies.
First aid kit refill supplies can be easily purchased online. Buying the supplies in bulk so you have them readily available to refill at any time can save you a headache down the road.
Update any emergency contact phone numbers, as well as a list of prescriptions for all members of the family. This will be a huge benefit if someone outside of the family is helping give medical aid.
Always Be Prepared
Emergency medical situations can arise at any time, and it is important to be prepared. Remember to keep supplies, medication lists, and emergency contact numbers up-to-date throughout and to refill your first aid kit as you use your supplies.
Although further medical attention may be necessary, this first aid kit list can help you provide pain relief for the injured person until medical personnel can arrive.
We may not be able to fully solve the situation, but having the proper supplies and being knowledgeable are great first steps! Check out other helpful health-related posts on Kaiser Magazine’s website and improve your knowledge on health topics!