I’m curious, how many of you have a current first aid kit in your home?
Every family should keep a first aid kit at home and in their car. I have to admit when we had small children I was very good about keeping a current first aid kit on hand. We always had what ever you would need for small injuries. Now that our children are grown it’s time I updated our emergency kit and got it up-to-date!
You don’t need to buy a pre-made first aid kit. You can keep your supplies in a tackle box or other suitable container, which you can lock. If you have small children in the house or grandchildren that come to visit it needs to be childproof!
I asked my daughter, who is a nurse, what she kept in her first aid kit.
Top shelf, things you will use most often. Starting from the left: Coband or Ace bandage–something that will help cover a wound, keep it secure, that’s why I include tape as well, small drawers for some meds: pepto for tummy, nasal decongestant and DayQuil, I also keep Anti-itch/hydrocortisone and gauze. Keep Normal saline somewhere in your kit. I use small flushes which can purchase online. GREAT for flushing a wound an eye and keeping small doses on hand.
Second drawer: band aids, BENADRYL!! Must have, can help nip a reaction when it starts, I also have some syringes, but most importantly a sharpie, use it to outline areas of redness or inflammation to determine if they get worse. In the bottom I keep more gauze, wraps, gloves, aloe and hydrogen peroxide. Also a brown wash cloth for big bleeds. It can keep someone from passing out from the site of blood.
Here are a few
items that are suggested for your home first aid kit:
- 1-2 rolls of adhesive tape for bandaging
- Small, adhesive strips
- Bar of plain, un-perfumed soap for washing wounds
- Liquid acetaminophen for infants and small children
- Chewable acetaminophen for older children
- Regular aspirin or acetaminophen for teens and adults
- One ounce bottle of syrup of ipecac (to induce vomiting)
- A thermometer
- Scissors
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- Chemical ice pack
- Emergency phone numbers; including your physician, hospital and local poison control hot line.
For a more fully stocked first aid kit add the following:
- 1-2 rolls of elastic bandages
- cotton balls and cotton swabs
- Antiseptic cream (for minor cuts and burns)
- Petroleum jelly (for blisters, chafing and chapping)
- Calamine lotion
- Sunscreen
- Safety pins
- Tweezers
- Snakebite kit
- Tongue depressors (to use as splints for injured fingers and toes)
- Anaphylaxis kit for severe allergy
- Backup supply of prescription medication.
Now that we all know what to put in our first aid kits that’s make a resolution to make sure we all have a current first aid kit in our home! do you have any other suggestions as to what you should have in a first aid kit?
Linked To: MotivationMonday, PennyPinchingParty, HomesteadBarnHop
Nancy on the Home Front 