Keeping a well-stocked first aid kit in your home is a wise idea at the best of times. It’s even more important after an event like the recent Hurricane Sandy, where power may be lost and medical attention scarce. Here are 12 first aid supplies you should always have on hand so you’ll be prepared for whatever comes your way.
1) Phone Numbers
This is one item lots of people tend to overlook, but it could prove to be extremely helpful in an emergency. In a small notebook or on a piece of paper, write these numbers and keep them in the kit:
- Emergency numbers for the local poison control centre and family doctors
- Home and work numbers for immediate family members and close friends that you’d want informed in an emergency
2) Gauze & Bandages
Cuts are a common reason that the first aid kit gets put into use. Make sure you have different-sized sterile gauze pads, roller and triangular bandages and adhesive bandages in various sizes. You want to be sure you can cover, wrap, compress and dress just about any wound until medical help arrives.
3) Tape
A roll of good adhesive tape is a must to help hold bandages in place or immobilize a finger or thumb, if necessary.
4) Scissors
Proper first-aid scissors will help you cut the tape and the bandages to size. They can also come in handy for other uses if your power goes out for any length of time.
5) Tweezers
Tweezers are useful for picking splinters or glass out of skin, and for any other detailed extraction work you might need to do.
6) Disposable Gloves
If you’re dealing with an open wound, disposable gloves will help to reduce the likelihood of infection. Keep several pairs in the kit, and throw them out after one use.
7) Antiseptic Wipes
Another way to help keep infections at bay is by having antiseptic wipes on hand and using them to disinfect the wound before you bandage it.
8) Safety Pins
Safety pins are useful if you have to fashion a sling for an elbow or shoulder injury. You can make the sling with your triangular bandage and hold it together with the pins.
9) Blanket
An emergency blanket is always good to have in a first-aid kit. You may need it to keep warm during a power outage or to keep someone warm and comfortable if they’re in shock after an injury.
10) Thermometer
If you have kids at home, or even if you don’t, fevers are serious business. Having a thermometer in the kit will help you stay on top of fevers so they don’t get out of hand.
11) Instant Ice Packs
Many types of injuries benefit from using an ice pack to keep swelling and tissue damage to a minimum. Keeping an instant ice pack in your home first-aid kit will ensure you have one ready regardless of the conditions. The instant pack uses a combination of water and ammonium nitrate to act as a replacement for a real ice pack.
12) Flashlight
If you do end up in a power outage situation for a prolonged time or even just for one night, a flashlight will really be a lifesaver. Make sure you keep the batteries in a separate bag, and test them every so often to make sure they still work.
Find all these supplies and more at the First Aid Zone's online store. Contact us today if you have more questions about what to include in a home first aid kit.
