First aid supplies or first aid kits are collections of life-saving equipment that are used by paramedic staff in cases of emergency to increase the life of a victim until a time when the injured can be transferred to a permanent hospital facility.

Read valuable information about the First aid kit provided by Pritish Kumar Halder in the below article.

A well-stocked first-aid kit can help you respond effectively to common injuries and emergencies. Keep at least one first-aid kit in your home and one in your car. Store your kits someplace easy to get to and out of the reach of young children. Make sure children old enough to understand the purpose of the kits know where they’re stored.

first aid box and kit

You can buy first-aid kits at many drugstores or assemble your own. You may want to tailor your kit based on your activities and needs. A first-aid kit might include:

Basic supplies

  • Adhesive tape
  • Elastic wrap bandages
  • Bandage strips and “butterfly” bandages in assorted sizes
  • Super glue
  • Rubber tourniquet or 16 French catheter
  • Nonstick sterile bandages and roller gauze in assorted sizes
  • Eye shield or pad
  • Large triangular bandage (may be used as a sling)
  • Aluminum finger splint
  • Instant cold packs
  • Cotton balls and cotton-tipped swabs
  • Disposable nonlatex examination gloves, several pairs
  • Duct tape
  • Petroleum jelly or other lubricant
  • Plastic bags, assorted sizes
  • Safety pins in assorted sizes
  • Scissors and tweezers
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Antibiotic ointment
  • Antiseptic solution and towelettes
  • Eyewash solution
  • Thermometer
  • Turkey baster or other bulb suction device for flushing wounds
  • Sterile saline for irrigation, flushing
  • Breathing barrier (surgical mask)
  • Syringe, medicine cup or spoon
  • First-aid manual
  • Hydrogen peroxide to disinfect

Medications

  • Aloe vera gel
  • Calamine lotion
  • Anti-diarrhea medication
  • Laxative
  • Antacids
  • Antihistamine, such as diphenhydramine
  • Hydrocortisone cream
  • Cough and cold medications
  • Personal medications that don’t need refrigeration
  • Auto-injector of epinephrine, if prescribed by your doctor
  • Pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others)

Consider keeping aspirin in your first-aid kit, as well. Aspirin may be life-saving in an adult with chest pain. If you or someone else has new or unexplained chest pain or may be having a heart attack, call for emergency medical help immediately. Then chew a regular-strength aspirin. However, don’t take aspirin if you are allergic to aspirin, have bleeding problems or take another blood-thinning medication, or if your doctor previously told you not to do so.

Never give aspirin to children.

Emergency items

Emergency phone numbers, including contact information for your family health care provider and pediatrician, local emergency services, emergency road service providers, and the poison help line.

  • Medical consent forms for each family member
  • Medical history forms for each family member
  • Small, waterproof flashlight or headlamp and extra batteries
  • Waterproof matches
  • Small notepad and waterproof writing instrument
  • Emergency space blanket
  • Cell phone with solar charger
  • Sunscreen
  • Insect repellant

Make Your Own First Aid Kit

Try to keep your kit small and simple. Stock it with multi-use items. Almost anything that provides good visibility of contents can be used for a household first aid kit.

  • If your kit will be on the move, a water-resistant, drop-proof container is best.
  • Inexpensive nylon bags, personal kits, fanny packs, or makeup cases serve very well.
  • You do not need to spend a lot of money on a fancy “medical bag.” Use resealable sandwich or oven bags to group and compartmentalize items.
  • Put wound supplies in one bag and medications in another.

How to Use a First Aid Kit

Make sure you know how to properly use all of the items in your kit, especially the medications. Train others in your family to use the kit. You may be the one who needs first aid.

Pack and use barrier items such as latex gloves to protect yourself from the bodily fluids of others. Check the kit twice a year and replace expired drugs. Find out the phone number of your regional poison control center at the American Association of Poison Control Centers website and keep the number with your kit.Where to keep your first aid kit:

  • The best place to keep your first aid kit is in the kitchen. Most family activities take place here. The bathroom has too much humidity, which shortens the shelf life of items.
  • The travel kit is for true trips away from home. Keep it in a suitcase, backpack, or dry bag, depending on the activity.
  • A first aid kit for everyday use in the car should be just like the home first aid kit. For that matter, you could keep similar kits in your boat (inside a waterproof bag), travel trailer, mobile home, camper, cabin, vacation home, and wherever you spend time.

Give your kit a checkup

Check your first-aid kits regularly to be sure the flashlight batteries work and to replace supplies that have expired or been used up.

Consider taking a first-aid course through the American Red Cross. Contact your local chapter for information on classes.

Prepare children for medical emergencies in age-appropriate ways. The American Red Cross offers a number of helpful resources, including classes designed to help children understand and use first-aid techniques.

Reference

https://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-kits/basics/art-20056673

https://www.webmd.com/first-aid/first-aid-kits-treatment