What Every Household First Aid Kit Needs

The one guarantee in life is that accidents happen and usually at the worst possible time. Since preventing an emergency is impossible, the next best thing is to be prepared. Every home needs a first aid kit and most people have no idea what to put in one. One solution is to buy a premade kit, but without a checklist of necessary supplies, how is a person to know if the kit contains the necessary supplies? Here is a simple checklist of items, according to the American Red Cross that should be included in a first aid kit.

Whether a first aid kit is purchased or assembled, These are the amounts and items recommended for a family of four people. These are just guidelines and should be used as a starting point for a home first aid kit.

First-Aid Kit Checklist

• 2 absorbent compress dressings (5 x 9 inches) for blotting blood.
• 25 adhesive bandages (assorted sizes) to cover a wound and keep it clean.
• 1 adhesive cloth tape (10 yards x 1 inch)for wrapping sprains or large injuries.
•  5 antibiotic ointment packets (approximately 1 gram) for the prevention of infections in open injuries.
• 5 antiseptic wipe packets, to clean cuts or burns.
• 2 packets of aspirin (81 mg each) for treatment of a suspected heart attack.
• 1 blanket (space blanket) to warm a suspected shock victim.
• 1 breathing barrier (with one-way valve) for mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
• 1 instant cold compress, to treat burns as well as relieve fever.
• 2 pair of no latex gloves (size: large), for the protection of the patient as well as the victim from bodily fluid contact.
• 2 hydrocortisone ointment packets (approximately 1 gram each), for the topical pain treatment.
• Scissors, to cut a dressing.
• 1 roller bandage (3 inches wide), for larger wounds and bleeding.
• 1 roller bandage (4 inches wide), for sprains.
• 5 sterile gauze pads (3 x 3 inches),for covering larger wounds
• 5 sterile gauze pads (4 x 4 inches), for covering larger hurts.
• Oral thermometer (non-mercury/no glass), for taking a patient’s temperature.
• 2 triangular bandages, to make a sling for immobilizing the arm.
• Tweezers, to remove splinters and debris from open skin.
• First aid instruction booklet, for instruction on how to treat injuries and trauma.

Other things to have in home medical kits are:

• A flashlight, for additional light
• An emergency cell phone for contacting medical help if needed.
• Basic painkillers and fever reducer such as ibuprofen
• CPR Breathing Barrier

First aid kits are not just for the home. Other common places to have them are in the car, boat, or office. Accidents are not just confined to the home. Also it’s a good idea to have more than one first aid kit if the home is large or has two stories.

Once a first aid kit is assembled, it must be maintained. The first aid kits should be inventoried at least once a year or used for missing or expired tools. It is also a good idea to check batteries in the flashlight as well as phone numbers in case medical help is needed.

There are several emergency and survival situations that this will come in handy. It is also a good idea to learn some first aid skills and include a guidebook in your kit to help in your situation.