What to Keep in a First Aid Kit

Every family should have at least two well-stocked first aid kits. Keep one in your car and one at home, in a spot where you can get to it easily but small children cannot. (And don’t forget to take the first aid kit when your family goes away on vacation.)

Check your kits every few months and replace any missing items or expired medications. Buying a preassembled first aid kit can be a convenient starting point, if you add any items that are on this checklist but not in the kit. Items that overlap with the contents of your medicine cabinet need only be kept in your car kit.

1. First-aid manual.

2. Sterile gauze pads (4×4 and 2×2 size) and rolls of gauze for wrapping.

3. Adhesive tape.

4. Adhesive bandages in various sizes.

5. Scissors.

6. Elastic bandage (Ace, for example).

7. Safety pins for making slings (you can use a towel, diaper, or other cloth for an emergency sling).

8. Latex or thin plastic medical gloves.

9. Peroxide for cleansing wounds and dissolving blood stains.

10. Antiseptic liquid or ointment (Betadine, polysporin, etc.) and antiseptic wipes (these might be best for an automobile kit).

11. Small plastic bags to make ice packs (keep ice on hand in the freezer; or a bag of frozen vegetables will work as an ice pack in a pinch.)

12. Benzocaine spray for minor burns and abrasions.

13. Hydrocortisone cream for minor inflammatory skin conditions (get a doctor’s diagnosis if condition lasts more than twenty-four to forty-eight hours).

14. Benadryl or other antihistamine tablet to relieve itching.

15. Ibuprofen. Many doctors now prefer it to aspirin or Tylenol for fever and recommend ibuprofen for children under twelve, who should avoid aspirin.

16. Saline eye drops. Keep a large bottle to flush chemicals or foreign matter from eyes.

17. Tweezers. (Keep rubbing alcohol or matches nearby to disinfect them before use.)

18. Thermometer.

19. Mouthpiece for administering CPR. These can be purchased from your local Red Cross chapter. They range in price (and sophistication of design) from $2 to $12. They are sometimes given free to those who take rescue breathing (CPR) classes.

20. Cotton swabs for applying ointment or cleaning small areas