A well-assembled first-aid kit can be help you respond quickly and effectively in the event of an emergency. That’s why the American Red Cross advises you to keep one kit in your car and at least one at home, stored in an easy-to-retrieve location that is out of the reach of small children. Children old enough to know the purpose of the kit should be informed about its whereabouts.
How to Assemble Your Own First-Aid Kit
You can purchase an assembled first-aid kit at your local drugstore, or you could put one together yourself. A proper kit should include:
- Adhesive tape
- Aluminum finger splints
- Antibiotic ointment
- Antiseptic solution or towelettes
- Bandages, including a roll of elastic wrap (Ace, Coban, others) and bandage strips (Band-Aid, Curad, others) in assorted sizes
- Instant cold packs
- Cotton balls and cotton-tipped swabs
- Disposable latex or synthetic gloves, at least two pair
- Gauze pads and roller gauze in assorted sizes
- Eye goggles
- First-aid manual
- Petroleum jelly or other lubricant
- Plastic bags for the disposal of contaminated materials
- Safety pins in assorted sizes
- Save-A-Tooth storage device containing salt solution and a travel case
- Scissors, tweezers and a needle
- Soap or instant hand sanitizer
- Sterile eyewash, such as a saline solution
- Thermometer
- Triangular bandage
- Turkey baster or other bulb suction device for flushing out wounds
- Cell phone and recharger that utilizes the accessory plug in your car dash
- Emergency phone numbers, including contact information for your family doctor and pediatrician, local emergency services, emergency road service providers and the regional poison control center
- Small, waterproof flashlight and extra batteries
- Candles and matches for cold climates
- Mylar emergency blanket
- First-aid instruction manual
- Sunscreen
Give Your Kit a Check-up
Check your kits every three months to make sure that batteries are still operating and expired supplies are replaced. Prepare children for medical emergencies in age appropriate ways. The American Red Cross offers several programs designed to help children understand and use first-aid techniques in case of an emergency.
*source Mayoclinic.co