First Aid & Emergencies

First Aid Kits

Must-Have First Aid Kit Essentials

You can buy all items for your first aid kits at a well-stocked drug store. Ask the pharmacist for help in selecting items.

Home kit:

A household first aid kit should include these items:

• Adhesive tape
• Anesthetic spray (Bactine) or lotion (Calamine, Campho-Phenique) -- for itching rashes and insect bites
• 4" x 4" sterile gauze pads -- for covering and cleaning wounds, as a soft eye patch
• 2", 3", and 4" Ace bandages -- for wrapping sprained or strained joints, for wrapping gauze on to wounds, for wrapping on splints
• Adhesive bandages (all sizes)
• Oral antihistamines -- diphenhydramine (Benadryl causes drowsiness) or loratadine (Claritin doesn't cause drowsiness) -- for allergic reactions, itching rashes. Avoid topical antihistamine creams because they may worsen the rash in some people.
• Exam gloves -- for infection protection, also to make into ice packs when filled with water and frozen
• Polysporin antibiotic cream -- to apply to simple wounds
• Nonadhesive pads (Telfa) -- for covering wounds and burns
• Pocket mask for CPR
• Resealable oven bag -- as a container for contaminated articles, can become an ice pack
• Safety pins (large and small) -- for splinter removal and for securing triangular bandage sling
• Scissors
• Triangular bandage -- as a sling, towel, tourniquet
• Tweezers -- for splinter or stinger or tick removal

Travel First Aid Kit Essentials

Travel kit:

A travel first aid kit may contain these items:

• Adhesive tape
• 4" x 4" sterile gauze pads
• Antacid -- for indigestion
• Antidiarrheal (Imodium, Pepto-Bismol, for example)
• Antihistamine cream
• Antiseptic agent (small bottle liquid soap) -- for cleaning wounds and hands
• Aspirin -- for mild pain, heart attack
• Adhesive bandages (all sizes)
• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or loratadine (Claritin) -- oral antihistamine
• Book on first aid
• Cigarette lighter -- to sterilize instruments and to be able to start a fire in the wilderness (to keep warm and to make smoke to signal for help, for examples)
• Cough medication
• Dental kit -- for broken teeth, loss of crown or filling
• Exam gloves
• Small flashlight
• Ibuprofen (Advil is one brand name)
• Insect repellant
• Knife (small Swiss Army-type)
• Moleskin -- to apply to blisters or hot spots
• Nasal spray decongestant -- for nasal congestion from colds or allergies
• Nonadhesive wound pads (Telfa)
• Polysporin antibiotic ointment
• Oral decongestant
• Personal medications and items
• Phone card with at least 60 minutes of time (and not a close expiration date) plus at least 10 quarters for pay phones and a list of important people to reach in an emergency
• Plastic resealable bags (oven and sandwich)
• Pocket mask for CPR
• Safety pins (large and small)
• Scissors
• Sunscreen
• Thermometer
• Tweezers