How to Pack a Useful First Aid Kit

A useful first aid kit should contain all the necessary things you might need to treat common injuries or problems. It also needs to contain materials that are appropriate for it's intended use, such as in a car, boat, or on a hike. A family's medical needs and environmental conditions should also be considered when packing a first aid kit.

Things You'll Need

• Band-aids (assortment of sizes/shapes)
• Antibiotic Ointment
• Pain Relievers (Tylenol, Advil, Aspirin, or generics)
• Hand Sanitizer
• Mini Flashlight
• Tweezers
• Whistle
• Disposable Gloves
• Scissors
• Safety Pins
• Instant Ice Packs
• Emergency Blanket
• Thermometer
• Sunscreen
• Bug Spray
• Chapstick
• Tissues
• Cough Drops
• Anti-Itch Cream
• Moleskin Padding
• Mouth Barrier CPR Device
• Ace Bandage or 2 Inch Roller Bandage
• Dental Floss
• Needle
• Food Powder
• Medicine that you take regularly or periodically for any problems you have.

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Instructions

• 1

  Find a container for your first aid kit. It can be a plastic container with a tight closing lid, or a fanny pack, a zippered cloth bag, or even a small fishing tackle box. The best choice is one that is large enough to fit all your contents and that is still portable. You may prefer a waterproof container if it will be used for boating or other water related activity. A first aid kit should be easily identified by a red/white plus symbol. The American Red Cross sells a variety of first aid kits in various sizes such as a fanny pack that already have a bright red and white with a large plus symbol on them. A small fishing tackle box is a great way to organize the contents of your first aid kit for easy access to all of your items. A fanny pack first aid kit is a great choice for a hiking trip. Choose whatever container you prefer for your intended use of your first aid kit.

• 2

  Add all of the common items such as band-aids (of various sizes), antibiotic ointment, pain relievers , mini flashlight, tweezers (especially useful for splinter and tick removal), disposable gloves, scissors, safety pins, hand sanitizer, cough drops, tissues, etc.

• 3

  Add a small amount of the medication that your family members take on a regular or frequent basis. Some examples are blood pressure pills, anti-diarrhea pills, antacids, calcium supplement, and allergy medicine. Make sure all medication is clearly labeled with the name of medication and expiration date. Also, use a childproof medicine container if the kit will be accessible to children.

• 4

  Consider where you plan to use this first aid kit, who it will be used for, and the environmental conditions you might encounter. Then add appropriate items such as bug spray, sun screen, chap stick, instant ice pack, moleskin padding (for blisters and sore spots), CPR mouth barrier device, anti-itch cream, ace bandages, roll of medical tape, thermometer, whistle, dental floss, lighter, waterproof matches, rain poncho, and an emergency blanket.

• 5

  Organize the items in your first aid kit so you can easily find them when you need it. This is a very important step. You can organize your items by grouping similar items into a clearly labeled zip-locked plastic snack sized bags.