Emergency First Aid Kit | First Aid Kit Contents

It is really important to have a well stocked emergency first aid kit in any household. These are the items that I keep in mine.

I keep everything in my emergency first aid kit, as listed below, in an accessible place at home. I also have another kit which I keep in the car and which excludes most of what I keep in the house, but includes the sort of thing that I need in order to be able to deal with problems such as motor accidents. Of course, when I go away on holiday, my home kit comes with me.

Emergency First Aid Kit | First Aid Kit Contents

This could be considered the ultimate First Aid kit. Do not try to buy everything all at once. Build your First Aid Kit up slowly. Keep Your First Aid Manual in your kit. Make sure that anyone who is looking after your children knows where it is and how to use the various items. Place your First Aid Kit well out of reach of inquisitive children.

Dressings

Sterile eye pads

Sterile gauze pads

Sterile non-stick pads (you can use petroleum gauze dressings)

Sterile burn dressings (e.g. Burnshield - similar to a fine foam rubber, impregnated with special burn gel - wonderful stuff - should be available in several sizes)

Sterile and non-sterile swabs (for wound cleaning)

Bandages

Gauze roller bandages (stretch type)

Elastic bandages(for sprains)

Linen/cotton strips(for slings; tie splints; variety of uses)

Adhesive paper tape

Selection of band-aids

Butterfly plasters

Instruments / Equipment

Medicine dropper or spoon (a syringe is useful for giving medication to babies

Several pairs rubber gloves

Scissors (blunt nose)

Tweezers (flat end type and pointed end type if possible)

Thermometer (there are several different types available)

Safety-pins

CPR barrier device

Selection of airway tubes (used to keep the airway of an unconscious person open, as long as he does not have a gag reflex)

Eye cup (to rinse dust etc out of the eyes)

Flash light + spare batteries (you always need them when you don't have them)

Space blanket (foil type sheet used to keep someone in shock warm)

Sealed plastic bottle sterile water – preferably saline solution (can be used to clean wounds or wash out eyes etc)

Antiseptic “wet-wipes” (similar to the sort of thing used to clean a baby's bottom)

Equipment to measure your sugar levels if you are a diabetic

A wrist-type BP monitor if you suffer from high blood pressure

Creams / Pills / Medications

Activated Charcoal – for some poisonings – see Emergency Poison Treatment Card (this is really messy stuff)

Savlon, Dettol or Betadine anti-septic creams (or something similar)

Bepanthon cream – excellent for insect bites; nappy rash; cold sores and a variety of other skin problems

Calamine lotion

Antihistamine or Epinephrine auto-injector - Prescription required (only needed if a family member has a severe allergy problem)

Aloe-vera gel (wide range of skin problems – sunburn; itching; dry skin)

Pain killers (Paracetamol) – avoid anything containing aspirin for asthma sufferers or children under 12 years of age

Eye drops

Bach Rescue Remedy for shock or stress (I have given it to my grandson as well as to my dogs)

Arnica cream or similar for sprains and bruises

Plastic bags (for waste materials)

Don't forget your personal medications when traveling

Please don't forget that this emergency First Aid kit is just that, a kit to be used in emergencies. It is not meant to take the place of treatment by your doctor.For further information on Emergencies, please read the following pages:

You will also find details on how to deal with specific problems related to medical and traumatic emergencies on the First Aid pages.

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