How To Make a Basic First Aid Kit
Quickly Create a Simple First Aid Kit in Three Easy Steps
Jan 8, 2008
Accidents happen, and basic first aid kit should be always be available. It's easy and economical to make a simple first aid kit for your home, your car, and even to toss in your suitcase. Don’t think you have the time to put one together? Never fear! You can make a quick kit in minutes with these three easy steps:
1. Grab a box.
Any shoebox-sized (or smaller) plastic box that closes securely will do, but fishing tackle boxes and sewing/ craft organizers work really well; they have lots of great compartments. A zippered toiletries or cosmetics bag is also a good choice.
2. Gather materials.
For a basic everyday first aid kit you’ll need:
- Adhesive tape and bandages
- Alcohol wipes or a mall bottle of isopropyl alcohol and a packet of cotton squares
- Antibiotic ointment
- Band-aids, assorted sizes
- Bottle of distilled water (to clean wounds or rinse eyes)
- Coin or a prepaid phone card for calls and lit of emergency phone numbers
- Disposable latex or vinyl gloves
- Face shield for performing mouth to mouth resuscitation
- First aid book (download one for your PDA device here)
- Flashlight (a small one can be purchased for under $1 at discount stores)
- Gauze pads and rolled gauze bandages
- Instant chemical ice pack
- Oral thermometer
- Paper drinking cups
- Plastic bags (to dispose of waste or collect vomit in case of suspected oral poisoning)
- Safety pins
- Scissors
- Soap (antibacterial liquid soap: travel size)
- Splints
- Tweezers
White index cards and small zipper bag (for tick removal: tape tick to index card and enclose in bag, then give the “tick-in-a-bag” to a medical professional)
3. Organize
Arrange your first aid supplies in the container of your choosing and voila! You are ready for (almost) anything.
It only takes a few minutes to make sure you and your family are ready for those inevitable emergencies. What are you waiting for? Grab your kit and go!
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