Be ready for anything – get your home first aid ready

As a parent, you need to be ready to tackle anything. Whether that’s a scratch from a game getting a little too rough, a fall from a bike, or something more serious like a head injury, a broken bone or a burn. One way to make sure you’re ready would be to have a first aid kit stocked and to hand. But what should you put in your first aid box?

Here we’ll take a look at some of the staple items you should consider placing into your family’s first aid box.

The location and the container

Before we fill a box full of various items, it would be sensible to consider where the finished product will be placed. It will need to be a clear and visible place in a container that is clearly marked “First Aid”.

If you would prefer to keep the box in a cupboard due to lack of counter space, ensure that this place is consistent, and it is not moved unless of an emergency. Then consider placing a sticker or sign on the cupboard door so the box is easy to find and locate in an emergency. You can find some sign ideas here.  

As for the container itself, one good option is a large, translucent, water-resistant, rigid or flexible plastic container with either a zipper closure or a latch-top lid. This makes the materials inside visible for easy identification.

Remember: This container should be easy to move and transport in the case of an emergency. Something like a lunchbox would be perfect!

Teach your family about the kit

Make sure everyone in the family knows where the kit is located. If there are smaller children in the home, then it’s important to let them know that they shouldn’t touch what is inside the kit, but they should be able to instruct a family member/babysitter etc where the kit is. But make sure that it is on a high shelf out of their reach.

Keep the contents up to date

No one wants to get to a first aid box and everything inside be used or empty! Check the kit regularly and make sure that items are still in their sterile wrappings. Creams and medications are in date and nothing has been opened and left to gather bacteria. Make a checklist too.

Items to stock

Here are the basic items and tools every first aid kit should have:

• 25 adhesive bandages of various sizes
• Five 3” x 3” and five 4” x 4” gauze pads
• A roll of cloth adhesive tape
• Two 5” x 9” sterile dressings
• One 3” wide and one 4” wide roller bandage
• Two triangular bandages
• Small, sharp scissors
• Tweezers
• Two pairs of non-latex gloves
• Non-mercury oral thermometer
• Cotton balls and swabs
• CPR breathing barrier mask
• Instant cold compress
• First aid instruction booklet
• Hand sanitizer
• Cleansing wipes (for external cleaning only)
• Zip-close plastic bags (to dispose of medical waste)
• Safety pins
• Eye Wash