In case of an emergency, a first aid kit can ease discomfort or possibly even save a life when you are not near a pharmacy or hospital. There are several places you should keep a first aid kit, including your home, car, office, gym bag, and your child’s backpack. You can easily put together most first aid kits yourself, or you can purchase a pre-packaged one from your local drugstore. Depending on your personal needs, you may have to somewhat alter the contents. For example, if you or a family member has a severe allergy, include an Epipen in all of your kits.
Home
An extensive first aid kit should be kept at home since it is probably the one that will get used the most. Store it in a safe place that is out of reach of small children, such as a kitchen cabinet. In this kit, store supplies to treat minor injuries and illnesses, including:
- band-aids
- gauze
- antibiotic cream
- antihistamine cream
- latex gloves
- tweezers
- thermometer
- ace bandages
- Tylenol
- Benadryl
- anti-diarrheal medication
- anti-nausea medication
Car
This kit also needs to be thorough, especially if you are going to be traveling long distances. Since your car is exposed to more extreme temperatures, you will probably want to replace the medications quite frequently (or store them in your purse instead).
Include:
- band-aids
- gauze
- antibiotic cream
- antihistamine cream
- latex gloves
- tweezers
- thermometer
- ace bandages
- scissors
- sunscreen
- antiseptic
- aspirin
- decongestant
- Tylenol
- Benadryl
- anti-diarrheal
- anti-nausea
- small flashlight
- insect repellent
- pocket knife
Office
Your office probably has a first aid kit in the break room, but you should still keep a few basics in your desk, just in case you need something quickly or merely for your convenience. You should store some necessary medications, such as Tylenol, Benadryl, anti-diarrheal, and anti-nausea drugs. Its probably a good idea to also keep some band-aids and antibiotic cream in case you get a paper cut.
Gym Bag
In addition to a water bottle and workout clothes, you should also keep a small first aid kit in your gym bag. While working out at the gym, you are more prone to injury, so its always a good idea to have your own supplies on hand if your gym is not prepared. Your kit can be small as to not take up much room, but you should include some Tylenol, gauze, band-aids, and most importantly, a couple of ace bandages in case you sprain a muscle.
Child’s Backpack
Your child’s school surely has a kit in the nurse’s office, but keeping a few items in your child’s backpack is not a bad idea. You should probably not include any medications, but basic supplies, including band-aids, an index card with emergency phone numbers, gauze, and cotton balls can help out your child or their teacher if there is a minor injury.
