If your family is anything like mine, you probably have several first aid kits laying around (we have one located in the bathroom cabinet on every floor)…but does your First-Aid kit actually contain everything you may need for an emergency?
To make sure our first aid kits (which were admittedly older and acquired over the years) were up to code, I compared it to the guidelines set by the American Red Cross, one of the gold standards for American Healthcare.
I thought maybe they would just include some guidelines, but luckily the American Red Cross was able to list exactly what you should include in a first aid kit for a family of four (reproduced below):
2 absorbent compress dressings (5 x 9 inches)
25 adhesive bandages (assorted sizes)
1 adhesive cloth tape (10 yards x 1 inch)
5 antibiotic ointment packets (approximately 1 gram)
5 antiseptic wipe packets
2 packets of aspirin (81 mg each)
1 emergency blanket
1 breathing barrier (with one-way valve)
1 instant cold compress, also found within our First Aid Kit
2 pair of nonlatex gloves (size: large)
2 hydrocortisone ointment packets (approximately 1 gram each)
1 3 in. gauze roll (roller) bandage
1 roller bandage (4 inches wide)
5 3 in. x 3 in. sterile gauze pads
5 sterile gauze pads (4 x 4 inches)
Oral thermometer (non-mercury/nonglass), also within the Deluxe All Purpose First Aid Kit
2 triangular bandages
Tweezers
Emergency First Aid guide
Source: https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/anatomy-of-a-first-aid-kit.html
Does your first aid kit at least contain those minimums? As it turns out, most of our first aid kits we had lying around were cracked in to for bandaids whenever our family would run short, and so I between being short on bandages, and only having one triangular bandage across every first aid kit in the entire house… we were well short of what was recommended.
Luckily, it’s not that hard nowadays to find comprehensive first aid kits online. Take for instance this first aid kit from emergency preparedness and disaster specialty vendor Outbreak Provisions:
Photo via Outbreak Provisions
The first aid kit list out what’s included and the match-up with Red Cross recommendations are easy to see:
his comprehensive first aid kit was designed to meet the needs of 50 people. It is packaged in a white metal case. It is perfect for indoor or outdoor storage. The durable case will protect its contents under demanding conditions.
This kit contains the following:
50 – Adhesive bandages (1” x 3”)
30 – Adhesive bandages (3” x ¾”)
20 – Adhesive bandages (1 ¾” x 3/8”)
3 – Knuckle bandages
3 – Fingertip bandages
3 – Butterfly closures
2 – Rolls of tape
2 – Triangular bandages w/ safety pins
1 – Trauma pad (5” x 9”)
1 – Eye pad
4 – Gauze pads (4” x 4”)
4 – Gauze pads (3” x 3”)
4 – Gauze pads (2” x 2”)
1 – Roll of gauze (2”)
1 – Roll of gauze (4”)
4 – Examination gloves
1 – Instant cold pack
1 – Tweezers
10 – Burn creams
10 – Sting relief pads
30 – Alcohol pads
20 – Antiseptic towelettes
1 – Case
1 – First aid guide
4 – Finger splints / Tongue depressors
20 – Cotton tip applicators
1 – Filtration mask (Currently OUT OF STOCK)
1 – Eye wash
Photo via Unsplash
With the exception of some asprin, this kit has nearly everything that is recommended and then some!
Don’t wait until its too late…stock up on first aid supplies now…and if it’s been a while since you have last checked on the family first-aid kit be sure to dust off the first-aid kit and make sure you haven’t already run through the supplies without realizing!
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