Update Your First Aid Kits

Because of our focus this month being Emergency Preparedness, it is a good time to update our home first aid kits.  There are a lot of pre-packaged first aid kits available, but for my home first aid kit I prefer to assemble it myself.  In my experience, the pre-packaged kits tend to have a lot of things that I don't use, and not enough of the things that I frequently use.

I keep my first aid kit and my medicines separate, so for this post, we will focus just on the first aid supplies.  Obviously each family is different, and everyone's ideas of  "medically necessary" items to have on hand are different, so please adjust for what is the best for your specific family.  Here is what I have on hand in my home first aid kit:

Bandages for kids (with all of the fun characters)

Bandages for adults (without the characters)

Water proof bandages

Liquid bandages (applied similar to a nail polish for areas that don't work with typical bandages)

Hydrogen Peroxide

Alcohol

Neosporin (or a similar product)

Bag Balm (Great for wounds)

Gauze in a variety of sizes

Ace bandage

Medical tape

Medical scissors

Ice pack (kept in freezer to be ready when needed)

I keep my kit in a zipper bag in the linen closet.  It is right by all of our bedrooms and the kid's bathroom, so for us it is centrally located.  I keep mine within reach for the children (which is why the medication isn't with it), so find a safe and centrally located place that is easy to reach for everyone in your family.

This list is not everything you would always need for every possible accident, but in my household it has served us well, and, when necessary, been enough to aid us on our way to the Emergency Room.