13 Must Haves in Your First Aid Kit and Why?

Accidents don’t come with prior notice. And also, being prepared is always advisable. A first aid kit keeps you prepared for treating minor cuts and burns. It helps you to manage more serious injuries too, like broken bones and even heart attacks, until emergency responders arrive for your help. How? With the help of medical essentials. And for that you need to stay prepared with all those medications and equipment required to help you in emergencies. Don’t worry, I have a checklist of ‘must-haves’ for your emergency box. So, what are you waiting for, start gathering your medical essentials and mark them checked.

Where Should One Keep First Aid Kits?

First aid kits are for minor to major emergencies; thus it is wise to keep a kit somewhere easily accessible. Keep one of it at your home in a central location, of course, stored out of your children’s reach. Also, make sure that babysitters and caregivers know the location of where it is placed. And keep the second kit in your car in case an accident occurs.

Additionally, it is recommended to carry an emergency kit while travelling and at your work desk too. Depending on the contents, the flight restrictions might require storing it in the checked luggage bag when flying.

13 Must-haves in Your First Aid Kit and Why?

1. Gauze

You can use sterile gauze to apply pressure to minor open wounds to stop the bleeding. You can also apply it to minor burns, that is, after you cool the burn under cool (not cold) water. With a larger sterile gauze bandage, you can apply pressure on longer or deeper wounds to control moderate bleeding. A trauma pad is best for controlling deep or penetrating wounds that cause severe bleeding.

2. Scissors

Scissors have multiple uses. You can use it to cut the desired size of gauze, tapes, and cut away the clothing to expose injuries while the treatment process is going on.

3. Tape

The latex-free, hypoallergenic tape is useful to secure gauze wound dressings in its place.

4. Wound Cleanser

Soap and water cleaning is the best option to clean the cuts once they have stopped bleeding. But that is not always available or prescribable. In similar situations, adding a wound cleanser spray or antiseptic wound wipes to clean scrapes can help in the best way.

5. Bandages

Once your wound is cleaned thoroughly, you can move with bandaging it. A pack of sterile bandages can help your wound to heal.

6. Hot and Cold Packs

You might know about cold packs and hot packs; I am assuming many of you might even have one. Cold packs are helpful in relieving pain from sprains, strains, and muscle aches. You can keep a reusable hot and cold pack in your freezer for instant pain relief at home. And in case of more chronic pains, you can simply heat the packs in the microwave. You can add an instant cold pack to your travel medical kit. It is ready to use and doesn’t require a freezer.