According to Prime Urgent Care (click here), investing in a first aid kit is a simple, yet frequently overlooked responsibility. Anyone who has experienced an accident knows that bad things can happen very fast, and rapid response is critical. With supplies gathered and centralized in advance, Mom, Dad, sibling, or babysitter will be ready to handle an emergency when it happens. A quick response to an emergency is critical, which is why everyone should know the inventory and location of the kit. Keep the kit in a location that is easily accessible to adults but out of reach of little hands. A top shelf in the bathroom or kitchen is a good place. The car and boat are also places where emergencies and fast responses are required, so it’s valuable to have kits on hand there as well. A first aid kit can be purchased online or at drugstores, but one can easily be put together and customized at home. If you decide to build your own kit, the following is what you’ll need.

First Aid Kit Essentials

If you purchased a kit, a manual would likely be included. Since you are building your own, invest in or download and print a first-aid book that is user-friendly and quick to read. Be sure to read the manual in advance, before the need arises! Critical supplies include multiple-sized sterile gauze pads and bandages, an elastic bandage, adhesive tape, a splint, antiseptic wipes, soap, antibiotic cream, antiseptic solution, one percent hydrocortisone cream, pain relievers such as acetaminophen, scissors, safety pins, tweezers, calamine lotion, instant cold packs, thermometer, tooth preservation kit, nitrile disposable gloves, flashlight and extra batteries, CPR mask, and blanket. Post emergency phone numbers nearby, such as Poison Control. If any of the above-mentioned items seem foreign, all the more reason to study your first aid manual now!

Adapting Your Kit

A kit will need to be adapted based on your family’s particular needs. For example, if someone in the family has an allergy that causes anaphylactic shock, an epi-pen should be included. Furthermore, kids of different ages have unique circumstances. According to Prime Urgent Care (www.primeuc.com), if a child is suffering from diarrhea-related dehydration, he or she will require child-specific electrolyte replacement solution. A baby will require a rectal or ear-based thermometer, rather than an oral thermometer. Babies and children also require lower doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen, so it is necessary to have pain medication specific for their age and weight, as well as a dropper syringe for administration.

Pets Have Emergencies Too!

Some of the most urgent calls vets receive involve potential pet poisonings. If you witness your pet consuming material that you think might be toxic, it is critical to keep your wits about you but quickly gather your first aid resources. The kit should contain a bottle of fresh hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting, a turkey baster or large medicine syringe to squirt the peroxide down the pet’s throat, saline eye solution to flush irritants from the eyes, artificial tear gel to lubricate the eyes post-flush, forceps to remove stingers, grease-cutting liquid dish detergent to bathe your pet after skin contamination, a pet carrier, and a can of your pet’s favorite food.  Have in a prominent place the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center phone number, should it ever become necessary.