In the United States, about one-third of injuries occur in the home, and about 2.6 million injuries at work were reported by employers in 2018. People get hurt all the time, so it’s crucial that you always have first aid supplies on hand in case of an accident.
It’s fun and useful to build your own first aid kit, so why not do so? This is a great independent or family project that can also serve you well in the future. Every home should have a first aid kit on hand, and if you want to make more than one, you can stash kits in your car or at your office as well. Homemade first aid kits also make great gifts; anyone that receives one will be thankful.
It’s also wise to take a first aid training course such as those offered by the American Heart Association, the National Safety Council, the Red Cross. Then, when an emergency does arise, you will have both the skills and the supplies to help out.
Read on to learn about what should be included in a first aid kit so that you can get started right away.
Consider Your Needs
Before you begin, think about who will be using this first aid kit and for what purposes. Are there children in the family, or just adults? Do the end-users cook a lot or spend a lot of time playing sports? Do they take adventures in the great outdoors?
The answers to these questions will help you to determine what supplies to include. Some items will be standard in every first aid kit, but others may vary depending on the uses and the users. When you build your own first aid kit rather than buying one, you can tweak it to suit you and your personal needs and preferences.
Find a Good Container
You’ll also want to find a good container to hold all of the items. It should be big enough for everything, and it should be easy to get things out of it quickly. You might consider buying a container in a bright color so you can find it in a hurry. If you plan to use it outdoors, you should use something waterproof or water-resistant, but if you’ll be keeping it inside, even a soft-sided zip pouch will work.
Stock It up
The most important part is what you put inside. Consider each of the following categories when stocking your first aid kit with supplies. If this sounds like a lot to buy, you can find a pharmacy coupon online to help you with the cost.
Bandages
The most-used item in your first aid kit will probably be adhesive bandages, but also include athletic tape, gauze, and blister treatments like moleskin. Don’t forget to add antiseptic wipes, too.
Medication and Ointments
To treat cuts, you will want to include antibiotic ointment, which can also work on insect bites and scrapes. Also, be sure to add some ibuprofen for pain, antidiarrheal pills, and rehydration salts. You’ll need to remember to check periodically to see if any of these items have expired so you can replace them.
Tools
Tweezers will come in handy, and so will some blunt-tip scissors for cutting gauze and bandages. You may also want to add a razor blade or knife.
Miscellaneous Items
This category can be as big or as small as you like. Some items to consider include a bee-sting kit, burn cream and dressing, ace bandages, a space blanket, a breathing barrier for CPR, latex gloves, and a thermometer.
Build Your Own First Aid Kit and Hopefully, You’ll Never Have to Use It
Now that you learned how to build your own first aid kit, there is no reason to not have all of these items on hand in your home, car, and workplace. This list should help you to create one that will be useful in the future if you need it, but if all goes well, you will only need it rarely if ever. Better safe than sorry.