It's summertime! Time to be outdoors biking, skating and running — but sometimes you end up hitting the ground and scraping your knees, elbows or shoulders.
It is best to be ready for little mishaps by keeping your own personal first aid kits. Keep a small one to carry with you and a big one in the car.
What to carry in a small kit
This is the size kit to throw into your purse or daypack. You can buy pre-made mini-first aid kits or you can make your own, kept inside a zippered plastic bag. This way you can make sure you have the products you prefer in case of a scrape or cut.
Boyslife.org lists some good items to have in a mini-kit:
- Six adhesive bandages: choose those with flexible fabric
- Six alcohol squares
- Two 3-by-3-inch sterile gauze pads
- One small roll of adhesive tape: choose paper tape
- One travel-size bottle of hand sanitizer
- One small tube of antibiotic ointment
- One pair of non-latex disposable gloves
What to carry in a big kit to leave in your car
This kit can be bigger and have more items in it, as it will stay in the trunk of your car. Check it every year at the start of summer to make sure you replace anything that has been used.
You can use some large zippered plastic bags or a large shoe box to store the supplies. Label the box or bag “First Aid Supplies.”
Dressings and bandages:
- 25 different sizes of flexible fabric band-aids
- One small and one large gauze roll to wrap wounds
- Two 3-4 inch elastic bandages like Ace wraps
- Several 3-by-3-inch and 4-by-4-inch gauze pads
- Two finger splints and several tongue depressors to make splints
- A large roll of adhesive tape
Equipment:
- A thermometer
- Safety pins and tweezers
- Bandage scissors
- Alcohol wipes to clean tools for wounds
- Two instant chemical cold packs
- Several pairs of non-latex gloves in a zippered plastic bag
- CPR mouth barrier or pocket mask (can order from Amazon)
- Cotton-tipped swabs and cotton balls in a zippered plastic bag
- Extra zippered plastic bags to hold ice or — uh oh — a knocked-out tooth
- A sterile contact lens saline bottle to rinse eye injuries
- Bottle of water to wash wounds
Medicines:
- Antibiotic ointment tube
- Small bottles of acetaminophen and ibuprofen
- Insect repellent
- Antihistamine pills such as Benadryl
- Calamine lotion or hydrocortisone for bug bites
- Sunscreen and lip balm
- A first aid manual or cards, and doctor phone numbers
There is a sense of reassurance that comes when you carry a first aid kit. You feel ready in case something unexpected happens.
Remember to call 911 if the situation seems serious. It is okay for the EMTs to come and take a look to insure that the people you care about do not need more emergent care for an emergency medical condition. Such situations include breathing problems, losing consciousness, serious burns, suspected heart attack, or uncontrolled bleeding.
Sources:
First-aid kit buying guide. Boy’s Life. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
http://boyslife.org/outdoors/guygear/4937/first-aid-kit-buying-guide
First Aid Kit Essentials. FamilyDoctor.org. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/prevention-wellness/staying-heal...
How to Build an Essential Summer First Aid Kit. Healthy Children.Org. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/on-the-go/Page...
First-aid checklist for your summer camping trip. Staywell Blog. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
http://staywellblog.walgreens.com/emergency-prep/summer-camping-first-ai...
Michele is an R.N. freelance writer with a special interest in woman’s healthcare and quality of care issues.
Edited by Jody Smith