What's in a First Aid Kit? The Well-Stocked Medicine Chest or Emergency Kit Should Have Basics

A well-stocked medicine chest or first aid kit should be contain several items at all times. It should be checked at least every three months for expiration dates and supplies replenished as they are used.

In areas where natural disasters are more likely to happen such as earthquakes or tornadoes, an emergency kit should be kept in the house in a safe place where it would have the best chance of surviving a disaster. This could be in a closet in the center of the house or under a stairway.

Another kit should be in the car in case of quick evacuation. The contents of these emergency kits will include many more items.

Keep Out of Reach of Young Children

Take care to see that the kit is kept out of the reach of children at all times because it contains medications and sharp instruments. It should contain a list of emergency phone numbers such as family physicians, dentists, and pharmacies. The local poison control center number should be included, as well as the local emergency room. A neighbor and a next of kin should also be listed.

The Equipment

The kit should contain a pair of sharp but rounded scissors, tweezers, a thermometer, and a couple of instant ice packs. (The kind that activate when smacked and then squeezed.) There should also be an oral medication syringe and some matches. A few pairs of vinyl or latex gloves would be handy as well. A flashlight and extra batteries is a must.

It should contain an assortment of bandages from butterfly closures to gauze pads and a couple of rolls of sterile gauze and adhesive tape. Elastic bandages in a couple of sizes is recommended as well. A few sterile cotton balls and swabs should be in the kit as well.

Solutions and Medications

Next add in an eyewash solution and a bottle of saline solution. This could be either a saline wound wash or even contact lens saline. A tube of antibiotic or antiseptic ointment should be on hand as well. Wounds should be cleansed with soap and water or a saline solution. Do not use alcohol. Peroxide diluted 50% can be used on a fresh wound, only if you know how to use it appropriately. It should never be used on a regular basis to clean wounds as it can damage healthy tissue and interfere with healing.

Typical medications to have on hand include aspirin, Ibuprofen, and acetaminophen. A cough suppressant medication, antihistamines and decongestants should also be available. If there are children in the household, be sure to include the children's formulas as well. NEVER give aspirin to children under twelve.

Rotate and Replenish Stock

The medications should be rotated and replaced as used. They will expire. Check the dates on the eyewash and saline solutions as well as the antibiotic/antiseptic ointments. These should be applied to the gauze, bandage, or cotton swab and not directly to any wound (or fingers). Discard them if contaminated.

Bandages will age and can lose their adhesive properties. They can also lose their sterility if exposed to the elements. They should be rotated and replaced periodically.

Treat and Then Seek Professional Care

Be sure to seek medical attention for deep or puncture wounds, sprains or strains and of course suspected broken bones. Persistent coughs and fevers should be reviewed and any suspected poisoning needs emergency care.

Jun 19, 2008 9:40 AM

Naomi Giroux :

Two points - Ipecac is no longer used or recommended. It should be removed from kits and homes.

"What NOT to do

Don't administer ipecac syrup or do anything to induce vomiting. In 2003, the American Academy of Pediatrics advised discarding ipecac in the home, saying there's no good evidence of effectiveness and that it can do more harm than good." (MayoClinic.com)

"Important information about syrup of ipecac

Syrup of ipecac is a drug that was used in the past to make children vomit after they had swallowed a poison. Although this may seem to make sense, this is not a good poison treatment. You should not make a child vomit in any way, including giving him syrup of ipecac, making him gag, or giving him saltwater. If you have syrup of ipecac in your home, flush it down the toilet and throw away the container." (AAP)

What are you going to do with hydrogen peroxide? There are no First Aid guidelines that suggest it's use. Soap and clean water is all that is used to clean wounds. Hydrogen peroxide can burn tissue if not used properly.

"What you should NOT use is alcohol or Hydrogen Peroxide. You can use either of them (diluted at 50%) for an occasional cleaning but both of these products are too harsh for daily use in healing wounds. Hydrogen Peroxide was once used for these types of wounds for it's debriding ability, however, since about 1996 the course has changed and wound care specialists have come to realize that too much tissue damage occurs to healthy cells that are needed for wound healing when Hydrogen Peroxide is used. HP is considered "cytotoxic", meaning deadly to cells, thus it actually inhibits wound healing. Unfortunately, many doctors and nurses and are not informed that HP is no longer recommended for wound healing and they give their patients instructions that actually SLOW DOWN the healing process." (Pilonidal.org)