A first aid kit is a collection of essential medical supplies that can be helpful in a medical emergency until professional help arrives. The kit can vary in complexity based on the needs of your household, and the time taken for an ambulance to reach your home. It is especially important to have a well-stocked first aid kit in homes that have young children, older adults, or are located in a remote place. You can buy a ready-made kit and personalise it or build one from scratch. Ensure the kit has necessary medications and tools that are tailored to your family’s health needs. Check the first aid kit regularly and replace all expired items. Keep everyone informed about where the kit is and provide training to all the members of the household, including staff, on how to perform first aid.
First aid kits are very useful to have. First aid kits are filled with all the medical supplies a first responder might need in a medical emergency until paramedics arrive on the scene. First aid kits can be basic or exhaustive – it depends on the situations you anticipate in your home and how long it would take for an ambulance to reach you. If you have children or older adults in your family, your first aid kit should be more on the exhaustive side. The same applies if you live in a remote location, far away from the nearest major hospital.
Most supermarkets and medical stores sell ready-made first aid kits that usually contain all the basics. You can either buy one and personalize it by adding other supplies you will specifically need, or build your own from scratch. The first aid kit should have all the medicines that you and your family members consume on a regular basis.
The first aid kit needs to have everything a person may need to administer first aid to someone who gets hurt or falls sick in your home. This includes situations like cuts and bruises, mild fevers, diarrhea and vomiting, burns, headaches and any other situations specific to your home. According to family doctors, if you live with someone who is diabetic, you may want to have an emergency vial of insulin or an EpiPen in your first aid kit.
Here are some general guidelines on what needs to go in the first aid kit:
– Every first aid kit needs to have supplies to dress open wounds. This includes band-aids of different sizes, gauze, cotton, medical tape, antiseptic cream, antiseptic powder and anti-septic wipes or solution.
– You will also need supplies to handle broken bones and sprains like a compression bandage, splint materials, a tourniquet and oral rehydration salts.
– The first aid kit should also have general medicines for fever, gastric issues and body pain. You may want to keep general painkillers like Ibuprofen, Paracetamol for fevers, antihistamines, antacids, laxatives and antidiarrheal medicines. Cough syrup and cold lozenges are also good to have. This helps especially if you have children at home.
– Burns are common in households and it is always good to keep aloe vera gel and burn ointments.
– Think of any pre-existing conditions your family has. Does anyone have diabetes or asthma? You may want to stock an EpiPen, a blood sugar monitor or an inhaler in such cases. Think of all the regular medication you and your family take, and keep some of that in the first aid kit too. It could be thyroid medicine or blood pressure medication. This way, the first aid kit is personalised for your unique needs.
These are general guidelines to build your first aid kit. You can consult your family doctor for suggestions and tips on what you should pack.
The container you keep your first aid kit supplies in should also be chosen with care. It needs to be big enough to fit all the equipment you need. It should be waterproof and humidity proof to keep the supplies safe and dry. You should ideally store it in a cool dry place, away from running water. If you are using a case to store your first aid kit, try to avoid metal hinges and handles that could rust. Although the medical kit is ideally meant to be kept in one place in your home, it should also be portable for emergencies. Choose a location which is out of the way but centrally accessible to everyone in the house.
Your supplies should also be organized and grouped logically. This will make it easier if someone else like your child, an older grandparent or a paramedic needs to access the first aid supplies. It is recommended to label all supplies clearly to avoid taking the wrong medication. You can simply use zip lock bags to group your supplies according to categories, for example “Sterile Supplies”, “Oral Medication” or “Burn Kit”. You can write these titles on the bags with a permanent marker for easy identification.
Now you’ve got your first aid kit ready, but it doesn’t end there. A lot of medical supplies expire, so it is recommended to revisit the first aid kit and check expiry dates every 3 to 6 months. Replace all expired medicines and supplies immediately.
Everyone should educate themselves on how to perform basic first aid. This is an important life skill. When a household accident happens, even your children should be trained to perform first aid. Children above the age of 10 are old enough to receive first aid training. You and your family should know all the supplies in the first aid kit and what they are used for. Basic open wound dressing and burn dressing are also important skills. Online and in-person first aid training courses are available to get a comprehensive first aid training. First aid training will also prepare you for natural disasters like floods, earthquakes and other stressful situations.
Ensure the well-being and safety of your loved ones with the right first aid knowledge and supplies. For more detailed information or guidance, trust the experts at Kauvery Hospital. Our branches in Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli, and Trichy are equipped with top-notch facilities and personnel ready to assist with your health concerns.
Kauvery Hospital is globally known for its multidisciplinary services at all its Centers of Excellence, and for its comprehensive, Avant-Grade technology, especially in diagnostics and remedial care in heart diseases, transplantation, vascular and neurosciences medicine. Located in the heart of Trichy (Tennur, Royal Road and Alexandria Road (Cantonment), Chennai (Alwarpet & Vadapalani), Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli and Bengaluru, the hospital also renders adult and pediatric trauma care.
Chennai Alwarpet – 044 4000 6000 • Chennai Vadapalani – 044 4000 6000 • Trichy – Cantonment – 0431 4077777 • Trichy – Heartcity – 0431 4003500 • Trichy – Tennur – 0431 4022555 • Hosur – 04344 272727 • Salem – 0427 2677777 • Tirunelveli – 0462 4006000 • Bengaluru – 080 6801 6801
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