Exclamation PointPlease call 911 immediately if you are having chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding, sudden weakness or numbness, or if you think you have a medical emergency.

First Aid Kits

Almost everyone will need to use a first aid kit at some time. Take the time to prepare a kit to have available for home and travel. First aid kits may be basic or comprehensive. What you need depends on your medical training and your distance from professional medical help. Ready-made first aid kits are commercially available from chain stores or outdoor retailers. But you can make a simple and inexpensive first aid kit yourself.

Home and Travel First Aid Kits

Home first aid kits are usually used for treating these types of minor traumatic injuries:

First aid kits for travel need to be more comprehensive because a drug store may or may not be accessible. In addition to personal medical items, the kit should contain items to help alleviate the common symptoms of viral respiratory infections such as these:

It should also contain items to treat these ailments:

How to Make a First Aid Kit

Try to keep your first aid kit small and simple. Stock it with multi-use items. Almost anything that provides good visibility of contents can be used for a household first aid kit.

How to Use a First Aid Kit

Make sure you know how to properly use all of the items in your kit, especially the medications. Train others in your family to use the kit. You may be the one who needs first aid! Pack and use barrier items such as latex gloves to protect you from bodily fluids of others. Check the kit twice a year and replace expired drugs. Find out the phone number of your regional poison control center at the American Association of Poison Control Centers Web site and keep the number with your kit.

Where to keep your first aid kit:

 

What to Put in Your Household First Aid Kit

You can buy all items for your first aid kits at a well-stocked drug store. Ask the pharmacist for help in selecting items.

Home kit:

A household first aid kit should include these items:

What to Put in Your Travel First Aid Kit

Travel kit:

A travel first aid kit may contain these items:

WebMD Medical Reference from eMedicineHealth

Reviewed by Christian P Struven, MD on April 27, 2010