The needs of a first aid kit depend largely on the activities at hand, proximity to medical care and number of people involved. A few kids playing in the backyard doesn’t require the same medical kit needed to take an entire Boy Scout troop hiking in the wilderness, but a dangerous accident can happen in either scenario. Although having a great medical kit is handy, first aid training can be far more valuable when it comes to saving lives. Someone with solid first aid training is much more likely to save a life without a first aid kit than an untrained person with the best first aid kit on the market.
Is First Aid Training Really More Important Than a First Aid Kit?
You’re far better off investing in first aid training before purchasing a fancy first aid kit. However, regardless of training, it’s a good idea to have kit on hand in your house, in your car and while traveling that each contain a few essential first aid items in case of emergency. In this blog, we’ll discuss a few of the vital elements to include in a basic first aid kit.
First Aid Kit Essentials
The Red Cross recommends including the following first aid items in a basic first aid kit designed to provide first aid to a family of four:
- 2 absorbent compress dressings (5 x 9 inches)
- 25 Band-Aids (assorted sizes)
- Adhesive cloth tape (10 yards x 1 inch)
- Antibiotic ointment packets
- Antiseptic wipe packets
- Aspirin
- Breathing barrier (with one-way valve)
- Cold compress
- Nonlatex gloves (size: large)
- Hydrocortisone ointment packets
- Scissors
- Roller bandages
- Sterile gauze pads
- Oral thermometer (non-mercury/nonglass)
- Tweezers
- Print off this free first aid instruction booklet and include it with your first aid kit.
How Much Should a First Aid Kit Cost?
Although you should be sure a first aid kit contains all the essential items listed above, it’s much easier and less expensive to purchase a pre-packaged first aid that includes all of the necessary items. A $30 to $50 first aid kit is about all you will likely need to speed for the average family of four. However, we strongly recommend including QuikClot Bandages in the first aid kit you keep in the car, because they have the ability to potentially stop more serious bleeding like that from a severed artery. Be sure to consider size and weight when purchasing a first aid kit to take on the go, because you’re much more likely to grab a small, versatile first aid kit than a large cumbersome one.
Which First Aid Kit Should I Buy for Travel?
A modern-day explorer and one of the greatest adventurers to come out of Virginia since Merriweather Lewis named Trip Jennings endorses a first aid kit company called Adventure Medical Kits. Traveling the world for National Geographic and the occasional Guerrillas hostage situation teaches you a thing or two about first aid readiness. Although you may not be kayaking the Congo River next weekend, Adventure Medical Kits are compact, functional and easy to throw into the pocket of a backpack or purse when you head off on an adventure.
Here is a video featuring the waterproof Adventure Medical Kit endorsed by Trip Jennings; however this is not Trip speaking in the video:
Do I Need a First Aid Kit For My Dog?
If you’ve got a dog that goes everywhere with you, does he ever do dumb things like jump off the end of a dock without looking? If you have a Labrador or Golden Retriever, you probably know exactly what we’re talking about. But do you really need a dedicated first kit just for a dog? Here’s a bright idea, get a first aid kit designed for you and your dog! Adventure Medical Kits offers an outstanding first aid kit for you and your adventurous pooch! Just be sure to brush up on your pet first aid skills before heading out in the field.
Having a first aid kit is one thing, but knowing how to use its contents in an emergency situation is a whole different ballgame. Having the knowledge and confidence to administer first aid in a life threatening emergency takes practice and training. This is where CPR Consultants comes to the plate. Contact us if you’d like to learn more about first aid training classes being offered in your area.