First Aid Kits

First aid kits are an important part of any emergency kit. 

There is so much different information out there on what people deem as must have. It can be overwhelming at times.

In fact, there could be an entire website dedicated just for first aid kits and building your own.

Why You Need a First Aid Kit

This shouldn’t really be a question you need to ask, but I’ll cover it any way.

In an emergency situation, help might be some time in getting to you. 

Services can and will be stretched as they deal with a lot of people in worse off situations, or people that aren’t as prepared as you are. Being able to stay alive is a key part of dealing with an emergency. With a basic first-aid kit and some knowledge you will be able to deal with smaller problems if they crop up.

Pre Made or Make Your Own?

Just like your emergency kit. There are a lot of pre made options out there when it comes to a first aid kit. Different sizes for different activities and locations. 

They come in a wide range of prices as well.

You can also easily buy all the different components yourself and build your own.

So what’s the best option?

Buying a pre-made first aid kit is a great option. You get almost everything you need. It’s a great foundation to build upon. Make sure it has a good selection of gauze pads, bandages, band aids etc.

Add on Items for your First Aid Kit

Your first aid kit might already come with these items, but a lot won’t. Here’s a few things I like to add to mine to make them even more useful.

Tourniquet

This is a simple device made up of a strap and a stick. The idea being you can use them to stop blood. Ideal if someone has a large wound on a leg or arm. You want to apply the tourniquet as high as possible.

You want to make it nice and tight. Your aim is to squeeze the arteries and stop the bleeding. Don’t undo it. 

A lot of them will have a space to write on it the time it was applied. This is important to know for medical personal. This will inform them of how long blood flow has stopped and gives them the best chance to help the patient.

Trauma Bandage

These are sometimes called an Israeli bandage. They have a dressing and bandage all in one. Apply them to the bleeding, then wrap them around your arm or leg. Threading the bandage back through the plastic clips. 

Pull it back the other way and clip into place. This provides great pressure against a wound. Can be applied to yourself and can be really useful in a first aid situation.

Splint

I put this down as you can get splints that can be applied to different parts of the body to help keep things straight and not moveable. Which is ideal for broken bones.

How Big Should my First Aid Kit Be?

It needs to be big enough to cater to the amount of people you might need to provide first aid for. Sometimes what you have on hand might not be enough and you might need to improvise.

Where to Keep Your First Aid Kit?

This should be stored with or in your emergency kit. You might have a first aid kit for your household or work location normally. I would suggest you have another first aid kit just for your emergency kits.

Having more than one is OK.

First aid kits almost always have their own storage solution. It might be a small bag, a plastic case or some sort of soft zip up item with compartments inside it.

Being able to grab this if needed and use it independently of your emergency kit is a good idea.

How to Use a First Aid Kit?

One part in first aid is having items you can use, the other part is being able to use them.

I highly recommend attending a first aid course. They will cover the basics you need to know. From CPR, to dealing with injuries. This knowledge could save yours or someone you knows life.

Basic first aid can be taught to a wide range of people and should be something that you and your immediate family discusses.