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Most people have some kind of first aid kit in their home but in an emergency situation it is important to have a well stocked medical kit with supplies for most common injuries. Instead of buying one of those pre made kits that are more expensive and of lower quality I prefer to put my kit together myself. These are the items I have in my kit right now.
Band aids are the most common item in a first aid kit. It is important to have a variety of sizes and that the brand is high quality. This set of 300 assorted band aids by Curad are both high quality and the most amount for the least amount of money I have seen.
Antibiotic cream is a must have to prevent wounds from becoming infected. Choose a brand that is triple antibiotic as it protects against the largest range of bacteria. This set of 4 1.oz tubes by Globe has the same active ingredients as Neosporin but for a lower price.
Not all wounds can be covered by a band aid so it is important to have sterile gauze pads. This pack of 100, 3x3 sterile gauze pads by Medpride are perfect, and much less expensive than the other brands I have seen.
Cloth medical tape is an absolute necessity in a good first aid kit for securing bandages and other uses. Personally I do not use paper tape as I find it does not adhere as well and tends to be not as durable. M3 is a trusted company and this 2 pack of 10 yard 1" cloth medical tape is less expensive than other brands.
Self adhesive "ace" bandages have a lot of different uses from stabilizing a sprain to securing bandages and other medical items. This pack of 12 2 inch by 5 foot self adhesive bandages are my favorite and they come in fun colors too! Again because cost is always a factor for me these are the best deal for the quality that I have found. I use these for everything!
Because you do not always want any pressure when securing a bandage, you should always have some rolls of gauze on hand. It can easily be secured by cloth medical tape or a metal fastener. I love Swiss Safe products as they are good quality for a low price. I have many of their products in my kits.
Butterfly closures help hold a larger wound together if it doesn't need sutures. They can also be used in an emergency until you can get somewhere for a medical professional to look at the wound. This is the same brand I have and contains 100 sterile closures.
Superglue! Yes, superglue! Most people are unaware that it was invented during WWII as a way to close a wound in an emergency. It is also extremely useful for many repairs and I keep a bottle in my kit at all times. This generic brand preforms the same as the name brand at a fraction of the cost.
Iodine has many uses. It is what surgeons use to disinfect the skin before surgery but many do not know that it can be used for safe water purification as well. It is seen less often in kits but I would not be without it. If using to disinfect water use 5-10 drops from an eye dropper per liter of water. This is the same brand I use and is available from multiple sellers for $8.72
Rubbing alcohol can be used as a hand sanitizer and surface disinfectant as well as for shallow wounds. It DOES sting like crazy but is one of the best disinfectants to have around as it is known to kill coronavirus aka Covid-19. It is getting harder and harder to find but if you are able to get some at a reasonable price I recommend you do so.
While you should not hoard masks and gloves due to the severe shortage, I recommend a box of each for emergency use. Ammex is the brand I use in a size small. This is a box of large gloves and is still relatively affordable. They are nitrile and do not contain latex.
These are the common over the counter medications that I have in my kit, as well as use regularly. Ibuprofen, aka Advil, is a pain reliever, anti-inflammatory and fever medication. Acetaminophen, aka Tylenol, is a pain reliever and fever medication. It can be used with ibuprofen as well as alternated with it. Benadryl is an allergy medication and can also be used as a safe, over the counter sleep aid.
A thermometer is a necessity in a first aid kit, especially for the coronavirus aka covid-19 pandemic. While many people have a digital thermometer I am partial to the old fashioned kind. In an emergency you can't afford to have the battery run out on you. Please use thermometer covers and wash the thermometer between uses to help prevent infection between family members. This thermometer is for oral and armpit temperature and was the least expensive I could find. It has free shipping but takes a bit longer to arrive.
Chucks pads have many uses. I prefer to use one to lay out all the supplies I will be using to clean and treat a wound as an extra sanitary measure. They are absorbent and can be used for both urine and blood.
Saline can be used to flush out wounds that have foreign material in them such as dirt and gravel. It is relatively painless and it is vital to make sure that all debris is out of a wound before bandaging. This is a bottle of 1000ml, sterile .9% sodium chloride "saline" solution.
Bio Cool with 4% lidocaine is the burn cream I use. It has the highest % of lidocaine for pain relief you can get. I have also found in useful for numbing the skin before piercings and nerve pain. Do not put burn cream on burns where the skin is open. This is suitable for sunburns, scalds, and closed blisters.
Having access to a flashlight at all times is absolutely nessacary for emergencies. Rather than buying a bunch of batteries for a battery powered flashlight I have an emergency hand crank flashlight as well as a combination light, radio, cellphone charger. I consider these to be must have items in my kit. These are the exact models that I have, one of them being by Swiss Safe again.
I will now get into the items that require training, that I have in my kit. Please do not purchase or use supplies that you have not been trained to use. I used to be a nursing assistant and held extra certifications. I know how to take vitals and treat sever wounds and have taken emergency child birth classes. If you are interested in enhancing your emergency medical skills your local fire department should be able to direct you to classes you can take.
This is the blood pressure cuff with a separate stethoscope that I use. It is very well priced and has been very accurate in it's readings. This is the perfect kit for someone just learning and for those seeking an inexpensive kit for home use. I prefer having the cuff separate from the scope because it allows me to do more with it. The stethoscope is not top of the line but allows you to hear both the lungs and the heart clearly. Given that coronavirus, aka covid-19 is a respiratory virus I consider it a must have for those trained to use it.
An oxygen, or O2 monitor is an important device to have in an advanced kit. In the coronavirus pandemic it may be even more so as it will be important to make sure the individual is receiving enough oxygen. This finger monitor tracks O2 and pulse, is small, and inexpensive.
If you have been trained to use sutures but are out of practice, This kit comes with the sutures w/needles, clamps and other tools, as well as a wound pad to practice on. DO NOT attempt to give someone stitches if you have not been trained to do so!
"Israeli" pressure bandages are an important addition to an advanced medical kit. This 4 inch bandage is highly rated with a low price. I do not own this exact brand but it was the best cost for quality I could find.
Just because there is an emergency, it does not mean that the rest of the world stops. Children seem to like to be born at the most inconvenient times. This emergency childbirth kit has everything you need to assist in an emergency birth. It includes umbilical cord clamps, scalpel, sterile sponges, gloves, under pad, bulb syringe, receiving blanket, bag for the placenta, and other items.
I hope you have found this list useful for going over your first aid/emergency medical supplies. Nothing in this article is intended to be medical advice. If you have a medical emergency please contact emergency services right away. Thanks for reading and stay safe people.
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