What to Put in Your Household 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:

• Adhesive tape
  
  
• Anesthetic spray (Bactine) or lotion (Calamine, Campho-Phenique) - For itching rashes and insect bites
  
  
• 4" x 4" sterile gauze pads - For covering and cleaning wounds, as a soft eye patch
  
  
• 2", 3", and 4" Ace bandages - For wrapping sprained or strained joints, for wrapping gauze on to wounds, for wrapping on splints
  
  
• Adhesive bandages (all sizes)
  
  
• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) - Oral antihistamine for allergic reactions, itching rashes. Avoid topical antihistamine creams because they may worsen the rash in some people.
  
  
• Exam gloves - For infection protection, and can be made into ice packs if filled with water and frozen
  
  
• Polysporin antibiotic cream - To apply to simple wounds
  
  
• Nonadhesive pads (Telfa) - For covering wounds and burns
  
  
• Pocket mask for CPR
  
  
• Resealable oven bag - As a container for contaminated articles, can become an ice pack
  
  
• Safety pins (large and small) - For splinter removal and for securing triangular bandage sling
  
  
• Scissors
  
  
• Triangular bandage - As a sling, towel, tourniquet
  
  
• Tweezers - For splinter or stinger or tick removal