What's in your first aid kit?

[briggsy's girl]

We have a decent stash of medical supplies at home - even moreso now that DH has been through all this stuff with open wounds and dressings changes and stuff - so i thought i'd go and grab the car first aid kit and make sure it was all up to date - aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand found out that it's no longer in the car!! thinking back, i'm pretty sure we moved it to the other car for an outing, other car has been sold (and, sadly, written off) since then - so i have to start a whole new first aid kit for the car!!

so, i can google and get ideas - but i thought i'd put it out to BB land and find out what YOU find are the essentials in your first aid kit - especially one in the car

[Trillian]

I brought a $20 first aid kit for the car and then added things to it. I have a thing for removing stings, some extra slings, strapping tape, hand sanitizer, waterproof dressing, extra gloves, decent scissors, steri strips, assorted wound dressings and snap lock bags. I don't have a lot in it, but it would be enough to get me out of trouble. I carry the extra slings and strapping tape because you never know when you will need it - I do a lot of travelling through winter with our football and netball club and I usually have to get the first aid kid out at least twice during the season.

[~clover~]

DD1 fell hard at netball on the weekend. They pulled out an instant ice pack. You sqeeze it to break up whatever is inside & it goes cold. Sadly for DD this one didn't work, but I thought they were a great idea.
I also always have a stop itch cream added to mine as well, because of DD's bee allergy.

[briggsy's girl]

we have a couple of the instant cool packs here (very small ones) that we got free with DD's ear thermometer - they are the ones that go on the forehead when kidlet is feverish - had thought about an instant cold pack or three (i am prone to ankle injuries as well as my dud wrist) - was also thinking of getting an instant heat pack to go in the first aid kit (will cost me a small fortune cos i want a new one for all the time use lol)

have been looking online for ideas, and a lot of places have the stop itch stuff in a wipe (kinda like take away wet wipes) - was thinking of grabbing some of those too - just need to find a site where things are cheap enough to warrant it!

some stuff is totally irrelevant in the first aid kits you buy commercially - and some are very exxy - so was thinking of making my own up. only thinking though - it has to work out viable! lol

[FabFiona]

Note to self - get a first aid kit. Then read this thread.

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

I need to get one for the car especially with the girls riding motorbikes more and getitng involved in gymnastics and the like.

Antiseptic ointment, tweezers, good scissors, bandages & slings, the instant ice packs and things would be great.
Eye patch, cotton balls/buds - gauze patches.

My stepmum has THE BEST first aid kit.. i really should ask her whats in it.

Sometimes a small torch is good for seeing into cuts etc aswell.

[*LittleMissSummer*]

Note to self - get a first aid kit. Then read this thread.

Me too..

I'm so naughty, poor DD has had a few accidents and i haven't had anything to clean her up

[Mother Goose]

I have a combination of heavy and light. Unless you're attending lots sporting type things or have lots of sprains etc, you will be fine with normal crepe bandages.

Size wise, the small ones I have 1, the average size ones (I think they might be 10cm?) I have 2, and I have 2 of the big ones. Remember, it's a FIRST aid kit, you're just patching up until you can get more assistance.

My kits have a little more in them because of what I do and my training. I've actually contemplated adding more specialized equipment but can't justify it at the minute. When I get around to getting my CAMS licence, I will get some extra's.

[briggsy's girl]

i have dodgy ankles and wrist (surgery on one ankle and wrist, the other ankle is very prone to injury). not a lot of sport stuff, but definitely the potential for injuries with my clumsy self!

i guess i'm looking at it as first aid/general home/car medical needs - i'm not afraid of taking care of injuries that happen that don't necessarily need medical treatment, just want to make sure i've got the bits that i need kwim?

[Mother Goose]

i'd honestly just get a couple of the two main sizes and a couple of smaller ones (for DD or fingers). If you need a heavy bandage get one of the Elastoplast sport ones (they last FOOOOOREEEEEEEVER!) and provide good support. Don't forget gauze.

One thing I wished for not long ago was telfa. DD sliced her thumb and I didn't have anything non-stick to put on it under the bandage... and my 3 local pharmacies had nothing either...

[briggsy's girl]

.

One thing I wished for not long ago was telfa. DD sliced her thumb and I didn't have anything non-stick to put on it under the bandage... and my 3 local pharmacies had nothing either...

we have quite a stash of melolin - is that similar? it has a non-stick surface
also have things like bactigras/jelonet and adaptic from treating DH's wounds
gauze, combine pads etc
dressings trays
saline

have grabbed one of those silver blankets for each car
we always have towels and blankets in the car as well

[HotI]

a few more random type things for car first aid kit:

if you would be comfortable to give cpr to a stranger, adding a cpr mask to your car kit could be useful. (ETA: snap Frangipani. i was too slow to reply)

maybe putting $20 in there too in case of emergency.

some jelly beans or snakes

panadol (if kids can't open/access the kit)

[briggsy's girl]

i always have pain killers in my bag for adults - i'd be wary of keeping kids stuff in there in case of it over heating on a hot day) - i also always have lollies of some sort (usually barley sugar) both in the car and in my bag

funny you mentioned the cpr mask - they had them on the site i was buying from had them in a little plastic case, so i grabbed one for each of the cars. didn't worry about home - i figure if someone is here they're either family or someone i've invited into the house so i'll suffer the contact factor! i know the local chemist has them so i might get one for the house anyway - i guess it's not such an issues to have it in a plastic case if we're at home...

[Shanti]

Don't know, haven't looked!! Lol! But it's a trafalgar first aid expensive one cost about $60 so we figure it's got enough stuff should we ever need it.

[DANNIIM]

I used to restock first aid kits and the most used items are the antiseptic swabs don't bother with tubes it can get unhygienic and also make sure there are some alcohol swabs in there. I also like to have good quality band aids and dressings too.

[Ms_Fi]

There was a stabbing at our local shops a few weeks back and I was the only person who had a 1st aid kit and any kind of idea what to do

For me the most important things were gloves (I keep extra in the glove box of the car), clean towels, a good thick non fluffy blanket and a torch. It took almost 20 mins for the police to arrive and another 10 for the ambulance so being able to safely try and staunch the blood flow and keep him warm was really important. My general 1st aid kit wouldn't have been any use to me except for the gloves.

[Frangipani Lou]

I like to keep a resuscitation type mask in there too or a mini one if available to do resuscitation.