First aid kits don’t always get the respect they deserve. Do you know where yours is? Do you have one at home, in the office, or on you while you enjoy nature?
You never know when something is going to happen. The last thing you want is to be stranded without a first aid kit. We’re going to talk about a few of the essential first aid kit supplies to have on you so that you’re prepared when issues occur.
Hopefully, the ideas below will leave you more prepared to address a wide range of situations. Let’s get started.
-
Antibiotic Ointment
If you’re in a difficult situation and you have a significant cut, the last thing you need is for it to get infected. Infections are what lead to more severe health issues, especially when you’re away from medical attention for a significant period of time.
Antibiotic ointment is a great thing to have on hand at all times. It protects the cut from bacteria that could cause infection. If you don’t have it, a relatively harmless cut could develop into something that affects entire limbs, your mind, and even your heart.
-
Bandages/Dressings
Bandages and dressings are the things that prevent excess bleeding. Without a bandage, an unexpected wound could leave you with excessive blood loss. That might cause you to faint, attain further injuries, or worse.
The bandage is the cloth adhesive you place on the wound itself. This absorbs the blood and contains the wound so that bacteria can’t enter. The dressing is the fabric that you wrap around the bandage so that it holds tight.
The tighter you wrap your bandage, the sooner the blood will clot and prevent excess bleeding. Once that happens, the wound starts to heal itself, depending on how wide the gash is.
If it’s a very wide cut or open wound, a tight bandage is the only thing holding it together while you seek medical attention.
-
Needlenose Tweezers
You might not think of needlenose tweezers as essential first aid kit items, but look at any of the portable first aid kits you’ve ever had, and you’ll see a set.
Tweezers remove small items from the skin. Things like splinters or deeply-lodged ticks are a couple of the more innocent things you might have to remove. They’re essential when you get bit by a snack and have to remove rattlesnake fangs from your leg, though.
Examples like that aren’t ones we tend to think about, but they’re realities. Someone hiking through a national park is vulnerable to any number of animal bites or splinters that could lead to infections.
Want to Learn More About First Aid Kit Supplies?
Hopefully, our look at first aid kit supplies was useful to you. There’s more to learn, though, and we’re here to help you with more ideas. The more you know about staying safe, the better you can manage when issues arise.
Explore our site for more ideas on first aid, making a first aid kit tips, and much more.
