The third step to creating an emergency survival station for your home is to put together a well stocked First Aid Kit. If there is an emergency and the parametics are unable to get to you, you may need to know how to apply basic first aid or give needed medications. A well stocked first aid kit may be the difference between life and death.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS:
WEEK 3 – FIRST AID KIT
This week your goal is:
1. Choose a box for your First Aid Kit.
2. Gather your medications & supplies, then organize them into separate compartments, boxes, or baggies.
3. Make a list of what medications you have and the expiration date for each. (Include this sheet in your Emergency Binder).
4. Label each compartment. (See my example)
GETTING STARTED:
#1 – CHOOSE A BOX TO FIT YOUR NEEDS.
There are many types of “boxes” to choose from. I chose a tackle box simply for the many compartments it has. You can also use any type of plastic box with a lid and separate your medications with ziploc baggies or smaller boxes. My tackle box was about $45 from Walmart. I bought the largest one they had.
#2 – STOCK YOUR FIRST AID KIT WITH MEDICINE, BANDAGES, AND SUPPLIES.
As a Registered Nurse, I know the importance of stocking up on medications needed for those “surprise” emergencies! You never know when the day will come, so its best to be well prepared ahead of time. In the case of a natural disaster or weather emergency, you may be stranded in your home without the ability to get to the pharmacy or even call 911. So having everything in your First Aid Kit will assure that you are well prepared if you ever need to utilize it.
FIRST AID KIT CONTENTS
The following contents are my professional medical opinion on what to store in your First Aid Kit. You can add or take away to suit your families needs.
- Large tackle box
- First aid book, medication list with expiration dates printable (Included in E-Book)
- Bandaids (assorted sizes), medical tape, 4×4 pads, splints, cotton swabs, q tips, gauze, ace wrap, dental floss, sling
- Non Latex Gloves, Hand Sanitizer, N 95 Face Mask, Gown
- Neosporin, Wound Spray, Alcohol, Hydrogen Peroxide, Betadine Swabs, Scissors, Tweezers, Steri Strips, Tournakit
- Acetamenophen, Ibuprofen (adults & children), Aspirin
- 1 month supply of daily vitamins & prescribed medications
- Cough syrup, Cough Drops, Menthol Inhaler Stick, Sinus Meds
- Bee sting kit, Benadryl (adult & childrens), Anti itch cream, Insect repellent
- Anti diarheal, Anti Gas, Stool Softener, Laxatives
- Glucose Tablets (For low blood sugar)
- Digital BP cuff, Stethoscope, Thermometer
You do not need a sphygmomanometer. A digital BP cuff will work just as well.
Glucose tabs are great to have in case you or a loved one gets low blood surgar. They are only 99 cents at walmart. Also, a CPR mask is a nice thing to have. I keep mine in the top of the kit for easy access.
Bowels & Belly medications
Allergy & Bites
First aid supplies (bandaids, gauze, tape, ointment, gloves)
Wound management (iodine, butterfly closures, gauze wraps)
Fever & Pain Medications
Keep gloves at the top of the kit.
Reference manuals are great for the kit. You may not have electricity to look something up online.
#3 – CREATE A LIST OF YOUR MEDICATIONS & EXPIRATION DATES
Once you create your list of medications & their expiration dates, add the list to your emergency binder.
#4 – LABEL EACH COMPARTMENT
MONEY SAVING TIPS:
When purchasing medications for your First Aid Kit, select generic meds when available. You may not have the extra funds to go out and purchase everything at once. If that is the case, can make your list and purchase a couple of things each week when grocery shopping. You can also purchase travel size bottles & replace as needed. Also, go out into the garage and look for an old tackle box. Clean it out with chlorox wipes and its as good as new! Finally, if you don’t have the money to purchase a first aid book, go online and look for free printables including how to treat shock, a heart attack, a stroke, CPR, and hemorrhage.
“EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS” E-BOOK
GRAB A BUTTON IF YOU ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE CHALLENGE
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WEEK #3 SPONSOR
ANGIE JESSE FROM RIGHT RESPONSE FUNDRAISING
Please welcome our week 3 ”Emergency Preparedness” series sponsor, Angie Jesse, from RightResponse Fundraising. Visit Right Response (http://www.rightresponseiowa.com/) to find out more about WONDERFUL fundraising opportunities for your organization. Would you like to help others in the community get prepared as well, Host a First Aid Kit fundraiser! Email Angie if you are interested in learning more - Angie.Jesse@myrightresponse.com.
Is this first aid kit the one you use in your home on regular basis or is this specifically for emergency purposes only?
WOW I love your tackle box. Would you please tell me which brand of N95 face masks you purchased? Thank you.
Hello,
I have purchased Ebook from you and I love it. Thank you for putting it together!
I have a question regarding CPR mask. Where is the best place to buy it. I found it on Amazon but it comes in the pack of 10. I do not think that I will be needing 10 of them. Please advise.
Thank you!
Thank you for this! We have been thinking about making a much larger first aid kit. It seems like all the ones that we buy at the store mainly contain band-aids and bacitracin. I feel like if we did have a need for it, we might want something besides that
How often do you change out the meds? Do you go by expiration date, or do you wait longer (which I have heard a lot of people do because of cost).
Wow! I am not an RN, just an average mom and I have never seen a list as good as this. Thank you! Most helpful is the reference manuals tip. I never thought of that! Again, thank you!
This is great advice! Fishing tackle boxes seem made for a basic first aid kit.
As a “former-EMT-turned-photographer,” this is the ULTIMATE First Aid Kit! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experience and turning it into priceless information.
After working in EMS for over 18 years, it’s almost a curse knowing how bad the injuries could be to my children, my husband or myself living here in the “Earthquake Country” of So Cal. I will certainly be modifying my kit to look just like this one (and maybe add a suture kit or two as well).
This would make a great wedding gift for a young couple!
Very thorough list but what about the potential of bugging out? Would you be able to carry this if you got away on foot?
I love that you “manuals” are the same ones I used in nursing school and in the beginning of my nursing career! We nurses do tend to have more extensive kits than others.
Thank you!
I’m very motivated to get this on my “done” list, but I’m curious about the one month supply of meds. My husband is diabetic and I can’t imagine his doctor or our insurance company facilitating an extra months supply for the kit. Any suggestions on how to make this happen or an alternate plan?
Carrie, If you ask your Doctor, he may give you an extra one month prescription so you have a back up. I dont know about the insurance but Im on a daily med and my md gave me an extra prescription and the insurance paid.
Most insurances will allow you to refill your medications between 5 and 7 days before your actual due date (when you are really out of pills from your last fill). Try refilling your meds a week early each month until you have the opportunity to be a month ahead. I did this with my BCP until I always had an extra pack in case I lost one.
I know what I will be doing this week..revamping our first aid kit! Can you please tell me where you found the tackle box! Great idea!!
I bought the same one at WalMart. Checking online, they had the best price on it.
What a great kit. The tackle box is a classic idea. I used a tackle box years ago and it’s still in great shape. This box is much better than some boxes because you can sort the items by category. Your example makes me want to run out and re do my kit.
As an ex-paramedic for over 10 years, this is THE best website i’ve come across as I start my “prepping” steps. We survived the massive tornado that ripped through our tiny Tennessee town last April. The mile wide path of destruction from Ringgold, Ga to Cleveland, TN (Apison is located between the 2 cities) completely isolated us from any help or resources for almost 2 weeks. Every major road and back road was blocked due to destruction, cleanup..and body searches. We were so unprepared. It’s a helpless feeling to have the “knowledge” of what to do, but don’t have the physical resources and supplies to do anything. Never again. I am disabled, and take care of my elderly parents. I am also raising my 7 year old severely austistic and disabled grandchild. If disaster ever strikes again, I plan to be ready. God bless you for what you are doing. I got alot of new ideas and suggestions!
I love, love, love this post. I completed my “kit” this week. I added a couple of things to mine that I thought might be helpful to others.
*** Don’t forget to include a copy of Children’s dosage amounts which are based on weight & age. I made a spreadsheet with the dosages for Children’s Tylenol, Motrin, Benadryl, etc. I laminated it and attached it to the inside of the appropriate plastic container.
*** Label or keep separately adult and children’s medications. I purchased the generic brand medicines for some items and I noticed that the adult and child versions looked very similar. Under stressful conditions, it might be easy to grab the wrong one. I used my label maker to make a label for each bottle to say “adult” or “child”.
*** I added a magnifying glass to my kit. Handy for splinters and who knows what. Mine is lighted as well which I love and recommend.
*** Pen Light can come in handy.
I would add a formulary for dog and cat med dosages as well if you have pets. I would also include a tourniquet or two, suture packs, and teramycin eye ointment (you can get it at tractor supply). An epy pen would be a good idea too, child and adult sizes (more than one if there are known allergies in the family). I don’t remember if tweezers were on there or not, and a lighter for sterilizing.
Just went to Wal-Mart and bought this tackle box! Now that I see it in person its perfect for a first aid kit. All the separate boxes with movable dividers so you can make each one work how you want it is wonderful! I also found lots of items at Dollar Tree to fill it up! They had the alcohol prep pads 50 ct for $1 and all the bandages, tape, gauze, ointments, wipes and gloves. Thanks for this idea!
Where do you store the BP cuff and Stethoscope? Thank you for this informative series….it is helping so many of us get prepared
In the top of the tackle box.
I added eyewash/saline to my list for my kit. Eye emergencies almost always need an eye rinse.
P.S. I’m putting the expiration dates of medications in my calendar. (When I first looked at my pathetic kit, I found all the medications in it were 10+ years past expiration. EGAHDS!)
Going out at lunch time to get the tackle box and some first aid items…thanks peeps for adding items such as a lighter, pen light, eye saline, magnifying glass, etc…and especially separating the adult meds from the children.
As a fair-skinned person, something else that would be great to add would be sun-burn relief spray. As a paramedic I would also recommend a first-aid burn cream.
Hi, just found your Emergency Preparedness series via Pinterest and am so thankful! I wanted to let you know I found the tackle box on Amazon if you want to add to your store http://www.amazon.com/Plano-Molding-Company-728-000-Angled/dp/B006PKXVAA/ref=lh_ni_t?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Thank you Kate!!
This doesn’t appear to be the same box – or at least, doesn’t appear to have the same storage boxes inside it.
Toni – do you have the Plano number? There’s another one on Amazon that looks like it has the boxes that slide into the sides (which this one does not) but only includes 2 boxes in the main compartment.
I’d love to know the exact model number – I plan to make one of these for my husband to take along camping.
Love this! We had something similar, but I just had to add to it to make it this grand! As we use things from it I will re-stock and update my expiration sheet! I found this tackle box, but it doesn’t have bins for the sides. Were yours bought separately? If so, do you remember the size that fit best in there?
This exact tackle box is on clearance at Walmart.com for $27.95. If you use ship to store and pick up there, you’ll pay no shipping.
I’m finding that getting everything I think we need into one kit is impossible. I previously used a large red plastic tool box with lift out lid but like your tackle box idea better. Now I’m using it for basic everyday first aid but adding a number of additional items including a dental kit with clove oil, dental wax, instruments and temporary filler. Having backup meds and vitamins for the whole family can take up a lot of space so I have a small duffle bag for those. I also have a clear tote with a handle on top for cold and flu stuff (if any of you want that list just give a shout). Lastly, but very importantly, I’ve ordered this kit for trauma: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003H2EODW/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_8?ie=UTF8&psc=1 There will be some redundancies so I’ll shift items from one kit to another and also add: Israeli bandage, wound seal, military style tournaquet, save a tooth kit, ammonia inhalant, mylar blanket, etc. You can also add any left over pain medication from previous injuries (if in date). Keep all the kits together for “grab and go”.
One more thing to think about: Ipecac and activated charcoal for accidental poisonings. Activated charcoal is useful in the case of “bad” food. Here’s to being organized and prepared.
Hey, great post. Love the e-book. Just wondering what you would use the iodine swabs for? Trying to decide if they are necessary.
Hi Liz, iodine is a broad-range antimicrobial that kills bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoa and yeast. So it protects the skin against microbes until the solution is washed from the skin.