Refresh Your First Aid Kit for this Summer’s Adventures
Summer can be a very busy time. Some folks will retreat to cottages up north. Others will plan a long road trip by bike, camp under the stars or backpack across Europe. Kids will head off to horseback camp, hockey camp, coding camp and sleep-away camp, while some people may choose to just stay home and lounge by the pool. Whichever schedule you’re bound to this summer, you’re likely to endure a few bumps, bruises or messy scrapes. Are you prepared?
First Aid Essentials
Chances are, you can’t remember the last time you cleaned out the first aid kit. It’s a task often overlooked, but essential for a safe and happy summer. Take a few minutes this weekend and open it up. Throw away used, damaged and expired items and restock. There’s no right or wrong way to do it, the contents are up to you.
The checklist below is just a suggestion and should be modified according to your activity:
Band-aids (in a variety of different shapes & sizes)
Small, medium and large sterile gauze dressings
At least 2 sterile eye dressings
Triangular bandages
Crêpe rolled bandages
Safety pins
Disposable sterile gloves
Tweezers
Scissors
Alcohol-free cleansing wipes
Sticky tape
Thermometer (preferably digital)
Skin rash cream, such as hydro-cortisone or calendula*
Cream or spray to relieve insect bites and stings
*Antiseptic cream
*Painkillers such as Tylenol* or ibuprofen
*Antihistamine cream or tablets
*Distilled water for cleaning wounds
Eyewash and eye bath
If you’re going somewhere, where you won’t have access to the internet, it’s always useful to keep a basic first aid manual or instruction booklet with your kit.
*These products may not be suitable for a child or infant. Be sure to check the label and include a child-friendly alternative.
PRO TIP: Even if you’re only taking the bus to a baseball game, or having an outdoor book club meeting at a picnic table, having a few basic band aids and a flattened roll of toilet paper in a zip-lock bag will always come in handy. You may be accident-free, but it’s always nice to be able to come to someone else’s rescue with your minimalist first aid kit.