What do you use for your first aid kit

[vonfirmath]

We were at the park last night and my daughter started getting REALLY itchy -- and I realized I didn't have Benadryl on. She has a grass allergy but it very rarely triggers -- but really I need to carry a small first aid kit of the things we might need. Bandages that will not aggravate the adhesive allergy, Benadryl and Benadryl cream. Maybe some medicine for headaches.  Ear Plugs. What things do people carry? And what container do you put it in? Do you use a prepackaged kit or make your own? (I think we will likely need to make our own due to really needing bandages in there I can use with my daughter)

 

[ScoutTN]

I make my own. Large ziploc or generic red bag.

Benadryl and benadryl cream. Steroid cream and lidocaine.
Tylenol and ibuprofen.
Also anti-diarrhea and anti-gas meds.

Band aids of various sizes, neosporin, rolled and flat gauze. Antiseptic wipes. Instant ice. Tape and scissors.

Thermometer and tweezers.
Moleskin 
Qtips
Eye wash
Gloves and CPR mask/barrier
KN95 masks 
Emergency blankets

This in my car, along with other emergency supplies like flashlight, wet wipes, towel, trash bag, jumper cables, fire extinguisher, rain ponchos, etc.

I keep a much smaller one in my backpack.

Edited August 8, 2022 by ScoutTN

[HomeAgain]

We have our own kits we made.  We are in the outdoors a lot in the summer and our kits reflect that.  In each there are:

• Anti-itch wipes
• Tweezers
• Propel packets (for electrolytes)
• Motrin
• Bandaids of various sizes
• Masks
• Rubber gloves
• Finger....uh...well, we call them "finger c*nd*ms".  It's what they look like and are meant to protect a wound after dressing it
• Small FrogTog towel
• Iodine packets
• Iron tablets
• Cough medicine
• Benadryl

 

The basic kits are slim enough to go in an under bike seat bag.  We use reusable Ziploc-style things to put them together.

 

ETA: I forgot the Neosporin!  That, too.  We bought a box at BJ's and handed them out to everyone.

Our most common "injuries" to date have been helping other hikers with dehydration and heat exhaustion.  They don't realize sometimes how grueling a hike can be.

Edited August 8, 2022 by HomeAgain

[ScoutTN]

Ooh, the Propel packets are a good idea!

[itsheresomewhere]

I make my own. We have-

Bandaids ( all sizes and shapes)

Benadryl ( cream and liquid)

Baby wipes water based

Tweezers

Ace bandage and vet wrap

gauze

bacitracin

gloves

Tylenol/advil

Rolaids

masks

small towels 

scissors 

cpr mask

Ear plugs

markers

eye wash 

qtips

paper tape

instant ice packs

Emergency blankets

 

There is some more things in it but this works for most.I made one for the cars, house and camper.  It fits in a small container and easy to carry in a backpack. 

 

 

 

[prairiewindmomma]

https://www.amazon.com/PCS-Empty-First-Aid-Bag/dp/B077TW8F36/ref=sr_1_12?crid=1Y1XDNBMI7G3I&keywords=first+aid+bags&qid=1659997026&sprefix=first+aid+bags%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-12

We use these pouches for our backpacks and vehicles. We filled them with our own supplies. Ibuprofen, benadryl, loperamide, famotidine, bandages, tweezers, emergency scissors, tapes, etc. all fit into there really easily.  I keep a sam splint and wrap, an israeli style and another style compression bandage, and a CPR shield in my vehicle and hiking pack also, but those won't fit into my pouch. I hike enough in forests where idiots bring rifles that I pack more than the average suburban mother in my first aid kit, iykwim.

When we are home, I have a much larger kit.....most of it is in a tackle box, but I have overflow supplies like boxes of bandages, etc.  If you're changing a dressing twice a day, it's super easy to go through 40 bandages in the healing time for a basic wound.  I had to scramble a couple of months ago after a procedure to find enough non-stick pads, so I've started ordering the 100 packs off of amazon, iykwim.

[Ottakee]

I also carry steri strips while backpacking.   

[Laura Corin]

I bought a small commercial one that I keep in my hiking backpack. When the kids were small I just kept a few plasters/bandages in my shoulder bag.

[Faith-manor]

We have two. One is a Coast Guard first aid kit that we were given. Really nice. And the other is a hiking kit that I repacked so I could make room for Dh's epipen. I do keep bandaids, hydrocortisone cream, and triple antibiotic in our beach and kayaking bag.

[SKL]

I believe I still have a little old kit that I got from the Red Cross in my trunk.  We've only needed it a couple times for band-aids.

I have a covered compartment between my two front seats.  We've used it for pads, face masks, tummy pills, and a few other emergency supplies.  I think it would be a logical place to put first aid stuff.

[EKS]

18 hours ago, vonfirmath said:

What things do people carry?

I used to carry a band aid or two.  If I remembered.

Reason 452 why I was a bad mother!

[Loowit]

Each of our kids have their own person first aid kits.  They carry things like bandaids of various sizes, cleaning wipes, moleskin, tweezers, small scissors, bandages, tape, non-latex gloves, benadryl, and antibiotic ointment.  DD and middle keep theirs in a hard sided red first aid case.  Youngest keeps his in a large ziplock bag.  DH also has his own personal first aid kit he keeps in his backpack that has similar stuff to the kids, but I think his stuff he just has loose in a pouch of his daypack.  Youngest also has an epipen carrier that also holds his rescue inhaler.

We also keep a first aid kit in each of the vehicles.  We buy a standard car one from a store and then personalize it.  Such as, I have to buy benedryl and other medications that are dye free because youngest has a red dye allergy.  In the house we also keep a large family first aid kit in the downstairs closet that the boys put together when they were working on their first aid merit badge.  It is a medium size storage bin that is see through and has an bright orange lid.  I try to go through it every once in a while to make sure the medications (antibiotic ointment, burn cream, anti itch cream, etc) are up to date.  We also have a smaller box upstairs that just contains medications like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, Tums, etc. that we can keep locked.

[73349]

In my purse: ibuprofen, tissues, small bandaids, hand sanitizer, flashlight, EMT shears, gauze, triangular sling, Ace bandage, mini first aid booklet, trash bag. (Actually also a tourniquet; I'm trained to use it but hope there's never a reason. And nitrile gloves in case someone else needs my help applying gauze to a cut or something.)

At home: headlamp, tweezers, emergency water pouch, gauze, chewable aspirin, another copy of the first aid booklet... it's in a square bucket, so I'd have to pull it out to list everything.

[heartlikealion]

I could use some work in this area. I need to check the contents again for the one that stays in the car. I did restock band-aids this week for my house. The thing in the car was store bought and stays in a zipped cloth bag that it came in. It says “just in case” and had a flare gun and some first aid stuff. In a separate bag is my jumper cables. 

I think it’s most likely some alcohol wipes, gauze, band aids. 

For on the go maybe buy the Benadryl pills. I didn’t know about the cream. I’ll have to look into that. 

I’ve personally not had luck with it but the company recently told me to use this device more times and see if that helps. It’s called The Bug Bite Thing. The suction is supposed to remove the venom/itchy stuff from your body. I’m going to give it a second chance. So I guess I need to try it 3x back to back. 

[vonfirmath]

57 minutes ago, heartlikealion said:

I could use some work in this area. I need to check the contents again for the one that stays in the car. I did restock band-aids this week for my house. The thing in the car was store bought and stays in a zipped cloth bag that it came in. It says “just in case” and had a flare gun and some first aid stuff. In a separate bag is my jumper cables. 

I think it’s most likely some alcohol wipes, gauze, band aids. 

For on the go maybe buy the Benadryl pills. I didn’t know about the cream. I’ll have to look into that. 

I’ve personally not had luck with it but the company recently told me to use this device more times and see if that helps. It’s called The Bug Bite Thing. The suction is supposed to remove the venom/itchy stuff from your body. I’m going to give it a second chance. So I guess I need to try it 3x back to back. 

I've got one of those. It's relatively huge so rarely fits in a small kit :(

[heartlikealion]

39 minutes ago, vonfirmath said:

I've got one of those. It's relatively huge so rarely fits in a small kit 😞

If it works and your child has bad reactions maybe you could store in the glove compartment? Or move your first aid kit stuff to a flexible bag vs hard plastic or whatever it's currently in? Have you had much luck with the Bug bite thing? If I trusted it more, I would consider getting a second one for the car. 

[vonfirmath]

51 minutes ago, heartlikealion said:

If it works and your child has bad reactions maybe you could store in the glove compartment? Or move your first aid kit stuff to a flexible bag vs hard plastic or whatever it's currently in? Have you had much luck with the Bug bite thing? If I trusted it more, I would consider getting a second one for the car. 

I have not remembered to use it yet

 

[wathe]

I have different kits for different activities.

Goes everywhere with me in my purse kit: Epipen, Narcan, nitrile gloves, n95, bandaids, steristrips, tick key.  It all fits nicely in a small, soft pencil case.  Purpose is to be ready for both boo-boos and imminently life-threatening.

Car first aid kit: Add to the above Telfa nonstick dressings, tape, cling, tweezers, ABD pad, crazy glue, more steristrips, polysporin, simple cheapie triangular bandage/sling. 

Fancy first aid kit for long trips/car camping, which is more of a med kit/firstaid kit/gear fix-it kit: as above plus lots of meds (abx, analgesics, antiemetics, antacid, antidiarrheal, eye ointment, anesthetic eye drops, local anesthetic, antihistamine, more epipens, more narcan), more dressing supplies, suture set and stitch, saline for irrigation, skin glue, covid tests, needle and thread, wire, tent and thermarest patch kit, crazy glue, duct tape.

Things I don't carry: antiseptic wipes/wash - clean water/tap water is fine for cleaning wounds.  Crash scissors or bandage shears - they are heavy and I always have a very sharp pocket knife either on my person or in my vehicle.  Splints - generally  easy to improvise.  CPR barrier device - if I am doing CPR on a family member,  I don't need it; on an acquaintance I will be wearing an n95; and CPR on a random during a pandemic will be compression-only CPR (as per current local guidelines).   How well rescue breathing would work through an N95 I have no idea, but I will not be taking it off, and it protects me probably better than any valved device could.

Thinking of buying an AED for the house, and maybe toting it around in the car to select events where I know there isn't one (kids' soccer, car camping etc).

Edited August 15, 2022 by wathe

[alisoncooks]

I carry around an unused contact case. In one side, I keep Benadryl tablets, and in the other I keep Aleve. I rarely need more than that… Bandaids would probably be a handy thing, though. 

[Melissa in Australia]

Each car has a first aid kit in it. 

 In summer we  sometimes carry a roll of bandage for snake bites.