First-Aid Frenzy

We've all had that moment (or several)-- the one where we need a band-aid or hand-sanitizer and can't find it anywhere. Well now's the time to change that. First-aid kits are an essential item in everyday life and not just in disaster situations.  Burns, scrapes, bruises, sprains, etc. are common in life and it's helpful to be prepared before they happen.

It is important to keep a first-aid kit in your home and in each vehicle that you regularly use. The easier it is to find, the more likely you are to use it.  Remember to base the size of your kit on the potential number of people that may need it. In your home, its the number of household members and so on and so forth.

Remember to check and update your first-aid kits regularly (about every 3 months) and replace any items you have used up or have expired. 

Recommended and common items for a first-aid kit:

• Hand sanitizer
• Soap
• Antiseptic towelettes
• Non-latex gloves
• Ace bandages (variety of lengths)
• Instance cold packs
• Cotton balls
• Gauze pads
• Roller gauze
• Band-aids (variety of sizes)
• Adhesive tape
• Triangular bandage
• Sterile dressings
• Thermometer
• Antibiotic ointment
• Burn ointment
• Topical antihistamine
• Aspirin and non-aspirin pain reliever
• Laxative
• Antacid
• Anti-diarrhea medication
• Aloe Vera gel
• Calamine Lotion
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Bulb syringe
• Prescribed medications you take each day
• First-aid manual
• Plastic bags for disposal of contaminated materials
• Safety pins
• Sterile eyewash (saline solution)
• Flashlight and batteries
• Sunscreen
• CPR mask

School Emergency Kits for Kids

School has begun! Send your little ones off safely with their very own mini preparedness kits. Perfect for a backpack or a locker, they'll be able to take these supplies wherever they go.

Items to Include in Your Child’s Emergency Survival Pack
-Water
-Protein Snack or Granola bar (or both)
-Small flashlight
-Whistle 
-Cell phone (this may be an issue for some schools, but we would have our kids take a throw-a-way cell in their packs, just in case).
-Small first aid kit
-Emergency blanket
-Extra health-related items your child uses (of course we have to say for the attorneys….please be sure to follow your school’s rules for medication storage and uses……. )
-Hard candies for comfort
-Comfort item (small stuffed animal or toy to bring comfort in crisis

You can store supplies in a zip top bag, a small baby wipe box, a pencil box, or if you’re really good at packing small supplies, a large Altoid box!

Just make sure your younger children understand that this isn’t for play and that they aren’t to pull it out at snack time or recess, nor discuss with other kids that they have ‘toys’ in their packs. Please also follow the rules of your school about what can legally be brought onto campus.