A Good First-Aid Kit

Reader's Digest CanadaUpdated: Jan. 18, 2011

A first-aid kit should prepare you for almost any health emergency, from poison ivy to a blood-spurting cut.  Here’s what you need.  

The Council on Family Health, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization, recommends the items listed below. Be sure to keep them in a waterproof box in an easy-to-find location.

  • sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes    
  • butterfly bandages and narrow adhesive strips
  • sterile gauze pads, 5 and 10 centimeters                    
  • emergency phone numbers (doctor, pharmacist, and poison control)
  • cotton swabs  
  • a thermometer
  • anti-itch cream           
  • antiseptic ointment, spray, or towelettes
  • antibiotic ointment     
  • bottled water
  • face mask       
  • latex gloves
  • clean towel     
  • chemical ice packs
  • eyedrops         
  • a first-aid handbook
  • a roll of absorbent cotton       
  • hypoallergenic adhesive tape
  • at least three sterile roller bandages, 5 and 7 centimeters

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Originally Published: January 18, 2011