5 Tips For First Aid Storage

A first aid kit is a significant first step in handling injuries and minor accidents with the urgency they deserve. But unless you pack the right supplies in your kit and organize and store it appropriately, you may be caught off-guard when emergencies arise.

To help you avoid this, here are five essential tips to help you equip and organize your first aid storage kit in the best possible way:

Store Your Kit Properly

Your emergency supplies should be within reach so that you can jump right into action in case of an incident. An ideal location is a central place that is easy to access, such as a hallway or kitchen cabinet. However, it should be out of the reach of children and pets, possibly in a locked cabinet or elevated shelf. Make sure every household member knows this location and return the kit to the same exact spot after every use.

Include a First Aid Guide

An indispensable part of your kit is a first aid guide or manual. This resource offers instructions on appropriate actions to take in various emergencies. Before an emergency occurs, have everyone in the household study it in preparation for potential crises. Though you may not have time to go through it during an emergency, this preparation will give you the confidence to handle matters better.

Choose the Right Kit

The content of emergency kits varies significantly based on the circumstances under which you plan to use them. With this in mind, select the suitable kit for the appropriate purpose. Every general first aid kit should include basic supplies for injury treatment, medicine for common ailments, bandages, antiseptics, and medical tools like tweezers and a thermometer.

However, when packing for specific situations, the range of products will extend to cover other possibilities. For instance, when packing a kit for travel, it is essential to include items like rehydration sachets or emergency treatment for insect bites. These items would not be necessary for a sports or home kit.

To determine the supplies you need, consider whether you are packing for a low- or high-risk environment and the potential dangers. Alternatively, you could use a pre-packed first aid kit suitable to your needs.

Organize Supplies in Labeled Sections

In a medical emergency, a first aid kit would be useless if it is not well organized and the items are labeled correctly. Storing your supplies without forethought will result in a lot of time wastage during an emergency, which you should spend attending to injuries.

With this in mind, consider organizing the supplies in labeled plastic containers, tote bags, or a divided stacking container. The idea here is to have everything stored neatly in different segments of the main kit to make the items easy to locate.

Schedule Routine Maintenance

During an emergency, some supplies will get used up and need replenishment. Others have an expiration date and thus need to be replaced occasionally. If you leave this to chance, you might realize too late that your supplies have run out or expired.

To avoid such situations, plan for regular checks into your kit to replace supplies before expiry and replenish those that are used up. Make it a point to conduct this exercise regularly and after every emergency.

Preparing for the Unexpected

Having a first aid kit on hand for potential accidents and injuries is an essential first step to handling emergencies. But taking appropriate measures to store supplies properly is equally important to ensure your kit proves practical in handling unexpected incidents.