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Tag: kit

First Aid Kits: Stay Up To Date

SELF-CARE CORNER

A first aid kit is an essential self-care item that should always be handy. A well-stocked kit prepares you for any situation or emergency that may arise.

If you don’t have a first aid kit, you can purchase ready-made kits at most pharmacies. Ideally, you should have a kit for your home as well as your vehicle, so you’re covered anywhere you go.

First aid kits should be updated every six months to keep supplies stocked and replace expired items. Now is a good time to go through your kits to ensure they are up to date and stocked with everything you need.

What should be in your kit?

* 2 absorbent compress dressings (5 x 9 inches)

* 25 adhesive bandages (assorted sizes)

* 1 adhesive cloth tape (10 yards x 1 inch)

* 5 antibiotic ointment packets

* 5 antiseptic wipe packets

* 2 packets of aspirin (81 mg each)

* 1 emergency blanket

* 1 breathing barrier (with one-way valve)

* 1 instant cold compress

* 2 pairs of nonlatex gloves (size: large)

* 2 hydrocortisone ointment packets

* 1 3-inch gauze roll (roller) bandage

* 1 roller bandage (4 inches wide)

* 5 3 x 3-inch sterile gauze pads

* 5 sterile gauze pads (4 x 4 inches)

* A thermometer (non-mercury/non-glass)

* 2 triangular bandages

* Tweezers

* A first aid guide or reference book

Personalize your kit

Depending on the needs of yourself and your family, you should add special items unique to your situation. For example:

* If someone in your family has diabetes, include glucose tabs/gels, quick glucose snacks, and a glucagon injection kit.

* If someone in your family has a severe allergy, include an epi-pen and some antihistamine medication.

* Include a list of medications that each family member takes, as well as contact information for their doctors.

* Include your address in a prominent place in your first aid kit. This will allow the person who is helping you in an emergency to give this information to first responders.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Make A Cold Care Kit

SELF-CARE CORNER

Like a first aid kit, a cold care kit contains all the essentials for managing a cold. Whether a run-of-the-mill cold virus, the flu, or COVID-19, the items in your kit make managing symptoms easier.

Medicine

Depending on the severity of your symptoms, some medications can bring much-needed relief. Always follow the dosing guidelines and talk to your doctor to make sure these over-the-counter medications are right for you:

* Pain relievers/fever-reducers such as Tylenol and Ibuprofen

* Decongestants

* Cough medicine, both those for dry cough (suppressant) and a cough with mucus (expectorant)

* Cough and throat drops

* Nasal and throat sprays

Sanitizing

Preventing the spread of a virus protects everyone around you. While most cold and flu viruses are not dangerous to healthy adults, the elderly, those with preexisting health conditions, and young children may be at higher risk of complications. At the first sign of a virus, up your sanitizing practices with these items:

* Hand sanitizer

* Sanitizing wipes

* Disinfectant spray

* Masks

* Disposable gloves

Tools

Your body will naturally need more support as your immune system works to neutralize the virus. Your kit should include items to aid in reducing discomfort and monitoring your symptoms. While unlikely to be serious, have tools on hand to evaluate how your body manages the virus:

* Thermometer

* Pulse oximeter

* Humidifier to moisten the air

* Tissues with lotion or aloe

* Electrolyte drinks

Comfort

Your cold care kit should include some items to make you feel more comfortable until your symptoms pass. Everyone has their own tricks to soothe pesky symptoms. Make sure your kit contains those items you naturally wish for whenever a cold strikes. Here are some ideas:

* Bath salts

* Heating pad

* Essential oils

* Soup or broth

* Tea bags (include decaffeinated options)

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Keep A Survival Kit In Your Car

Personal Safety

No car should be without a survival kit of items that you might need in the event you’re in an accident, run out of gas, have a breakdown, or get stuck. Items to include:

* First-aid kit.

* Flares.

* White cloth, for distress signal.

* Flashlight with spare batteries.

* Snow shovel.

* Knife or other basic tools.

* Empty gas can, for purchasing gas.

* Small fire extinguisher.

* Paper and pencil.

* Blanket.

* Change, for phone calls and tolls.

* Food and water, for long trips through unpopulated areas. Whistle.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
National Preparedness

WELL-BEING

Floods, tornadoes and hurricanes are common stories in the news. Would you and your family be ready for these weather disasters and other unexpected events, such as a house fire or a terrorist attack?

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the US Department of Homeland Security wants you to learn what you need to do to be prepared for a variety of disasters. Its website,www.ready.gov, takes you through the following steps to make preparation easier:

* Be informed

* Make a plan

* Build a kit

* Get involved

Each of these areas covers what to do when you are at home, as well as other locations. These include workplaces, schools, and college campuses. You will also find out ways to address caring for pets, aiding family members with access and functional needs and safely shutting off utilities.

Pre-financial disaster planning is also important. Disasters leave many people without access to finances or with expensive damages. Learn what documents, such as your house deed and insurance policies to keep in a safety deposit box or other safe place away from your home. Make copies of important documents and keep them in your emergency kit or an emergency financial first aid kit (EFFAK). Get a complete list of what to put in the EFFAK fromwww.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/29791.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has many resources and tools to help you be prepared for disasters. Access these fromwww.cdc.gov/features/beready.

Some disasters strike without warning, so get started today to be prepared.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Pack A Travel First Aid Kit

WELL-BEING

Traveling? Make a little room in your luggage for a travel first aid kit. It won’t cost much or take up much space. Once you reach your destination, you won’t need to reach any further than your suitcase to relieve those minor aches and pains that can put a major damper on your plans.

A basic travel first aid kit should include a handful of over-the-counter remedies you can buy just about anywhere, said Caroline Sullivan, DNP, assistant professor at Columbia University School of Nursing.

Here’s what should go in the kit:

* Tylenol or Advil to ease a headache or fever

* Cortisone 10 cream to soothe an itchy, swollen insect bite

* Antibiotic ointment like Neosporin or Bacitracin to prevent infection from minor cuts, scrapes, and burns

* Band-Aids to cover up blisters, or for those minor cuts and scrapes

* Pepto-Bismol tablets to relieve diarrhea, upset stomach, heartburn, indigestion, and nausea after too much food and drink. Note: This is for adults only. Pepto-Bismol has salicylates which have been linked to Reye’s syndrome.

* Benadryl to relieve allergies, and also to help you sleep

* Hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol

* Tissues to sneeze, dab cuts, and clean hands in a pinch

* Pack your prescription medicines in their original bottles in your carry-on bag.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026