Most families are prepared for minor cuts with a box of bandaids in the medicine cabinet, but having a good first aid kit is much more than having bandaids! Most important for your first aid materials is that they can all be found in one place. You shouldn't have to rummage through three different drawers and run into two bathrooms to gather everything you need to handle minor medical emergencies.
In addition to the typical medical items, it's a good idea to have a disaster recovery kit, as well- and keep both together in a container or duffle bag that can easily be grabbed if you must evacuate your home quickly.
What should your first aid kit and disaster recovery plan include? The American Red Cross provides a complete list of what you should have in both your first aid and disaster recovery kits, and recommends that you have enough supplies on hand to sustain your family for 3 days, and includes such things as:
A gallon of water per person, per day, for drinking, sanitizing and food preparation.
Food: ready to eat, canned varieties that require no preparation are best. Keep infant food on hand if necessary. It's also good to keep comfort foods on hand, and high energy foods- like cereal bars.
Vitamins
Non-prescription drugs- like pain relievers and syrup of ipecac to induce vomiting if directed by the Poison Control Center.
Various tools, flashlights, batteries, etc.
Sanitation items, like toilet paper, feminine supplies, soaps, toothpaste and brushes
Blankets and a change of clothes for each family member.
Important family documents (kept in a waterproof container).
Battery powered radio (so you can hear updates on emergency in event of power failure).
Once you have your emergency first aid and disaster recovery kits put together, you'll have to remember to rotate items regularly so that nothing is expired when and if you do need to use them. Stored water should be rotated every six months, while canned goods need to be replaced before the expiration dates. An easy way to do this is put food items in your emergency kits that you would use regularly; and every so often, take one from your emergency kit to eat that day, and replace it with one from your pantry. It doesn't have to be a huge, complicated process. Rotate your stored water in the same way, and you'll always be prepared with fresh items.
You may also want to get a book about how to survive in a disaster or emergency. A good one would include information about how to create safe drinking water from natural water sources, and how to manage if you're instructed by emergency personnel to remain in your home.
Having an adequate first aid kit and disaster recovery kit is much like an insurance plan that you purchase: you have it so you are as prepared as possible, but hope that you will never need to use it!
