5 Keys to Organized First Aid Kits

In the middle of the night, when someone becomes sick or you have an emergency, that's not the time to realize your medications are expired and you used the last band-aid!

We don't plan for an injury or accident, so being prepared is important because there's no warning and you don't exactly set an appointment for accident Make sure your First Aid Kits are up to date and well stocked.

Products expire, life changes, preferences change and so do your needs. Here are 5 quick tips to help you Be Organized, Be Prepared! My goal is to help you catch the things in life that need attention, even though they are not screaming at you this very moment!

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5 Keys for Making an Organized First Aid Kit

This is not intended to replace medical advice from a registered physician. Please check with your doctor about special needs you may have or items you may need to avoid.
1) Basic First Aid Kit
The minimum is to have a basic First Aid Kit and to either know the basics of First Aid or have a quick reference guide. You can either purchase a prepackaged one or go to one of the websites below to get a list and put together your own kit.
Basic First Aid Kit Websites
Ready. gov Website
http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/firstaidkit.html

FEMA.gov website
http://www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/firstaid.shtm

2) Preferences
Next is to look at preferences for what you want to include in a First Aid Kit. Look into preferences such as holistic options and how those preferences will change what you add to your First Aid Kit.
Holistic Basic First Aid Websites
Basic Holistic Site
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_12025.cfm
Holistic for Toddlers and Kids
http://naturalmedicine.suite101.com/article.cfm/essential_oils_for_kids_parents

3) Special Needs
Now it's time to individualize even further for special and lifestyle needs. There might be someone in the family with special medical needs, you might need items for pet emergencies and then there are many activity related needs. The list below might trigger areas of your life you had not included.
Supplies For Toddlers and Kids
http://www.mypreciouskid.com/first-aid-kit.html

For Pet Owners
Pet Owners Site 1
http://www.prepare.org/animal/petaid.htm
Pet Owners Site 2
http://www.canismajor.com/dog/fstaidk.html

First Aid Kits locations:
Medicine Cabinets
Hall ClosetsOffice
Diaper bag
PurseKitchen
Travel Bags
cars
camping gear
emergency kits
hiking gear
pool areas
boats

4) Location
There are two factors related to the location; make it assessable, yet don't make it assessable. Make sure a First Aid Kit is assessable and easy to identify. If you have packed your own variation of supplies and it doesn't say FIRST AID KIT in big bold letters, then make sure you label it so others can identify it. The flip side is to make sure it's not too assessable for children and pets.
There are over 100,000 Over The Counter medications available today. To read about OTC medicine safety visit http://www.otcsafety.org

5) Regular Review of Supplies
It is always surprising when you pull out First Aid Kits and Medicines that they expired so long ago. Yes, time flies between times you use these items so have a regular review of the supplies in your kits.
There are three main things you're looking for on your annual or semi-annual check in:
Need to restock after items are used
Update on needs
Expiration Dates

Suggestion about expiration dates
If you have, for example, an antibiotic cream that will expire in 8 months. Put that one in the place that you would likely use it first. Put the new tube in the place that you would likely use it last.

Buying in bulk
If you purchased some items in bulk and are going to divide it among several kits, be cautious of items that have expiration dates. If you refill a little bottle of ibuprofen from a big new bottle of ibuprofen, watch for expiration dates because you don't want to resort in the future and toss good medicine, but you also don't want to think something is OK and have it actually expired. An item that will be handy to have when you restock is various sizes of ziploc bags.

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