How to Build a Summer First-Aid Kit

Minor injuries are as much a part of summer as swimming pools, baseball games and camping trips. Fortunately, most can be easily treated, especially if you have a well-stocked first-aid kit close at hand.

But what do you put inside? UNC Health Blue Ridge Trauma Program Injury Prevention Specialist, Sabrina Patterson, BSN, RN, has some suggestions.

First-Aid Kit Basics

Many first-aid kits can be bought already filled with small sizes of necessary items. If you get one of these kits, make sure it contains these basic items:

• Adhesive bandages (Band-Aids and many other brands) of all sizes
• Butterfly bandages (Steri-Strips) to hold cuts together
  (If you need one of these bandages, you’ll want to check with a doctor as soon as you can to see if the cut needs stitches or other treatment.)
• An antiseptic to clean cuts and scrapes
• Antibiotic ointment or cream (such as Neosporin, Polysporin or Bacitracin)
• Sterile gauze pads of different sizes (choose a kind that doesn’t stick to the wound—check the label)
• Adhesive tape (consider self-adhesive tape or micropore tape that is gentler on the skin)
• Tweezers (for removing ticks, splinters or other objects not too deep in the skin)
• Antihistamine cream for bug bites

Customize Your First-Aid Kit

Depending on what activities you will be doing, how long you will be away from home, and the people with you (children, older adults, large groups), you should supplement your kit with additional supplies you may need. Here are some ideas:

• Sunscreen: Put sunscreen on all skin that is exposed to sunlight, including your face, ears and neck. Reapply every hour to anyone who is sweating or in water, and every two to four hours for others.

"When people think about sunscreen, they often focus on the athletes, but spectators are usually sitting in the sun much longer. Make sun protection part of everyone's game plan." Patterson says.

• Insecticide: Because bug bites can be itchy at best and dangerous at worst—depending on the type of insect and a person’s allergies—make sure you wear insecticide when you are outside.

"If you're spending time outdoors, especially in wooded or grassy areas, insect repellent can help reduce your risk of mosquitoes and tick bites,” Patterson says.” It's also a good idea to do a quick tick check when you head back inside."

• Antihistamine cream and pills: If someone is allergic to insect bites or plants (such as poison ivy), antihistamines can help reduce itching and swelling. Make sure you know if the person can tolerate an antihistamine, such as Benadryl, before giving them anything by mouth.
• Disposable ice packs: These can be handy for many kinds of pain, from sprains to insect bites. You can find one that you shake or twist to activate.
• Ace bandages: Elastic bandages help reduce swelling of an injured area and can help stabilize loose joints. Ace is the brand name, but people often refer to any elastic bandage by this name. Make sure you do not wrap the bandage so tight that you cut off circulation. Elastic bandages also can be used to keep an ice pack in place.
• Gloves: Disposable gloves help keep the injury cleaner and may prevent the transmission of diseases and illness. Latex gloves are easy to use, but if someone is allergic to latex or if you don’t know, use plastic non-latex gloves.
• Medical scissors or trauma shears: Some injuries may require that clothes come off to get to the wound or prevent circulation from being cut off if an area or limb is swelling. Trauma shears can help get garments off quickly. They also may be used to remove bandages.
• Ways to cool off and stay hydrated: Patterson recommends cooling towels, often made of microfiber and found in sporting goods sections. Pour water on them and wrap them around someone’s neck to reduce their temperature.

"North Carolina summers can be extremely hot. Staying hydrated, taking breaks in the shade and using cooling towels can help prevent heat-related illness during outdoor activities," Patterson says.

She also recommends packets of oral rehydration powder or sports drinks like Gatorade.

“Avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of water throughout the day, especially in the heat,” she says.

• CPR mask: These small masks can be used to cover someone’s nose and mouth if they need cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The mask helps get air into a person’s lungs. "A CPR face shield is a great addition to any first-aid kit, but knowing CPR is even more valuable,” Patterson says. “Taking a CPR course can prepare you to act quickly in an emergency while help is on the way.”
• Trauma preparations: If you are camping, hiking, biking or going anywhere that will make getting medical treatment more difficult, you may want to be prepared for bigger emergencies. Patterson suggests having a blanket, flashlight, tourniquets, splints and a multipurpose tool on hand.
• Ear drops: If you’re swimming and get water in your ears, drops can help prevent ear infections. Buy drops labeled for preventing swimmer’s ear, or you can use isopropyl alcohol.

Keep Your First-Aid Kit Up to Date

Before you leave the house with your first-aid kit, make sure everything is current. Check the expiration dates on items, make sure you have not used up anything and need replacements, and get fresh batteries if they are part of your kit.

Well-equipped first-aid kits can be essential to reacting quickly to an allergic reaction, wound, heat exhaustion or any other risks that summer brings. Taking a few minutes to prepare your kit before heading out can help you respond confidently when the unexpected happens.

Be Prepared for Serious Bleeding

While most first-aid kits are designed to treat minor injuries, it's also important to be prepared for emergencies involving severe bleeding.

"If someone has life-threatening bleeding, every second counts," says Patterson. "Applying direct pressure is always the first step but having a commercially made tourniquet available and knowing how to use it correctly can be lifesaving."

She encourages community members to consider adding a commercially made tourniquet to their home, vehicle, or recreational first-aid kit, especially if they spend time outdoors, travel frequently, or participate in sports and other activities where serious injuries could occur.

The best way to be prepared for a bleeding event is through education. UNC Health Blue Ridge Trauma Services offers Stop the Bleed training at no cost to businesses, churches, schools, organizations, and community groups. During this hands-on course, participants learn how to recognize life-threatening bleeding, apply direct pressure, pack a wound, and properly use a tourniquet until emergency responders arrive.

"Just as many people have learned CPR, we want our community to feel confident responding to severe bleeding emergencies," Patterson says. "The actions taken in those first few minutes can truly save a life."

Organizations interested in scheduling a free Stop the Bled course are encouraged to contact UNC Health Blue Ridge Trauma Services at BRTrauma@unchealth.unc.edu

Learn more about Trauma Services at UNC Health Blue Ridge