FACT SHEET
First Aid Kits — Essential for Families
St John Ambulance recommends that all families learn first aid and maintain a well-stocked first aid kit for the home and car — to help treat people injuries and save lives in emergencies.
A first aid kit in the home should provide a useful range of different sized sterile dressings and wound covers to treat injuries, such as abrasions and cuts.
In addition, a family kit should contain:
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Triangular bandages for emergency dressings and as a sling;
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A range of conforming bandages to bind dressings in place and for pressure immobilisation;
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A range of wound dressings to control bleeding and protect major wounds;
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Combine pads for weeping or oozing wounds and padding major injuries;
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Swabs for cleaning wounds;
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Adhesive tape to secure light dressings;
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Disposable hand towels for general cleaning (not wounds),
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Stainless steel scissors, to cut dressings, bandages etc;
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Saline eye wash for eye irrigation and wound cleaning;
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Safety pins to secure bandages etc in place;
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Medium plastic bags for a variety of uses including making ice packs;
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Stainless steel tweezers for removing splinters;
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A shock blanket to prevent loss of body heat;
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A note pad and pencil to record times and details; and
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Disposable gloves to assist in preventing cross infection.
St John recommends a resuscitation chart be kept in a first aid kit for emergencies such as drowning, heart attack, and electrocution.
St John kits contain a first aid guide to assist the first aider in any number of first aid situations. This is important to serve as a reminder to people who have learnt first aid and to inform those who haven't what to do.
A Few Key Tips:
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Learn first aid. First aid is a practical skill, which should be taught by a professional first aid trainer.
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Never use cotton wool as a first aid material, the cotton fibres can cause complications in wound healing.
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Never put a lotion on a burn, correct first aid treatment for burns is to run the injured part under cool running water for 10 minutes (and seek medical aid if the burn is larger than a 20 cent piece).
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Keep a first aid manual and resuscitation chart in your first aid kit — even as a trained first aider, it can be difficult to think clearly in an emergency. A manual and chart can act as a life saving reminder and prompt.
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Ensure your kit has large universal dressings and pads for severe bleeding.
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Keep the kit in a location where it is accessible.
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If your first aid kit is accessible to children ensure you keep your medications in a location out of reach of children.
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When you use items from your first aid kit replace them.
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Make sure you have a copy of the poisons information centre number in your kit. The number is 131126 (Australia wide).
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Ensure your kit is dust proof and easy to identify.
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Dispose of materials that have passed their use by date.
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Remember that accidents happen everywhere — keep a kit at home and in the car.
For More Information:
Call Customer Service on 1300 360 455
