Environment plays an important role in identifying the kind of kit you need - its material and size. But the basics you should keep in mind are -

• Size - Is it roomy enough to carry all the items, keep it organized, not interchanging them?

• Durability - Is it strong enough to carry all the contents? Can it stand through harsh conditions?

•  Handiness - Can it be carried anywhere without the hassles?

• Accessibility - Can it easily be opened?

Second to consider is the contents of the kit. Try to think of the most common accidents that may occur anywhere - at home, in night outs, roads and accident prone missions. The most common to occur is wounds and splinters. Your kits should include items that can attend to cuts, wounds and blisters of varying degrees -

• Wound care and cleansing materials - bandages, dressing (for traumas, those that would keep wound dry in wet environments), gauze pads, bandage strips, tapes and other kinds of tapes. Pre- soak pads should be well kept in appropriate containers. You also need to be familiar or review medical history before applying such first aid methods.

• Blister care - this can be prevented by administering care immediately. At the first sign of a hot spot, items such as molefoam, moleskin, first aid tapes should be within reach as these can prevent blisters from forming.

First aid kits also carry protection for those administering first aid like gloves, CPR masks and airways. Hardware too should be present such as -

• Thermometer

• Stethoscope

• Survival gear

• Tweezers

• Shears

• Whistle

• Mirror signal device

• Pins

• Plastic bags

• Lighterwaterproof matches

• Flashlight headlamp

• Survival blanket

• Heat/cold packs

• Parachute cord

• Flagging tapes

Medications, as well, should not leave the kits as these are important to help wounds subside or treat other conditions -

• Antihistamine

• Glucose

• Antidiarrheal

• Antifungalyeast

• Dental medications

• Dental filing materials

• Antibiotic creams/ointments

• Anticonstipation

• Antacid

• Other special needs and medications

If you are simply starting to organize your first aid kit at home, you will need the 10 basic or essential contents such as -

• First- aid manual

• Gauze pads

• Bandages

• Butterfly bandages

• Medical adhesive tape

• Alcohol prep pads

• Iodine or similar prep pads

• Antibiotic ointment

• Aspirin and/or non- aspirin pain relievers

• Tweezers and pins

After collecting all these items for your very own home- made first aid kit, organizing them in the container will be the next step. Ziplocks or other dividers that are waterproof will be a great help in organizing them. It would not hurt also if you can label them properly or color- code them so that they can be easily retrieved in case of emergency to lessen mistakes. If you have successfully done all these, here are some additional precautionary steps you should take

• Review your medical history so that you will know what other items you can include in your kits.

• Read thoroughly your first- aid manual to understand the functions of all the items inside your kit and how to use them.

• First aid kits should be kept in an accessible place for adults to retrieve it as soon as an emergency arises but out of childrens reach.

• Periodically check the kits and be cautious of missing items that need to be replaced or expired medicines that need to be changed and purchased.

After learning all these, you are now ready to get started with your life- saving journey with the help of your first aid kit. You will see how you make life much easier and with a little less pain. About the Author For more great first aid kit related articles and resources check out http//firstaidkithq.info