Diy First-Aid Kit

When an accident happens, you need to be prepared.

And the first thing you jump for, after making sure that the area is safe, is a first-aid kit. Although these kits are available from outdoor shops, pharmacies and even some supermarkets, it may well be worth putting your own together.

In my experience, most of these off-the-shelf kits are jam-packed with plasters, bandages, safety pins and not much else. (I bought one, and on getting it home and opening it up, found that it had six triangular bandages!). They should not be viewed as a cover-all-eventualities-kit, but as something of a starter pack. However, the best kits I have found are made and sold by Due south. They have a range of kits to cater for all types of activities, the kits are comprehensive in their contents, and are extremely good value for money.

When assembling a kit, I am not talking about a collection worthy of an Intensive Care Unit, but the rudimentary basics which would cover most of the more common injuries you may incur or come across.

I think it is also advisable to attend a first-aid course. There are many different courses available, and when you think about the relatively small amount of money they cost, in relation to being able to x someone up or save their life, they are a worthwhile investment.

For example, when I go back to the UK for a visit every couple of years, I reattend a Rescue Emergency Care (REC) first aid course. This course (which is Health-and-Safety recognised and was established by an Accident Emergency doctor) teaches you how to use a de brillator, insert I drips, clear nasopharyngeal airways and sew up wounds, among other advanced first-aid techniques. My kit will therefore include items which other people may not consider carrying.

Read it before you need it