Advice on What to Put in Your Home/Holiday First Aid Kit

When I'm teaching a First Aid course, participants often ask me about their holiday first aid kit.

The big question is “What am I “allowed” to have in a First Aid kit? Can I have such things as:
Headache tablets, medication to prevent diarrhoea, calamine lotion, burn cream, sting creams, syringe etc?”

The simple answer is, yes, you can put whatever you like in a holiday first aid kit. Think about your family’s needs when you are on holiday - you know them better than anyone else, so you can decide what suits your needs.

A holiday first aid kit may contain items that are for use by you or your family; therefore you may wish to add medications in the kit. After all, you can’t sue yourself if it turns out you are allergic to any medication used! :-)

As I tend to enjoy adventurous, off-the-beaten-track trips, so I've used my personal holiday first aid kit as an example:

Sterile Dressings with a bandage attachment (medium & large)
Gauze x 5
Triangular bandages x 3
Plasters (a variety of sizes)
Safety pins x 6
Eye pads x 2
Non-alcohol based antiseptic wipes x 10
Sterile water x 2 (20ml each)
Micropor tape x 1
Blister plasters x 1 pack
Ice pack x 1

Medications:
Burn relief (a cooling bandage)
Paraffin gauze
Antiseptic cream
Diarrhoea prevention (or cure)
Painkillers
Sterile syringe (great for blisters)
Dental first aid equipment
Lavender oil (a little-known secret for dealing with insect stings)

Whatever you decide to put in your first aid kit for your own use is entirely up to you. For more information on any of these products either visit www.optimum-training.com or contact us on 0800 594 2134.

PLEASE NOTE: You cannot use the guidelines provided above for a workplace First Aid kit. Workplace First Aid must comply with legislative requirements of the country concerned. For more information visit the Frequently Asked Questions on our website.