Prepackaged first-aid kits let you enjoy safe summer

With summer upon us, make sure you’re prepared for fun in the sun with a first-aid kit that includes all the essential items you will need. Your first-aid kit is necessary for emergencies and for convenience. Keep two first-aid kits in your possession this summer, one in your rental home and one in your car.

Starting with the first-aid kit you’ve already built over the course of the year is the easiest way to assure you have what you need and then some. If you haven’t put together your first-aid kit yet, purchase an inexpensive prepackaged first-aid kit and get started. This will have your basics from bandages to cotton balls.

While you’re at the store, pick up numbing spray or ointment for cuts and scrapes, sun block and bug spray, and baby or body wipes. Always check ingredients of sprays and medicines if you have allergies.

Add a water bottle to your kit. This is ideal for cleaning wounds or for hydration. Make sure there is one in both of your first-aid kits – home and car. If there is a weather emergency or you are out on a hike, this may be your only guaranteed source of water.

Allergies are out in full force in the summer. Check with your physician or pharmacist for the best over-thecounter options of allergy-relief medicine. They will help with seasonal allergies as well as reactions. Having the proper remedies in your first-aid kit is extremely important as all of our insect friends are also out this summer.

If you or a family member have a prescription, inhaler or may need an EpiPen, talk to your physician about a second prescription so one is always on hand in your first-aid kit if you are out on a hike or at the beach. Accidents happen and medications get left behind. This ensures you have it with you. If a second prescription is not an option, keep a note on the top of your car’s firstaid kit as a visible reminder before you leave.

Keep a record of plants and bugs in a notebook and keep it near to your firstaid kit. If you are bitten or notice a reaction, this can help you to identify what it is and if it’s necessary to contact a doctor or dash to the emergency room. Use your notebook to keep track of the infection or rash over a few days for when you do see a doctor you can easily explain how the reaction progressed.

Make sure to keep a clean towel in your first-aid kits. Plastic, zipped bags can also be used for different things. From cleaning to laying out your firstaid kit when treating a wound or bite, a microfiber towel is a great item to have. Try to cycle it out every few trips as it will get dirty with use. Ziploc bags will protect valuables or items in your firstaid kit from rain or spills.