Packing a first Aid Kit

Packing a first aid kit is a very individual issue and there are many opinions. The kit should contain items that you are very likely to need or else be unavailable abroad. Also there is no point in including drugs or medical equipment that the individuals are not trained to use correctly “just in case”.

A good first aid kit should contain all the person(s) regular medications, common drugs they are likely to want (cold medications, Imodium, Pepto bismo, Tylenol, etc). Special trip specific medication may be included at the discretion of their doctor and include prescription anti-nauseants (car/ plane/seasickness); antibiotics for self-treatment of traveller's diarrhea, antimalarials; and drugs to prevent altitude illness.

Bandages are always a good item.

When preparing a kit include enough of the items to cover everyone who may be using it, as it can be disappointing to suddenly run out of bandages or sunscreen.

Other than that there are many other opinions about what should go into a first aid kit, which should be good for “first” aid and not be so bulky or inclusive to treat every possible concern. Having medical insurance and the contacts for local health centres may be more important since there will always be something missing when it is needed.

From personal experience large first aid kits make specific items hard to find quickly. When several people use or share the same essential items are sometimes not replaced after use so they should be repacked before departure.

There are many good commercial first aid kits some with recommendations (traveller's, car kit, sailing kit). They may contain exactly everything you need. Or you may discard everything, keeping the container and refill it by yourself for your easy use.

The ideal kit is simple and fits the situation.

The best first aid kit for short noisy air flights may only need contain a pair of earplugs.

The Canadian Pharmacists Association has produced the pamphlet “Travelling With Prescription Medications” to answer questions about travel and drugs and this is available at: http://www.pharmacists.ca/