Assemble your own first-aid kit

Emergencies always happen when you least expect them, and while you can’t prevent them from happening, you can at least be proactive.

This can be done by assembling a first-aid kit for unexpected situations. You might even be able to save a life by having a first-aid kit near you.

Werner Vermaak from ER24 partnered with Arrive Alive on road safety and gave the following information about first-aid kits:

Firstly, the kit should be small and easy to handle. It should be small enough to fit in the cubby-hole or boot of your car. The material of the kit should be durable and preferably a bright colour, making it easy to spot.

The most important items to include are those to treat insect bites and stings, burns, cuts and bruises and to splint a fracture. Include plasters, scissors, tweezers as well as disinfectant. If you prefer keeping medicine in your kit, mark it clearly and keep it away from children.

Make sure to stock your kit with the right things, not random items from a pharmacy. It is advisable to keep one kit in your house and one in your vehicle.

Never respond to a wounded person if you are an amateur, and do not simply do something because you have seen it on television; rather contact medics and ask for medical advice.

What to include in a first-aid kit:

• Two first aid dressings (No 5)

• Two first aid dressings (No 3)

• Two conform (stretch) bandages (75mm x 4,5m)

• Two conform (stretch) bandages (50mm x 4,5m)

• Two triangular bandages

• 10 sticking plasters

• A pair of first-aid scissors

• A pair of tweezers

• 10 safety pins

• 100 ml antiseptic solution

• A CPR mouthpiece

• Two pairs of surgical gloves

• Two packs of sterile gauze (75mm x 75mm)

• One Eno sachet

• Four alcohol swabs

• One burn dressing (10cm x 10cm)

• Paper tape (25mm x 3m)

• One rescue blanket

• One plaster roll (25mm x 3m )