Summer Health Survival Guide

First Aid Essentials Checklist

The 10 most important items to have in your first-aid kit, according to the American Red Cross.

  • Adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes

    Related: First Aid Basics: Bandages

  • Sterile gauze pads in various sizes and cloth adhesive tape to secure them
  • Latex-free disposable gloves, to protect you from bodily fluids or other matter (latex-free material prevents potential allergic reactions)
  • Tweezers
  • Thermometer (the digital variety is safest)
  • Triple-antibiotic ointment (such as Neosporin)
  • Antiseptic wipes
  • First-aid instructions
  • Topical antihistamines and aspirin (or some other type of over-the-counter pain reliever recommended by your doctor)
  • A face mask to protect you from germs or bodily fluids when administering CPR

    Related: First Aid for Common Injuries

Related Content

Choose Frozen Over Fresh Fish

Vacuum-packaged salmon, flounder, and tilapia fillets and bags of frozen shrimp cost 20 to 40 percent less than their counterparts at the fish counter. (If that sounds unappetizing, consider that most “fresh” fish has been previously frozen during transport.)

Did we forget anything on this checklist? What would you add?

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