Small accidents at home are bound to happen, from accidental cuts and scrapes to burns and bee stings. The key to navigating these accidents without a trip to the emergency room is a kit full of first aid supplies. To help you make sure you have all the essentials, learn about the components every home first aid kit should include.

4 Must-Have First Aid Supplies

1. Emergency Phone Numbers

Keeping a list of emergency phone numbers in your first aid kit will help you find the right professionals for any home emergency. Keep numbers for emergency services, poison control, your primary care physician, and a local urgent care center. This will make it easy to get help if you can’t manage the problem at hand with your first aid supplies.

2. Generic Medications

Stocking up on over-the-counter medications ensures you have them whenever you need them. Keep painkillers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen on hand, as well as allergy medications for strong allergic reactions. Cough and cold medicine should also be available for controlling fevers and heavy coughs.

3. Bandages

Minor cuts are usually easy to handle at home if you have the right supplies. You should have bandages in assorted sizes and shapes, including butterfly and triangular bandages for cuts in tricky spots.

You should also have elastic wraps for sprained joints, gauze for staunching bleeding, and surgical tape for holding bandages in place. Antibiotic ointment, hydrogen peroxide, and tweezers will all help you prep the wound site for safe bandaging.

4. Miscellaneous

A thermometer is always a helpful item for first aid kits, as it can help you monitor fevers and determine whether further professional attention is needed. For burns and sunburns, keep aloe vera on hand to soothe irritated skin. If poison ivy or mosquitos are common in your area, keep calamine lotion and hydrocortisone cream available to decrease itching on bites and rashes.

You can find all the first aid supplies you need and more at Pack Pharmacy in Cincinnati, OH. For over 70 years, this locally owned pharmacy has offered prescription filling, over-the-counter medications, and personalized attention. To learn more about their inventory of first aid supplies, call (513) 871-7770 or visit them online.