Being prepared for emergencies is a fact of life for Queenslanders, where our summer storm season means we’re all too often forced to expect the unexpected.

However, a quality first aid kit can make all the difference when disaster does strike and is something you should aim to have close to hand, no matter the season.

You can buy a first aid kit or assemble your own, but either way you’ll need to put some thought into its contents and whether they meet the needs of you and your family.

First aid kits can be bought from a number of suppliers, including St John Ambulance and the Australian Red Cross. You might like to purchase an off-the-shelf kit as a starting point and then customise it for your needs.

A basic first aid kit should contain:

• crepe and elasticised bandages of varying widths
• hypoallergenic (skin) tape
• triangular bandages
• adhesive dressing strips (such as bandaids) in different sizes
• gauze swabs
• combine dressing pads (10cm x 10cm)
• non-stick dressing pads (7.5cm x 10cm)
• sterile eye pad
• alcohol swabs
• stainless steel scissors (sharp/blunt) 12.5cm
• disposable gloves
• stainless steel pointed splinter forceps (tweezers)
• shock (thermal) blanket
• safety pins
• notepad and permanent marker
• sterile saline tubes/sachets
• disposable resuscitation face shield
• antiseptic skin swabs
• stop itch cream
• first aid booklet
• rubbish bags for disposing of waste

For more information on First Aid Kits go to: https://www.health.qld.gov.au/news-events/news/create-buy-own-first-aid-kit-queensland