The Ultimate Guide to Stocking Up Your First Aid Kit

Is the thought of your First Aid kit (or lack of one) stressing you out? This is a sign that you need to get your First Aid preparedness back on track - at work, at home or in your vehicle.

At Pacific First Aid, we believe that emergency preparedness is a combination of practical First Aid skills, and knowing how to use the items in your First Aid kit.

Ready to learn how to apply First Aid skills and effectively make the most use out of your First Aid kit? 

In this guide, we're sharing our best tips on how to stock up your First Aid kit appropriately so that you can be prepared for any emergency situations you may encounter.

But first…why does it even matter?

We believe that everything needs to earn its place in your First Aid kit. When you know where everything is in your kit, you will feel more in control during any situation. When every item has its home in your kit (and you know where that home is), in any emergency:

• Your anxiety lessens;
• You have one less thing to think about; and
• Your confidence grows.

Alternatively, if your First Aid kit is a mess, in any emergency situation:

• Your stress level increases;
• You have to figure out where and which First Aid supplies you need - on top of recalling what First Aid skills to apply; and
• You may feel more unprepared and frazzled due to the state of your First Aid kit.

From our experience, most First Aid kits fall into one of two categories:

1. The Hurricane State

This First Aid kit looks like it's been through a lot. Items aren't placed in the right place, or in place at all. The same items can be found scattered in different areas of the kit. It may also contain random items that are not First Aid supplies. There may be too many of one item and not enough of another item - but we can't tell because everything is all over the place.

The result?

The owners of these First Aid kits can't locate anything they need. They usually either rummage until they find what they need (or find something similar to use during the emergency), or they dump out all the contents, take what they need, and proceed to stuff everything back into the kit and hope the zipper doesn't get caught in random protruding objects.

2. The Pristine State

This First Aid kit might still be in its original packaging. It's either never been used or key essential pieces are missing from this otherwise new kit (bandaids are a common culprit).

The result?

There is a false sense of security from the owners of these kits that there is a First Aid kit in reach. But if you don't know how to use your First Aid kit, the First Aid kit can't serve its original purpose - which is to aid in keeping you and your people safe until professional medical help arrives.

PFA's First Aid Kit Stock Up Guide: 4 Steps to be better prepared for emergencies

STEP 1: To get started, ask yourself these questions:

1. What is the purpose of this First Aid kit?

Will it be used for your home, your workplace or your vehicle? Depending on your answer, the contents of this kit will be different due to the type of emergencies you may encounter in each environment.

2. How big of a group size does this kit serve?

If you have a small group of people, you will likely be going through less supplies than if your kit was serving a large group.

3. How frequently will this kit be used?

The First Aid kits at gyms will likely be more frequently accessed than the First Aid kits in most general office settings. Consider how frequently your kit will be reached for and how frequently you will restock up your kit.

STEP 2: Make sure the kit is clean.

You want be storing your First Aid supplies in a clean and sanitary bag. If you bought our PFA kits before, you know that our bags are made with material that is easy to sanitize and clean.

STEP 3: Review the items in your kit and create a restock list of First Aid supplies.

1. Check the items that have dates. Throw the expired items away. If they are expired or will expire before your next stock up date, add these items to your restock list.

2. Check items that you are low on supply with. Each of our First Aid kits include a physical list so you don't forget what to include during your replenishment. You can also modify this list to fit your situation. Add items that need to be replaced or restocked on your restock list.

3. Finally, complete this sentence: I think this kit has enough supplies for when I [fill in the blank - go camping / have this as a vehicle kit / have this as a home kit / have this as a sports kit]. Make sure you feel comfortably prepared based on the questions you answered in Step 1.

4. Go to your trusted First Aid supplier to purchase the restock items on your list. Pssst… we prefer Pacific First Aid for quality products at great prices! 😉

STEP 4: Update your stock-up date.

We like to keep our next stock-up date on a key tag attached to our kit for convenience. A question we get asked a lot is, "How often should we look to stock up our First Aid kits?"

We recommend that First Aid kits be restocked on a regular basis depending on the frequency of usage - at the very least, once every 6 months.

Congratulations!

You made it to the end of the PFA First Aid Kit Stock Up Guide!

Bookmark this page for future reference or share this with a friend who needs to restock their First Aid kit.

If you want help in creating a customized First Aid kit to fit your needs, click here to contact us!