If you ask Merriam-Webster, the definition of First Aid is “Emergency care or treatment given to an ill or injured person before regular medical aid can be obtained.” Now, if this definition seems a little vague, that’s probably because it is. The art of First Aid is far too broad a topic to be accurately summed up in a one-sentence definition, and each of the countless techniques are a unique avenue for literally saving lives.  Whether you are bandaging a popped blister, or splinting a fractured limb, knowing the proper first aid technique can make all the difference to an injured individual.

Now, there are countless details that we won’t bother going into here, but there are a few key things to remember when preparing to provide first aid:

First – Educate yourself. There are thousands, if not tens of thousands of independent first aid training facilities across the country. The American Red Cross is perhaps the most well-known, but colleges, universities, and even many ambulance companies and fire departments will have regularly scheduled classes that are open to the public.

Second – Be prepared. All the knowledge in the world won’t help save a life if you don’t have a first aid kit around to help. For this reason, always keep a well-stocked first aid kit close enough for immediate use. This means having a kit both in your home and in your car. It means carrying a few essential items when you are going out. It means making yourself aware of the pre-set first aid kits at your own place of work, school, or worship.

Third – Have the Right Equipment. Whether you want to put together your own kit or purchase one already assembled, there are certain items you don’t want to go without. 

These are the most general and most critical items to keep, and as a reference, these items are listed below:

• 2 Absorbent Compress Dressings (5 x 9 inches)
• 25 Adhesive Bandages (assorted sizes)
• 1 Adhesive Cloth Tape (10 yards x 1 inch)
• 5 Antibiotic Ointment Packets (approximately 1 gram)
• 5 Antiseptic Wipe Packets
• 2 Packets of Aspirin (81 mg each)
• 1 Blanket (Space Blanket)
• 1 Breathing Barrier (with One-Way Valve)
• 1 Instant Cold Compress
• 2 Pair of Nonlatex Gloves (size: large)
• 2 Hydrocortisone Ointment Packets (approximately 1 gram each)
• Scissors
• 1 Roller Bandage (3 inches wide)
• 1 Roller Bandage (4 inches wide)
• 5 Sterile Gauze Pads (3 x 3 inches)
• 5 Sterile Gauze Pads (4 x 4 inches)
• Oral Thermometer (non-mercury/nonglass)
• 2 Triangular Bandages
• Tweezers
• First Aid Instruction Booklet

Read More at the American Red Cross