Every RVer absolutely must have a first aid kit that either stays in our RV permanently or comes with us when we leave home to head out on the open road. There is a wide variety of first aid kits available for purchase online, at drugstores or at stores like Target and Walmart. Alternatively, it is easy to put your own do-it-yourself first aid kit together, which also allows you to customize the contents to fit your family’s specific needs.
If you would like to make your own travel first aid kit, you will need a container that is easy to carry and will fit nicely in your RV without taking up too much room. Soft-sided ice chests or lunchboxes work well for this, as do fishing tackle boxes, small toolboxes and tool bags.
The first thing you should include is a list of important phone numbers, such as your doctor, your veterinarian, Poison Control, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Keep this list in a sealable plastic bag inside your first aid kit, which will protect the list from being damaged by water or spills within the kit. You should also include a first aid manual and should keep it in another sealable plastic bag to prevent damage.
To personalize your RV first aid kit to fit the needs of your family, you could consider including items like: • Copies of prescriptions
• Extra prescription and non-prescription medications used regularly (keep an eye on expiration dates)
• Bee sting kit (if someone you travel with is allergic to bee stings)
• Extra inhaler (if anyone uses one regularly)
Some of the general items the Red Cross (www.redcross.org) recommends for inclusion in a first aid kit to serve a family of four include:
• Aspirin
• One emergency blanket
• Two pairs of sterile gloves
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Thermometer
• One roll of adhesive cloth tape
• 10 sterile gauze pads (3×3 and 4×4 inches)
• A cold compress
• Antiseptic wipes (in individual packets)
• Hydrocortisone ointment
• Antibiotic ointment
• 25 adhesive bandages in various sizes
• Two triangular bandages
• Two rolled bandages • Two absorbent compresses
• CPR breathing barrier
Some other items you might want to consider including would be: • An over-the counter antacid
• Laxatives and anti-diarrhea medication
• Snake bite kit
• Witch hazel
• A cream or gel for easing the pain of sunburns
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