Is Your Home First Aid Kit Ready?

Be Ready. Be Safe.

Being prepared for an emergency starts at home. It's our castle, where we feel most safe and secure and spend much of our time.

A family first aid kit doesn't need to cost $150. Many of those supplies never get used, and some, like a tourniquet, take training even professionals practice. If you need a tourniquet, 911 should already be on the way.

Keep it simple and within reach

Buy a kit from a source like the American Red Cross, or build your own in a small nylon bag, and keep it where it's easy to grab. If you build it, let the kids pick their favorite bandages. Adults can wear dinosaur bandages just the same.

Start with the Red Cross basics, then add bandage scissors and a pocket knife. If you have a thermometer in the kit have Tylenol nearby in the right form for your household: infants', children's or adult. Follow the label for dosing.

Pro tips

• Fit the kit to your family.

• Keep things you know how to use.

• Check it every year and replace expired supplies.

Source: American Red Cross, Make a First Aid Kit