With the long weekend ahead and the weather getting warmer, many West Aussies will be venturing into the great outdoors for a camping experience. What many people tend to forget to bring with them is a first aid kit. A first aid kit is an important tool to have on hand when exploring, especially when the outdoors can be so unpredictable. With Australia being home to around 140 varieties of snakes and 20 to 25 being the most venomous in the world, you can never be too careful!
To know exactly what you should bring to your camping trip, we’ve put together a checklist of essential first aid kit items you need to stay safe while adventuring.
First Aid Kit Supplies
First Aid Leaflet
Often overlooked, one of the most important things in your first aid kit is the manual. This leaflet will explain exactly how to use all of the items in your kit with a clear guideline on how to treat small accidents such as cuts, bruises, bites, and other emergency health issues. Just ensure you have an up to date version of the manual at all times.
Bandages
If you’re planning on going hiking during your trip, it is likely you might develop blisters or maybe even suffer some cuts along the way. Bandages are a great way to cover your blisters and stop those injuries from getting worse or even infected. If you suffer from a dislocated joint, a bandage will help support it until you are able to seek professional help. Also, don’t forget to bring small scissors to cut and trim the bandages according to your wound.
Medical Tape
Always make sure to include medical tape in your first aid kit as they will help secure bandages to your wound. Your medical tape needs to be waterproof, breathable and hypoallergenic so that it does not cause any skin infections.
Alcohol Swabs
Alcohol swabs will help you clean your wound to make sure it is sanitised before you start the bandaging process. They are also great for sterilising tweezers, scissors or any other dirty equipment that needs cleaning.
Disposable Gloves
In order to keep your wound clean and away from any possible infection, it is important to perform your wound treatment using disposable gloves. They will protect the area from bacteria that might be transmitted from unclean hands.
Tweezers
Tweezers are the perfect tool to remove dirt and other particles from a wound before wrapping it on a bandage. They can even remove bee stingers if you are stung by a bee during your trip.
Medication
Even though having the appropriate first aid equipment is important, medication should also be a top priority when packing your first aid kit. Some of the most used are…
Pain Relief
Whether you’re in pain because of an injury or a headache, pain relief medicine should always be at hand when going on a camping trip. They help relieve pain, fever symptoms and can even ease inflammation from wounds. Some great examples of pain relief medication are paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin.
Anti-allergic Medicine
If you or your campmates suffer from any allergies, be sure to include appropriate anti-allergic medicine in your first aid kit. Bees are very prominent during springtime, so it is handy to have anti-allergic medicine nearby in case someone gets stung and develops an allergic reaction.
Antihistamine cream
Antihistamine cream, or Itch cream, is very useful in the treatment of itchiness and swelling caused by a bug or insect bite. It will help to relieve these symptoms so you can enjoy your trip at ease.
Antibiotic ointment
Probably one of the most important items to have when treating a wound, antibiotic ointment will prevent wounds from getting infected by bacteria while also helping it to heal faster. Just make sure it is applied after thoroughly sanitising the wound.
Looking for a pre-made first aid kit? We have a range of First Aid Kits and other medical supplies that will be useful for your trip and even for your workplace.
Best of all, we are offering a FREE Snake Bite Kit with every Workplace Kit purchased! The Snake Bite Kit contains unique Snake Bite Bandages designed with continuous indicators to ensure correct pressure is evenly applied to the wound. Suitable to treat all Australian snake bites, the bandages are also useful in the application of funnel web spider bites, blue ringed octopus and cone shell stings.
Offer is only available until 31 October 2021, T&Cs apply. Visit our online shop so you don't miss out!
