A standard first aid kit can help save a life or make a person comfortable until professional help arrives. 
A first aid kit and the person administering the first aid may be the only things that prevent a person from going into shock or dying an untimely death. To assemble a first aid kit for your home, car or workplace, you should include some important items, such as:
- An assortment of up to thirty adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes;
- 2 pair of non-latex gloves (size large) (some people have latex allergies);
- 10 antiseptic wipes;
- 10 single-use antibiotic ointment packets;
- 2 absorbent compress dressings (5 x 9 inches)
- 10 sterile gauze pads (4 x 4 inches);
- First aid tape (adhesive cloth) to hold pads and dressings in place and to tape broken fingers together;
- Tweezers;
- 1 instant cold compress;
- 1 space blanket;
- 1 breathing barrier (which facilitates sterile breaths in mouth to mouth);
- 2 hydrocortisone ointment packets (1 gram size);
- 2 packages of aspirin;
- Scissors;
- Oral thermometer;
- First Aid instruction booklet
Most people have a first aid kit in their car, one in their home and one at their place of work. When preparing a first aid kit for your car, you should also consider including a flashlight, candles and extra blankets in the event that you become stranded in cold weather in your vehicle.
Accidents can happen suddenly and it is best to be prepared with a first aid kit. Whether you are first on the scene of a traffic accident or along a trail, a first aid kit can help save a life. Ensuring that all of the items in the kit are in good working order and are up to date is also important.
As you use items in your first aid kit, you should make a point of immediately replacing them so that those items are there when they are needed again. One never thinks about being in an emergency situation, but when an emergency arises, you want to know that you will be prepared to help a person who is injured and in trouble.
A first aid kit can stabilize a person until paramedics and other emergency personnel arrive on the scene. Your intervention and first aid treatment can make the difference during those important first few hours after an accident occurs. Many people overlook the importance of knowing what to do in an accident or when people are injured. Having training in first aid is a simple tool that can come in handy. Most courses can be completed in a day and need to be taken once every few years.