Six Items That Should Be On Your Summer Packing List

Everyone should have a first aid kit readily available in case of an emergency this summer, whether you’re at home or on the road. Here are a few affordable suggestions for essential first aid products that you may want to pack in your kit when you head out to enjoy the great outdoors.

 

Option+ First Aid Kit

This compact zippered carry-all has all the essentials – gauze, tape, sterile pads, bandaids, scissors, tweezers, swabs, and more. It won’t take up much space on your travels, but you will be covered for common minor injuries. With this must-have item you will be prepared whether you are at the baseball diamond or backwoods camping.

Benadryl

This versatile antihistamine is essential  for allergic reactions from insect bites and for protection from everyday allergens as well. Although it can cause some drowsiness, you may not mind if it stops the itch from that poison ivy that you just walked through.

Instant-Cold Pack

What will you do for a sprained ankle in Spruce Woods, or to soothe a sunburn in at Rockin’ the Fields of Minnedosa? Squeeze this Instant-Cold pack for instant-cold relief for a multitude of conditions, wherever you need it.

Pepto Bismol Chewable Tablets

While you can’t take the entire medicine cabinet with you wherever you go, you can ensure that you have a treatment for almost any stomach malady at the ready by having a couple of these chewable tablets on hand. You get the multi-symptom benefits of Pepto-Bismol in individually wrapped chewable tablets that are easy to travel with.

Option+ Polyderm Ointment

Kids don’t seem to worry about scraping their knees up a little in the summer, but a skin infection from a dirty abrasion can ruin a summer holiday quickly. Put some of this ointment on under a band-aid to speed healing and prevent infection from common cuts and scrapes.

Sunscreen

Packing a travel-sized sunscreen in with your first aid kit makes a lot of sense. So many sunburns occur when people realize too late that they “forgot the sunscreen”. Picking up a small bottle and keeping it in the car with the first aid kit can save you a lot of pain later on.

The Canadian Red Cross has developed a handy first aid app with simple, step-by-step instructions guide you through everyday first aid scenarios while you’re on the road or at home. Click for details https://www.redcross.ca/training-and-certification/first-aid-tips-and-resources/first-aid-app

 
 
Mark Mercure is certified by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties in Geriatric Pharmacy and is the owner/manager of Home Health Care Pharmacy. He specializes in providing comprehensive medication reviews which help patients optimize medication use and avoid drug-related issues.