The summer season is fast approaching, and with it the typical list of skinned knees and elbows, bug bites and sunburns. Sometimes something more serious happens as well though – would you be prepared to assist if someone nearby broke an arm or leg, or was in some other way seriously injured? In order to be prepared for these minor cuts and bumps as well as for more serious personal injuries, it is important to have sufficient first aid supplies as well as skills.

It’s important not only to have plenty of first aid supplies, but to have the right ones – many kits may include hydrogen peroxide for sterilizing cuts and scratches as well as syrup of ipecac for administration in the even of poisoning. Although these are sometimes considered “traditional wisdom” both come with cautions – health experts point out that hydrogen peroxide does not necessarily kill bacteria as is widely believed, and for some types of wounds it has been proven to actually slow healing.