Back St. Louis (Friday, June 28, 2002) – American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter health and safety expert, Ed Carty, recommends including a First Aid kit in any summer plans -- from vacations to backyard BBQs. “Making a First Aid kit can be a great family project,” said Carty. First Aid kits come in many shapes and sizes, and can be found pre-made at a local drug store or though the St. Louis Area Chapter “Homemade kits allow you to personalize the contents with colored gauze and bandages for kids, or special-care items for infants or grandparents vacationing with you. It’s a good idea to have First Aid kits for a variety of places including your home, office or automobile,” adds Carty. Whether store-bought or homemade, First Aid kits should include all the items you need to be prepared for emergencies, including personal items, such as medications and emergency phone numbers, or items your physician may suggest. “Remember to check the kit regularly to make sure flashlight batteries work, and out-of-date contents are replaced,” said Carty. First Aid kits should be stored in secure places, away from young children. Listed below are some recommended items for a First Aid kit: • First Aid Tape • Antibacterial Ointment • Disposable Gloves • Rescue Breathing Barrier • Bandages (assorted sizes) • Blanket • Cold Pack • Sterile Dressings (assorted sizes) • Gauze Pads and Roller Gauze (assorted sizes) • Hand Wipes • Hand Sanitizer • Pencil and Notepad • Plastic Bags • Safety Pins • Scissors and Tweezers • Small Flashlight and Extra Batteries • SOS Banner • Triangular Bandages In addition to vacations and trips to the community pool, many families look for reliable and responsible babysitters this time of year. The St. Louis Area Chapter Red Cross has many programs deigned to help keep summer days safe, including babysitting training for youth 11 and older; learn-to-swim lessons for people of all ages; and CPR and First Aid classes for anyone from soccer coaches to boy scouts to CEO’s. Information on cost, times and locations of all these activities can be found on the St. Louis Area Chapter web site: www.redcrossstl.org or by calling 314-516-2740. About the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter Founded in 1917, the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter provides emergency and preparedness assistance to more than 354,000 St. Louis-area residents each year. The Red Cross depends on the efforts of 14,700 volunteers and 150 staff to provide a wide range of community support services, including disaster relief, first aid and CPR training, water safety, adult daytime professional care, services to military personnel, assistance to homeless families, and support for blood services. The Chapter provides programs and services to St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County and Jefferson County in Missouri, as well as Monroe, St. Clair and part of Madison County in Illinois.

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