First aid at home: essentials to keep on hand
On the eve of World First Aid Day, the Red Cross emphasizes that a useful first aid kit relies primarily on simple, accessible, and regularly checked supplies.
World First Aid Day falls on Saturday, September 12, 2026. This occasion serves as a reminder that a well-stocked first aid kit at home can help clean a wound, cover a minor burn, or protect an injury while waiting for appropriate medical attention.
In Benin, the Red Cross has further enhanced local training this year. In February, 144 elderly individuals and their caregivers were trained in basic first aid techniques in Dogbo, Ifangni, and Aguégués, with sessions focused on how to respond to someone who is breathing, not breathing, or showing signs of a stroke.
For a family first aid kit, the French Red Cross first recommends essential care and protection items. Sterile dressings, bandages of various sizes, adhesive tape, elastic bandages, disposable latex-free gloves, a thermometer, scissors, and tweezers form a useful foundation for everyday minor accidents.
The kit can be supplemented with saline solution for cleaning eyes or wounds, antiseptic dressings, a hydrogel for superficial burns, an instant cold pack, a compression bandage, and a survival blanket. A card with emergency contacts and a relative’s phone number can also prevent the need to search for a number at a critical moment.
The kit should be easily accessible to adults but out of reach of children. The Red Cross advises storing it in a dry place, protected from heat and humidity, with regular checks on the condition of the supplies and expiration dates.
Having the right materials does not replace the need to learn first aid techniques. World First Aid Day, held annually on the second Saturday of September, emphasizes the importance of public training. The Beninese Red Cross has already increased these training sessions in several municipalities, while the Beninese Ministry of Labor reminds that household accidents, fainting, and burns are situations where an appropriate response can make a difference before specialized help arrives.
A ten-minute check is sufficient to identify missing items, remove expired products, and ensure the kit is stored in a location known to the entire family. Its contents should then be tailored to the ages of household members, any prescribed treatments, and the most common risks at home.
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