First Aid Kit
Your First Aid Kit
For Coaches & Parents
Every youth coach should have a very basic sideline first-aid kit. You should have this at each training session and game. Remember that this is not meant to be used for comprehensive treatment, but only for immediate sideline first aid.
THE ABSOLUTE BARE MINIMUM SUPPLIES:
- Instant cold packs (have several of these!)
- Adhesive bandages of assorted shapes and sizes.
- Blister care.
- ACE bandages (3-inch and 4-inch sizes).
- Disposable non-latex gloves (use when you are looking at a cut or abrasion).
- Alcohol-based gel hand sanitizer (for your own hands).
- Antibiotic ointment (individual packets or a tube of Bacitracin works well).
- Sterile gauze bandages.
- Sterile gauze roll.
- Sterile saline bottle (to gently wash dirt or grass from a cut).
- Saline rinse bottle and Hibiclens bottle (very effective and not painful to clean an abrasion or cut).
- Athletic tape (1-inch and 2-inch sizes).
- Paramedic scissors.
- Hydrogen peroxide — to get blood off a uniform.
- Plastic bags to dispose of used gauze, etc.
HERE ARE A FEW EXTRAS THAT ARE NICE TO HAVE:
- Foam underwrap.
- Finger splints (popsicle sticks work well).
- CPR instructions and plastic ventilation mask.
- Watertight bags to keep items dry.
FIRST-AID KIT CONTENTS
Listed below are what a sports first aid should contain. Go through this list carefully, and make a decision to include or exclude these items from your medical kit. Have a medical professional teach you how to take care of your players, so that when the time comes, you will know how to apply a Steri-Strip to close a wound, mold a Sam Splint to support a sprained wrist, or use a pocket mask to perform rescue breathing.
- Instant cold packs (have several of these!)
- Adhesive bandages of assorted shapes and sizes.
- Blister care.
- ACE bandages (3-inch and 4-inch sizes).
- Disposable non-latex gloves (use when you are looking at a cut or abrasion).
- Alcohol-based gel hand sanitizer (for your own hands).
- Antibiotic ointment (individual packets or a tube of Bacitracin works well).
- Sterile gauze bandages.
- Sterile gauze roll.
- CPR mouth barrier or pocket mask (such as a Microshield X-L Mouth Barrier*)
- Sterile (hypoallergenic or latex) surgical gloves (at least 2 pair); if you are allergic to latex, bring nonlatex, synthetic, nonpermeable gloves.
- Instant chemical cold pack(s)
- Ziploc* bags (to hold ice for ice packs)
- Rescue blanket
- Cell phone
- Medical release forms
- List of emergency phone numbers (paramedics, hospital emergency room)
