Aid Kits People Small Cloth Giving Box Things

In the United States, many people have a "first aid kit," or a small box that has the things people need to provide first aid when someone gets hurt. A first aid kit is usually a white plastic or metal box with a red "cross" (a shape like a plus sign "+") painted on it, because a red cross is a "symbol" (an image that represents something else) for first aid.

Many people keep their first aid kits in the bathroom, usually in the "medicine cabinet" (a small mirrored cupboard above the bathroom sink). Other people carry them in the "glove box" (a small drawer in front of the front-seat passenger) of their cars. Most school busses, classrooms, and offices also have first aid kits to "handle" (manage and control) emergencies.

First aid kits have all the basic "supplies" (medicines and other things that are needed) for providing first aid. These include "bandages" (small pieces of cloth that are used to cover a wound and make it stop bleeding), "gauze" (white cotton cloth that is used to clean up blood), and "medical tape" (sticky cloth or paper used to put the bandages and gauze on the body). First aid kits also have scissors to cut the bandages, gauze, and medical tape.

Other supplies in first aid kits include basic medicines, like ibuprofen and aspirin for pain and "antibiotic" (bacteria-fighting) creams for cuts and scrapes. "Hot/cold packs" are small packets of chemicals that can be used to make something hot or cold almost immediately, and are used for "sprained joints" (ankles, elbows, and knees that are hurt by bending the wrong way). Finally, first aid kits usually have "instructions" (written details for doing something) for performing CPR.