June 2025 — Summer in Idaho means road trips, camping, lake days, and more time spent outdoors. This also means more opportunity for scrapes, stings, sunburns, and unexpected injuries. Whether you’re headed across town or into the mountains, keeping a well-stocked first aid kit with you is a simple but important way to be prepared for anything the season brings.
Most drugstores sell pre-filled first aid kits, but not all of them will include everything you need. First, make sure you have a kit filled with the basics:
- A variety of adhesive bandages
- Butterfly bandages to hold cuts together (When you’re back in town, walk in to a Primary Health clinic to see if the cut needs stitches)
- Antiseptic wipes or clean water and soap
- Antibiotic ointment (such as Polysporin or Bacitracin)
- Sterile gauze pads of different sizes
- Adhesive tape
- Tweezers
These essentials can handle common minor injuries like cuts, scrapes, and splinters. From there, start to tailor your kit to summer-specific activities. Some suggestions include:
- Antihistamine cream or pills for bug bites or mild allergic reactions
- Insect repellent for mosquitoes and ticks
- Travel-size sunscreen
- Ear drops to help prevent ear infections from trapped water after swimming
- Disposable ice packs for sprains or bites
- Elastic bandages to reduce swelling of an injured area or stabilize loose joints
- Disposable gloves to keep injuries clean
- Nail clippers for unexpected foot injuries from sandals or bare feet
If you’re planning activities far from accessible medical care, such as camping, hiking, or biking, you may want to prepare for bigger emergencies as well. Consider also adding a:
- Flashlight
- Blanket
- Cooling towels
- Multipurpose tool
- Trauma shears or medical scissors to cut tape or clothing
- Basic trauma supplies such as a tourniquet or splint
- Hydration packets such as oral rehydration salts or electrolyte drink mixes
- A CPR mask for emergency CPR situations to help get air into a person’s lungs until help arrives
Before every trip, take a moment to check your kit. Replace anything that’s been used, check medication expiration dates, and make sure your flashlight batteries still work. Being outdoors is one of the best parts of summer, so take the time to prep so an injury can’t slow you down!
Whether you rely on your well-stocked first aid kit or need to visit a clinic, Primary Health is always here to help. We have multiple urgent care locations where you can book an appointment online or view our Patient Waiting feature to walk in and find the shortest line for the fastest care.