In a major emergency, you should call 911, but there are plenty of other emergencies that you may try to handle at home. That means everyone needs a good first aid kit.

Local 4 Dr. Frank McGeorge shared what he has in his personal first aid kit and what he thinks everyone should have in theirs.

McGeorge said the kit can be any container, but it should be light and durable, with compartments to keep everything organized and a handle for easy carrying.

To care for cuts and other injuries, McGeorge recommended at least ten sterile gauze pads, two rolls of large roll gauze, tape, antibiotic ointment, and wraps to clean a wound and cover it so you can get to an emergency room.

An assortment of Band-Aids is important, but you only need a few of each size.

McGeorge also recommended at least one pair of non-latex gloves, a mask that can be used to do rescue breathing, and antiseptic wipes to protect yourself from blood or other fluids.

Bleeding can be a serious problem. McGeorge said especially for larger cuts, holding pressure with gauze will work, but he also keeps two new products in his first aid kit that are even more effective. Quick Clot and Kytostat are special chemically-treated dressings that help blood clot instantly. McGeorge said these products are so good that the U.S. military uses them in combat for wounded soldiers.

Serious burns can be covered with damp sterile gauze, but there are also special dressings that help cool the area and minimize injury.

Almost every first aid kit includes a triangle bandage. McGeorge said it's really just a large piece of cloth you can use to make a sling, cover an injury, or hold on a larger wound to control bleeding.

McGeorge also recommended including tweezers to remove small splinters, big scissors to cut clothing or gauze, and safety pins to hold gauze in place.

The medications you need in your kit depend on what kind of medical problems you have. If you have allergies, you should have an antihistamine like Benadryl, and a spare epinephrine pen. If you have diabetes, you need candy or a source of sugar like Insta-glucose in case you sugar becomes low. Some pain medications are a good idea too. McGeorge said Tylenol and ibuprofen are ideal.

McGeorge said aspirin is one inexpensive item everyone should have in their first aid kit, but most people don't. McGeorge explained that aspirin is important because taking it immediately when you have symptoms of a heart attack or stroke is one of the simplest and most effective treatments to decrease the severity.

McGeorge also recommended parents of young children keep emergency charcoal on hand to treat a poisoning, but he cautioned you should only use it if instructed to do so by poison control.

McGeorge also keeps medical skin glue in his bag to close small cuts, but he said there is no reason you can't use Krazy Glue for the same purpose.

McGeorge said cold packs, thin particle board, and stretchy ace wraps to treat sprains or fractures are also worth including in your first aid kit.

To learn more about purchasing a first aid kit, click here.

To find more information about what to include in a first aid kit, click here.