How to Make a First-Aid Kit

Between several years as a medical assistant, at least four-time graduate of various first aid and CPR classes, and friend to half-dozen survivalists, I'm here to help you put together an extensive, yet relatively streamlined, first aid kit. You should, ideally, have these items in your home anyway. The only reason you may want to make up a separate "kit" for home would be if you live in tornado-alley, or if your area is prone to hurricanes. In which case, I recommend a briefcase, or briefcase-sized plastic container, with the following items, kept in a safe place. You may want to check out another of my articles, on "Hurricane Preparedness".

That being said, some sites or pamphlets will recommend a more-extensive first aid kit for travel, their reasoning being that you may not have a drugstore nearby if you're on the road. All fine and good, but I don't know anyone who lives in the back room of Wal-whatever, either. So except in the instances cited above, I recommend just the one travel-kit.

It should be left by the door, taken out to your vehicle when you leave and brought back in when you return home. Why? Many items will break down/lose efficiency if left in the heat of your vehicle. It's not that tough of a habit to get into; do it for a week, then see if you can make it down the block without thinking "I'm missing something..." if you should forget it. Your neighbors might think you're crazy, but if something bad DOES happen, wouldn't you rather be prepared?

A few things you should ALWAYS have in your vehicle: two gallons of water (one for you and one for the radiator; NEVER open the radiator cap on a hot vehicle, wait at least 20 minutes, and use a rag or paper towel), jumper cables, or better yet, a battery booster. This is a quite affordable item that will allow you to easily jump-start your car without someone else to help; check it regularly to be sure it's fully charged. A light-colored blanket, if you end up walking on the side of the road at night; comfortable shoes (ditto); a roll of paper towels; a few quarts of oil; a phone charger for your cell phone that plugs into your cigarette lighter; a change of clothes and a rain poncho, in case you get caught in a downpour by said side-of-the-road; and some high-nutrition snacks, like protein bars, trail mix, peanut butter crackers, and the like. Obviously a spare tire, jack, and tire iron. Personally, I also keep some Gatorade (for dehydration), a towel, a quart of vodka, and a bikini. One never knows when you'll be stranded by the side of the road, caught in a downpour, and you're rescued by a friend who's on their way to a pool party. Vodka is also dandy as an antiseptic, with a swig for the victim prior-to...it burns like crazy going on.

A briefcase makes a great first-aid kit, but a clear make-up bag will do, at least 8" x 11" (about the size of a standard sheet of paper), and 2-3 inches wide. The largest item in your first-aid kit will be a roll of duct tape: don't go nuts, a small roll will be fine. Good for taping up a busted hose under the hood, adhering a bandage, wrapping a splint, immobilizing a sprain or strain, or preventing a blister, this should NOT be left in the vehicle as heat compromises it's adhesiveness.

In a sandwich-size zippered baggy, keep some sterile non-stick gauze pads, 4" x 4", assorted adhesive bandages, and butterfly-style bandages for small but deep cuts; dental floss; an index card with emergency phone numbers plus the number for your nearest Poison Control Center, and a pre-paid phone card with a long expiration date (in case you lose or drench your cell phone). Put some extra baggies, IN another baggy, so they are kept as clean as possible. You may need them as a barrier for handling someone who is bleeding (put your hand inside the bag), for disposing of contaminated items, or for sealing shut what is known as a "sucking chest wound". Sounds scary, and it can be, but it happens more often than you'd want to think. Whether from a gunshot or knife wound, or even just someone tripping and falling on an unfortunately-located tree branch, if someone punctures their lung (fairly large organs in the chest, protected by the ribcage & a spongy piece of bone in the middle called the sternum), they're going to die if you can't stop the air from escaping when they're trying to breathe. Use your duct tape to seal the plastic bag over the hole in their chest (or side, or back) and they may survive, if there's not too much blood loss or internal bleeding.

Another quick point: wounds that are bleeding freely generally clean themselves of debris in the wound: don't go pouring alot of antibacterial liquid (or wasting your vodka) on these injuries. Apply pressure, get the bleeding stopped, wrap it, and get help. One appropriately-sized baggy should contain a good field-guide to first aid. I mention these few points just to drive them in. As in, the heart pumps blood, therefore if a limb that is held at a higher point than the heart, they won't bleed to death as quickly.

Invest in a few four-ounce "trial size" bottles: they'll be used to hold insect repellant, calamine lotion, anti-bacterial spray, and a good 4 doses of Pepto. These four items will save you from nausea, indigestion, gas, diarrhea, itching from bug bites or encounters with poison ivy, infection, and getting eaten by mosquitos. Not a bad deal. Also a tube of triple-antibiotic ointment, a great little multi-tasker, and a small bottle of aspirin (the headache you'll have for undergoing this nonsense, and possible heart-attack). In THIS bag, which should be quart-sized (and separate from bandages-zippy), you can also keep your tools: small scissors, tweezers (extricating splinters, ticks, etc), a sewing needle, and a couple of lighters.

You wondered earlier about the dental floss: yes, good dental care is important, but it's also why you have a sewing needle in with your tools. If push comes to shove, you might have to pull a Rambo-esque move, and put in a few stitches of your own. That lighter you have in your kit, use it to sterilize the needle first. If you're caught outdoors, you can use it to build a fire.

No matter what, try to stay calm in the event of an emergency, and you could save a life, possibly your own. You're very capable of doing so, with a little foresight.