Emergency First Aid Supplies

Torey

First aid kits come in such a variety of sizes, sometimes with a very different selection of supplies. They can be everything from small pouch types for hiking or full-on paramedic style bags. You need to choose one that is the best for you and your family and the situations in which the kit(s) might be used.

Larger kits would be for people who might live in quite remote areas and may have to depend on themselves for longer periods than people who are less remote. Anyone with medical training is apt to have a larger first aid kit (jump kit) or medical bag. The Grow Network Medicine Bag is a good place to start if you are making your own. It’s a great size for travelling or emergency evacuation.

All first aid kits should be personalized for the people who are going to be using it the most. But it should have the most basic first aid supplies and then customize it from there. If you are more familiar with herbal medicines or homeopathics, then carry those in your bag. If you are more comfortable using OTC (or prescription) medications, then by all means use those. An emergency is no time to be learning about new things. If you require live-saving or sustaining medications, make sure you carry enough with you for at least a couple of days.

Basic Supplies for any First Aid Kit: Disposable gloves, Bandaids in an assortment of sizes, gauze pads - Telfa (non-stick) are best, in an assortment of sizes, tape, field dressings (aka pressure dressing or compress dressing), triangular bandages, moleskin, antiseptic wipes, pain relievers, 81mg Aspirin, small scissors (manicure type scissors work well), tweezers, plastic re-sealable bags, small knife, lighter. These items will fit into a utility belt pouch or fanny pack for short walks or foraging trips.

A mid-size First Aid Kit (add to the above items): tension (Ace) bandage(s), crepe bandages, cling bandage (aka VetWrap), blister pads, safety pins, magnifying glass, small flashlight, antiseptic wash or spray, antiseptic cream or salve, pocket (CPR) mask, saline (comes in individual use tubes or a larger container, depending on the size of kit you are making).

Larger First Aid Kits would add in: Abdominal pads (these come in a variety of sizes) for bleeding, extra field dressings, tourniquet, additional triangular bandages, speed straps, butterfly sutures, larger selection of gauze or Telfa pads, roller gauze, eye pad & ring pad, burn dressing, crash scissors, eye cup, SAM splints, immobility device (neck collar), instant hot & cold packs, blanket.

Depending on your personal (and/or family) needs for medication or for those you might encounter, you may want to include: an epipen and/or an antihistamine, anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS), glucose, antacids, throat lozenges, anti-diarrheals, anti-nausea meds and any personal medications or prescriptions.

You never know where you might be in an emergency. Many people have multiple first aid kits (in different sizes) that are left in vehicles or at their place of work in addition to an emergency travel kit and home first aid storage.

Include a list of emergency phone numbers in your first aid kit. It could be taped to the inside of your first aid kit or make small laminated cards to carry in your kits. Poison Control, Hospital, Doctor (or other practitioner), Emergency Contacts (you would be surprised at how quickly your memory can fail when in stressful or emergency situations).

Making up small first aid kits for kids is a great way to make them feel more secure, responsible and independent. A small fanny pack can easily be customized depending on age and skills, with specialty-design bandaids (cartoon characters, glow in the dark, etc.), moleskin, gauze pads, wipes, hand sanitizer, cough lozenges, whistle and the following where age appropriate, a small container of an anti-sting cream (Kids After-bite), small container of herbal salve (or Polysporin), sunscreen, small pair of blunt scissors, tweezers, triangular bandage and field dressing.

If you have pets, you may want to have a pet first aid kit.

Keep a first aid manual in your kit. It’s helpful if you are not accustomed to doing first aid on a regular basis or for someone else on scene who may need the prompting of a first aid manual. There are ones designed for all ages and skill levels.

Taking a First Aid course is part of being prepared for an emergency. You can take a basic course and then proceed from there to your comfort level. Doc Jones’ Herbal First Aid course is an excellent choice as is 7Song’s Herbal First Aid course. The Red Cross, St. John’s Ambulance, the Heart & Stroke Foundation and several other providers offer a variety of first aid courses depending on the needs for your individual situation.

Online courses are no substitute for in-person practical courses, however, they are a good introduction to the subjects that will be covered in a regular course.

https://www.firstaidforfree.com/free-first-aid-course/   

https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/first-aid/first-aid-training/first-aid-online

Kids can learn first aid just as easily and there are courses designed for various age levels. Simple skills can easily be taught at home.

https://learn.eartheasy.com/articles/teaching-my-child-first-aid-6-essentials/

monica197

Great resources - thank you for posting.

monica197

The free online first aid course is definitely something I would like to go through

Torey

@monica197 Good place to start. It will give you a basic intro to first aid and let you see if it is something that you would like to get more training in. Knowledge helps reduce the panic level in high stress situations.

kbmbillups1

Thanks! I've been making a first aid kit for us that has your first level in it as well as some of the others. I've been buying extra homeopathy remedies and herbs and I've made a few tinctures to make salves to put in it. I also added iodine to mine. Just a bottle I'd almost used up and added a little more to have just in case.

I bought a large bandage first aid kit for my daughter to take to college since she's an RA. Wouldn't you know she hadn't been there too long and a girl fell in the shower somehow and skinned her knee. My daughter said the girl was so glad she had those knee size bandages. I sent another kit with her that's a smaller version of the one I'm making for home just for her.

It's always a good idea to have a first aid kit on hand but these days I think it's more important than ever!

JennyT Upstate South Carolina

Thanks for the lists on what to pack in the kits @torey .

With holiday school breaks upon us, this will be the perfect time for me to go through some of those free classes and put our first aid bags together.😊

SuperC

@torey these ideas are inspirational. I love making small first aid kits, and I include a simple sewing kit; sewing needles of various thicknesses, colored threads of black and white including fishing line, a few buttons, scissors, a pliers, two small screwdrivers; phillips and standard, safety pins, all placed into a watertight waterproof container. Easy to carry in a daypack.

JennyT Upstate South Carolina

@SuperC I like your thoughts on the additions to your emergency kits.😊

Torey

Not sure how I forgot to add this to the list. Masks. Many people seem to have personal cloth masks these days. You can use the paper masks that are available everywhere at the moment or if you are concerned about being in a large group of people who may be infected, you might want to buy one of the N95 masks. I carry extra bandanas in my bags as they have multiple uses. Great sweat bands; I have an issue with sweat running in my eyes when I am working in the heat. They help with smoke, although if you are in dense smoke you will want an N95 or a P100 respirator. Be aware that these two types of masks have expiry dates.

Torey

7Song has just added the following post to his website. It is called the Vehicle Herbal First Aid Kit but this could be any emergency herbal first aid kit. Lots of good advice in here.

https://secureservercdn.net/198.71.233.35/039.b3c.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/The-Vehicle-Herbal-First-Aid-Kit.pdf

Thanks, 7Song!

VermontCathy

One thing I highly recommend is Leukotape. It's extremely sticky, and sticks to your skin strongly. It's the perfect treatment for blisters, especially on your feet. When you have to put your shoes back on and keep walking, it really helps to have Leukotape on the hot spots before they develop into full blisters. Hikers and backpackers swear by it.

Torey

@VermontCathy I had never heard of Leukotape before. I've always used moleskin. After a bit of research, I will be looking for a roll of this to add to my bag. It seems to have multiple uses. But I have seen some cautions about using it once a blister has already formed; the tape might tear the skin and rip the blister open when removing. I watched a video that showed putting a scrap of toilet paper over the blister before applying the Leukotape, to prevent tearing the skin. I'm kind of partial to the blister bandaids as well. But they aren't so multi-purpose and are much more expensive. Same with the moleskin; a roll of tape is much cheaper.

Definitely a good thing to have in a hiker's emergency first aid kit.

VermontCathy

Moleskin has its uses, but it's somewhat old school in the hiker community.

Leukotape is thinner and stickier than moleskin. I've had problems with moleskin refusing to stay stuck to the problem area, and once it comes loose in your sock, it becomes a source of more problems.