Building a complete First Aid Kit

 A first aid kit is an absolute essential for preparing for any emergency situation. There are many different levels of first aid kits. The kit can be as simple as cold packs and Band-Aids or all the way up to tourniquets and suture packs, it all depends on your skill set and comfort levels. First aid kits are worth their weight in gold when certain situations arise, some places I like to keep first aid kits are at home, vehicle, garage, and even in a backpack I carry everywhere I go. I will go over some of the items that are imperative to have to prepare for the unknown. My goal is to help you get together a first aid kit no matter the need!

Some different categories for first include medical diagnostic tools, cuts and soft tissue care, burns and blisters, bones and joints, burns and blisters, feminine hygiene, menstruation, pregnancy, dental kit, medications, and various medical tools. A great thing about being prepared for a variety of things is that a lot of the preparedness items overlap.

Let’s start off by laying out one of the biggest and often overlooked categories. 

Personal Protective Equipment

1. Medical gloves

2. Face shields 

3. Safety glasses

4. CPR protective shields

5. Surgical mask

Some items don’t really have one specific category although serve useful for many things.

1. Trauma shears

2. Cotton balls/swabs

3. Gauze pads

• 4x4 gauze pads

• 6x6 gauze pads

4. Medical tape

5. Rolled gauze

6. Z fold gauze ( 4.5” x 4 yrds)

7. White petroleum jelly

8. General medical reference guide

9. Isopropyl alcohol 70%

10. Alcohol prep pads

11. Safety pins

12. Mylar emergency blankets

Medications to have incorporated into your first aid kids can be as little or as much. It depends on what type of situation you’re preparing for. This is another area when you can really “go all out” on stocking up your own personal pharmacy. I do know from personal experience that having some medications in bulk and on hand is very convenient when multiple family member are sick at the same time and requiring the same medication and you don’t have to run out to the store. Also a drug reference guide is a valuable thing to have on hand as well

1. Personal prescriptions 

2. Condition specific needs

3. Acetaminophen (Tylenol)

4. Ibuprofen (Motrin/Advil)

5. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)

6. Pepto-Bismol pills

7. Hydrocortisone cream

8. Calamine lotion

9. Aspercreme

10. Lidocaine cream

11. Broad-spectrum antibiotics ( doxycycline, Bactrim)

12. Honey

13. Aloe gel

14. Dramamine Non-drowsy

15. Sudafed

16. Mucinex

17. Electrolyte powders / Pedialyte

18. Caffeine ( No-Doz )

19. Afrin

20. Saline eye wash (1 quart per person)

21. Tums

22. Pepcid

23. Gas-x

24. Metamucil

25. Imodium

26. Dulcolax

27. Aspirin Bayer chewable

28. Buesondine

29. Naproxen sodium/Aleve

30. Antihistamines (Zyrtec, Allegra, Claritin)

31. Zinc

32. Vitamin C, vitamin D, multivitamins

33. Vicks vapor rub

Other extreme medication preps would include alternative antibiotics such as Keflex and azithromycin (z-pack), ciprofloxacin and metronidazole. The last medications I would think about possibly adding are a personally prescribed pain killers.

Medical diagnostic tools can literally be a life saver. Simple, affordable, and easy to learn. Here are some of the items you should add to the first aid kit.

1. Thermometers

2. Stethoscope

3. Otoscope

4. Blood pressure cuff

5. Blood glucose monitor and strips

6. Pulse oximeter

7. Pen light

8. Time keeping device

9. Writing materials ( pen, sharpie, waterproof paper)

10. Pregnancy tests

11. Blood group testing kits

It is very important to have the means to treat a multitude of bone injuries as well as joint injuries. When preparing keep in mind the ability to successfully splint, brace or bandage can be a huge factor on safely moving someone. Let go over some must have items.

1. Coban rolls

2. Triangular bandages (large 45”x45”x63”)

3. Ace wrap bandage

4. Undercast padding

5. SAM splints

6. Reusable cold packs

7. Elastic ankle, knee, elbow, wrist, braces

8. Back brace

9. Adjustable crutches ( children and adult by height of members in the household)

10. Walker

11. Wheelchair

12. Vacuum splint kit with upper and lower body splints

The next area is one that once again you can really “go all out” on stocking up. If your household is anything like mine, get A LOT of Brand-aids! Cuts and soft tissue wounds can range from very minor to extreme cases like a gunshot wound.

1. Chest seals

2. Celox-A hemostatic agent with applicator

3. Pressure bandages

4. Tourniquets

5. Medical stapler and staple remover

6. Suture kit

7. Toothbrushes separate from dental kit

8. Magnifying glass

9. Tissue forceps

10. Kelly forceps

11. Dermabond (tissue glue) * very good to have around*

12. 5”x9” abdominal pads

13. Scalpel blades and handle

14. Tincture of benzoin

15. Steri-strips 

16. Butterfly wound strips

17. Tweezers

18. 60cc syringe with a 18ga tip

19. Most importantly a HUGE variety pack of Band-Aids!

Being prepared for different types of burns is just as important as treating a lesion or a broken bone. Having knowledge on the types and severities or burns is a great way to treat with good success. A burn kit should include but not be limited to the following.

1. Antiseptic spray

2. Antibiotic ointment

3. Aloe vera cream

4. Non-adhering gauze 

5. Burn gel

Blisters and rashes can also be a sub-category of this area. Some supplies to keep on hand are:

1. Straight needle and thread

2. Moleskin

3. Leukotape

4. Calamine lotion

An often overlooked category especially if the supplies are being looked over by a male are feminine hygiene, menstruation and pregnancy supplies. Just because certain situations arise there are many things that will continue to happen regardless the current events or our surroundings.

1. Menstrual pads 

2. Tampons

3. Monistat

4. Birth control ( condoms, pills, patches, diaphragms)

5. Midol

6. Pregnancy tests

7. Prenatal vitamins

8. Suction bulb

9. What to expect when you’re expecting or a similar book for new parents

10. Midwife reference guide

Have you ever had a tooth ache? Of course you have! Everyone has at some pinot and time. When you have dental problems or just special needs for dental care it only makes sense to prepare accordingly with dental tools and dental supplies!

1. Disinfectant mouthwash

2. Orajel

3. Dental mirror

4. Clove oil

5. Dental tool kit (explorer, sickle probe, number 23 explorer, shepherds hook)

6. Michigan O probe

7. Nabers probe

8. Paper clips

9. Extraction forceps

10. Dental cement

11. Dental wax

12. * if a family member had braces it is a wise decision to keep some good wire snips that are small strong and able to cut troublesome wires if needed

Last but not least I want to list some items that are other preparedness items that certainly assist with all medical categories.

1. Clean water (ways to filter and purify)

2. Head-lamp or lantern

3. Large body wet wipes

4. Hand sanitizer

5. Soap

6. Multi-tool

7. Eye and face protection

8. Respirator

9. Knife

10. Batteries ( throw away and rechargeable)

11. Lighter

12. Matches

13. Ferro rod

14. Bleach

15. Plastic cling wrap

16. *sunscreen*

17. Pen-light

18. Space heater

19. Wool blankets

20. Ability to boil water (pot portable stove or even  outdoor grill, wood stove)

If you have made it this far with me I want to thank you for taking the time to go over some of the most essential lifesaving first aid supplies. Start stocking some little by little for your emergency preparedness kit. Not all needs nor circumstances will all be the same but I hope these lists will help you just start somewhere!

 Lance Sheppard