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Self-Reliance #1: The Essential First-Aid Kit

The comforts of modern society and medicine can cause us to forget the underrated importance of a personal First-Aid kit.

I think explaining what a good First-Aid kit looks like is a strong starting point for my first self-reliance article on SUPP UP. Social.

I like to keep one of these at home, two in each of my vehicles (one in the main area of the vehicle and another in the trunk), and one in a basic emergency kit. If you have any elderly or vulnerable family, I recommend putting one together for them as well.

Spare yourself the expense of buying a fancy bag. A simple rip away med bag will do just fine – it’s small enough to tuck under your driver’s seat, bathroom storage, or in any decent size backpack without being obtrusive. Though small, these bags can pack away plenty and you can tailor the contents of your med bag how you want. Get one that isn’t black, so it’s easy to spot/direct someone to in case of an emergency.

For starters, here are some core items include in it:

  1. Painkillers of your choice

  2. Caffeine tablets (handy if you have a long haul drive and don’t want to stop for coffee)

  3. Disposable surgical gloves (x2 pairs)

  4. Medical face masks

  5. Medical Scissors / Trauma Shears

  6. Tweezers

  7. Eyedropper (glass is best, works great for irrigating eyes and other uses)

  8. Thermometer

  9. Safety pins (various sizes)

  10. Pen light (with pupil gauge)

  11. Matches (quick option for sterilizing needles)

  12. Sewing needles (for splinters etc)

  13. Mouthpiece for protection when performing CPR

  14. Instant Cold Packs

  15. Bandages of various sizes (fabric ones are the most durable, but waterproof are also good)

  16. Hydrocolloid gel bandages (various sizes)

  17. Burn bandages

  18. Steri-strips

  19. Butterfly bandages

  20. Elastic bandages/wraps

  21. Hydrogel for cuts

  22. 10 cm x 10 cm (5 in x 5 in) gauze pads

  23. 2.5 cm (1 in) adhesive tape roll

  24. Roll of absorbent cotton

  25. Square piece of cloth (you can cut this into 2 triangular pieces to use as a sling or cut into additional straps or bandages)

  26. Q-tips / cotton-tipped swabs

  27. Eye wash (Optrex works best)

  28. Saline Eye Drops

  29. Calamine Lotion

  30. Iodine (antiseptic solution)

  31. Bacitracin Ointment (for scrapes, cuts, wounds involving punctures)

  32. Charcoal capsules or powder (helps remove toxins/poisons from the system)

  33. Anti-histamines (for allergic reactions)

  34. A pocket size first-aid guide to study and refer back to often.

  35. In consideration of women, I’d also add to the list a couple of sanitary items – tampons, pads, wet wipes, etc.

It may seem like a long list but those who are familiar know these items will easily fit into your med bag.

For any of the liquids (iodine, hydrogen peroxide, etc) I like to use 10 ml and 30 ml plastic squeeze dropper bottles and label them accordingly. They provide enough without bulking the bag out too much.

Interested in sharing a self-reliance article as a member of SUPP UP. Social? Let me know and I’ll consider it for publishing! Contact me on Moderator@supp-up.social.

Until next time…

- Sol

Stop doing guesswork, start making self-reliance easier.

Self-Reliance #1: The Essential First-Aid Kit is an article from SUPP UP. Social.

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