A First Aid Kit is a critical survival tool, but it’s one of the most frequently overlooked categories of survival equipment. Without the kit and its included supplies, many injuries that occur in survival scenarios would be exceedingly difficult to treat.

I think of each First Aid Kit as a survival kit in and of itself. Yes, the medical supplies therein can help you survive, but why stop there? Even the smallest of my First Aid Kits have fire-starting equipment, like matches and lighters. They also have shelter items like space blankets or at least garbage bags to improvise shelter. 

I have been using a VooDoo Tactical M3 Medical Bag for the past nine months, and have found it to be very effective at keeping my gear in good order through wilderness skills classes and household emergencies. The bag has three pouches, the largest of which contains my headlamp and non-latex medical gloves right on top where I can get them quickly; all of the other big pieces of gear are underneath. The medium-size pouch has all my swabs, bandages and Band Aids within easy reach. The smallest pouch contains all my meds and creams and ointments.

Items in my First Aid bag:
1) 10 Alcohol swabs – to prevent infection

2) 1 Medium tube of antibiotic cream – to prevent infection

3) 4 Burn gel packets – for burn relief and to keep bandages from sticking to the burn

4) 4 Sugar packets – for diabetic sugar regulation

5) 40 Assorted Band Aids – to bandage wounds

6) 6 Blister patches or moleskin – to bandage wounds

7) 2 Small rolls of waterproof tape – to bandage wounds

8) 10 Small gauze pads (4” x 4”) – to bandage wounds

9) 8 Small non-stick gauze pads (4” x 4”) – to bandage wounds, especially burns

10) 6 Large gauze pads – to bandage wounds

11) 2 Gauze rolls – to bandage wounds

12) Ace Bandage – to apply pressure to wounds, and to immobilize joints and limbs

13) SAM Splint – to immobilize joints and limbs

14) 12 Acetaminophen tablets – for pain, inflammation and fever

15) 12 Ibuprofen tablets – for pain, inflammation and fever

16) 12 Aspirin tablets – for pain and heart attack treatment

17) 10 Anti-diarrhea tablets – for treating the symptoms of bacterial, viral or protozoa-caused diarrhea 

18) 10 Antacid tablets – for stomach upset

19) 10 Antihistamine tablets – for cold, allergies and allergic reactions

20) 8 Butterfly strips – to bandage wounds

21) Razor blade – as an emergency cutting tool

22) Bug bite stick  – for sting and bite relief 

23) 10 Pairs non-latex gloves – for the prevention of contamination

24) 1 Kwik Clot wound dressing – to control severe bleeding

25) EMT shears – to cut clothing and bandages

26) Wound irrigation device or eye wash – to remove debris from the eyes and rough or deep wounds

27) Glass thermometer – to determine body temperature for fever, hypothermia and heat-related illness

28) 1 Large needle – to dig out splinters, and to lance boils and other sealed infections

29) 1 Book of matches & 2 lighters – for emergency fire starting and heat sanitization of metal equipment

30) Tweezers – to remove splinters and foreign objects

31) Space Blanket – for emergency shelter and shock management

Comments (3)

from Bob Hansen 9/22/2011 at 01:41pm

Excellent advice.

QuikClot is a useful blood-stoppong tool. I prefer to get mine as part of a larger trauma pack...for about the same price...!! Available from larger outdoor stores, such as Cabela's, etc.

For larger/deeper cuts I prefer strips of good old duct tape for closures. Some band-aid manufacturers like Johnson & Johnson also make some band-aids that stick like glue and could be used for closures (not lengthwise, but ACROSS the wound).

Bob Hansen/Pathfinder1

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from charliedakota 8/26/2011 at 05:34pm

My wife's dietition suggested carrying a tube of frosting (use for trim on cakes) and packaged peanut butter crackers. The former is to treat for low blood sugar and is too sweet for snacking, the latter to prevent rebound from the sugar jolt - the peanut butter is a protein source.

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from sbemke 8/3/2011 at 10:22am

Good stuff, but one question. I'm no survival expert, but I guess I question packing a roll of Tums for your survival kit. Guess my thinking would be a little heartburn would be the least of my worries in a survival situation.

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from sbemke 8/3/2011 at 10:22am

Good stuff, but one question. I'm no survival expert, but I guess I question packing a roll of Tums for your survival kit. Guess my thinking would be a little heartburn would be the least of my worries in a survival situation.

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from charliedakota 8/26/2011 at 05:34pm

My wife's dietition suggested carrying a tube of frosting (use for trim on cakes) and packaged peanut butter crackers. The former is to treat for low blood sugar and is too sweet for snacking, the latter to prevent rebound from the sugar jolt - the peanut butter is a protein source.

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from Bob Hansen 9/22/2011 at 01:41pm

Excellent advice.

QuikClot is a useful blood-stoppong tool. I prefer to get mine as part of a larger trauma pack...for about the same price...!! Available from larger outdoor stores, such as Cabela's, etc.

For larger/deeper cuts I prefer strips of good old duct tape for closures. Some band-aid manufacturers like Johnson & Johnson also make some band-aids that stick like glue and could be used for closures (not lengthwise, but ACROSS the wound).

Bob Hansen/Pathfinder1

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