First Aid Kits For The Outdoor Family

First Aid Kits For The Outdoor Family by Gary Benton
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Often, when I speak to groups, at schools, or with friends on the subject of survival, the most frequent question I get is “what do you eat in the woods,” followed closely by, “what if someone gets sick or hurt, then what can you do out there?” Well, the first question is easy to answer. I eat what I can find, trap, or brought with me, otherwise I go hungry. The second question is more difficult to answer; it’s not so cut and dry, because of many variables involved with injuries and illnesses. There isn’t a normal sized First Aid Kit made that is capable of handling any and all emergencies that can come up in the field. You have to be very selective about the kit you do have. Remember, you can experience anything from a heart attack to a broken back, but most of the injuries you treat will be burns, scrapes, punctures and cuts. So, doesn’t it make sense to have a First Aid Kit that will handle the most common injuries?

When you choose a First Aid Kit, keep in mind that you wont be using it at home, but in the field. Unlike a controlled and safer environment, like your home, in the woods you may have severe weather conditions, darkness, poor hygiene, and the list goes on. If you are in a survival situation you may also have a lack of food, deep psychological concerns such as fatigue, anxiety, fear, paranoid thoughts, and a basic want and need for additional medical supplies.

There are two options when it comes to a First Aid Kit for you and your family. You can buy a ready-made kit, or you can make one. First, let’s look at commercial First Aid Kits, and evaluate their strengths, and weaknesses from a field use viewpoint.

Commercial kits are easy to obtain, they can be purchased in almost any sporting goods section of larger department stores, and they come in various sizes and price ranges. It’s been my experience with most commercial First Aid Kits that you don’t always get what you pay for. Most kits contain only one or two of each item, such as over the counter painkillers, various bandages, gauze, band-aids, and so on. Now, if your trip into Mother Nature’s backyard is only over night, this kit may work just fine, but for longer stays, and with a normal sized family, it usually won’t do the job. One of the biggest drawbacks with a commercial First Aid Kit is the small and generally inadequate instruction manual or pamphlet that comes in every kit. The writing is usually very small print, which means us older people may have problems reading the fine print, and even those with perfect eyes may have problems reading it, especially in less than adequate light. So, what are your options? I say make your own First Aid Kit so you will not only know what is in the kit but how to use the contents. Items you cannot use safely and with complete confidence are not only useless but also potentially dangerous.

Never, take a First Aid Kit into the field without knowing the contents of your kit before the trip.

If you can do so avoid military surplus medical kits unless you are very familiar with first aid components. Many surplus kits may be years old, twenty years or more, and the contents may not only be obsolete they may have expired. Most military First Aid Kits are designed for particular areas of the world, desert, jungle, arctic, etc., and aren’t very good for general use. Surplus kits may have components you don’t need or even know how to use properly, such as a tourniquet or snakebite kit. These are usually found in older military First Aid Kits. I usually buy military First Aid Kits just to use the container, usually rigid and very tough, just to pack my own components in. While the low price of surplus kits may tempt you to purchase one, buyers beware!

I won’t address all of the individual contents of a First Aid Kit, you can find thousands of those online or in most good first aid books, but make sure the contents are what you will need for your trip. Instead, let’s discuss a few questions you should ask yourself before you start building a kit.

Who will carry the kit or where will it be stored? It is important for you to determine this in advance. First Aid Kits carried in the car are not the same type of kit usually carried in the field. While car First Aid Kits can be used in the field, they are usually too big, heavy, and bulky to carry backpacking, hiking, fishing, or hunting. If you are camping near your car, like you might do in a designated public camping spot, then use the car kit. But, if you are away from your vehicle, I suggest the group leader carry the primary group First Aid Kit, and each individual carry a small kit for personal use. This personal kit should contain a few band-aids, disinfectants, gauze pads, soap, and so on for very minor scratches, cuts, and other minor injuries.

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