First Aid Training
Everyone knows how to put on a bandaid, but in an emergency situation you can bet on needing to supply a lot more first aid than that. A fully loaded first aid kit is worthless unless someone knows how to use all the items it contains. From scratches to broken bones to severe burns, you'll have to do it all. Expecting to "just know how" when the time comes is expecting too much - you need to be trained and knowledgeable in first aid procedures. ACLS training may also prove to be required in an emergency situation.

Classes from the Red Cross are good introductions to basic skills. Their basic classes teach what to do with the expectation that emergency response is about 20 minutes away, which is the vast majority of the time. In a disaster, help may be hours or days away and you'll have to be a stand-in doctor. Advanced courses mostly intended for wilderness guides and emergency response personnel are available and chock full of great skills to know. Learning more advanced first aid skills is a good goal to have, regardless of your disaster planning.

First Aid Kit
There are hundreds and hundreds of different first aid kits that you can buy pre-packaged. Some are no more than a box of bandaids while others are practically a mini-hospital, and they cost as much. It is convenient and efficient to purchase kits, but can be much less expensive to purchase the materials and make up your own kits. Plan on having a family kit, personal kit for each person, and a vehicle kit in each car. Consider buying materials for a dozen kits and give them to neighbors or relatives as thoughtful Christmas presents!
Here is a comprehensive list of items to consider keeping in your emergency first aid kit, segregated and somewhat prioritized in each category:

Family Kit

• Medical Information
  • 1 Comprehensive guide to wilderness & travel medicine booklet
  • 1 Illustrated guide to life-treatening emergencies
• Essential Equipment
  • 1 pair of Goggles
  • 5 Pair nitrile (non-latex) gloves
  • 1 Emergency Rescue Blanket
  • 1 Dust Mask
  • 2 Sanitary Napkins
  • 1 tweezers
  • 1 sterile scalpel
  • sharp scissors
  • assorted safety pins
  • thermometer
  • your list of emergency phone numbers
  • 1 small bottle Purell hand sanitizer
  • CPR rescue breathing faceshield
  • needle and thread
  • medicine dropper
  • duct tape
  • 1 20cc. Irrigation syringe
  • 10 ZipLoc freezer bags - gallon size
• Bandage Materials
  • 20 Adhesive Bandages of various sizes
  • 5 Adhesive Patch Bandages Regular
  • 5 Adhesive Patch Bandages Large
  • 10 Knuckle Bandage
  • 10 Fingertip Bandage
  • 2 triangular bandages
  • 2 elastic wrap bandages for sprains
  • 10 2 x 2 sterile gauze pads
  • 10 3 x 3 sterile gauze pads
  • 10 4 x 4 sterile gauze pads
  • 2 rolls of sterile gauze
  • 1 Roll of 2" wide Adhesive Tape
  • 2 8x10 trauma pads
  • 2 eye pads
• Wound Management
  • antibiotic cream (triple-antibiotic ointment)
  • 12 Antiseptic Towelettes
  • 3 tincture of benzoin
  • 4 povidone iodine antiseptic solution (1oz)
  • 2 disposable instant cold packs
• Blister/Burn
  • 2 Moleskin sheets
  • 2 Spenco 2nd Skin
  • 1 non-woven adhesive knit
  • 1 molefoam
  • 1 Burn Free pain relieving gel tube
• Medication
  • 10 Extra Strength Tylenol
  • 6 antihistamine
  • 10 Motrin
  • 3 sting relief pads
  • 1 Aloe Vera Gel 100%
  • 6 diamode (Immodium)
  • 10 Dristan cold & flu formula
  • 8 Mylanta
  • 3 HydroCortisone cream 1%
  • 3 Tinactin antifungal cream
  • Syrup of Ipecac
  • Activated charcoal for poisoning
  • 10 cough drops
  • calamine lotion
  • SPF30 sunscreen
  • 10 hard candy drops (to sooth children)
  • extra prescription medications

Personal Kit

• Essential Equipment
  • 1 Pair nitrile (non-latex) gloves
  • 1 tweezers
  • 4 safety pins
  • your list of emergency phone numbers
  • CPR rescue breathing faceshield
  • 1 ZipLoc freezer bag - gallon size (contains the kit)
• Bandage Materials
  • 6 Adhesive Bandages of various sizes
  • 2 Adhesive Patch Bandages Regular
  • 1 Adhesive Patch Bandages Large
  • 4 Knuckle Bandage
  • 4 Fingertip Bandage
  • 2 2 x 2 sterile gauze pads
  • 2 3 x 3 sterile gauze pads
• Wound Management
  • antibiotic cream (triple-antibiotic ointment)
  • 4 Antiseptic Towelettes
  • 2 antiseptic solution packets(like povidone iodine)
• Blister/Burn
  • 1 Moleskin sheet
  • 1 molefoam
  • 1 Burn Free pain relieving gel tube
• Medication
  • 4 Extra Strength Tylenol
  • 2 antihistamine
  • 2 Motrin
  • 1 sting relief pads
  • 4 Dristan cold & flu formula
  • 2 cough drops
  • SPF30 sunscreen

Build your first aid kit and then keep it with your Grab and Go kit ready for any emergency that comes along.

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