Prepper First Aid Kits for Bugging Out or Bugging In
With hurricane season starting out, I have been reviewing my gear. I have been rotating everything and going over my preps with a fine tooth comb. Preppers should have a very thorough first aid kit in their bug out bag as well as one in their car. Some estimates state that as many as 3,000,000 people per year are injured in auto accidents, so it only makes sense to have a good first aid kit in your car.
Their are a few key items that everyone should have in their first aid kits. Most items should be in both the bug out kit and the car kit. You never know where you will be when disaster strikes. Of course there are the basics. Your kit should have antibiotic gel, band-aids, alcohol swabs, pain relievers, gauze and medical tape. One thing that is easy to throw in there is a few Benadryl tablets. Not only are they good for an allergy attack, they can help with severe skin reactions. While not the best solution, Benadryl is better than nothing if you have a sudden allergic reaction to food or a bee sting.
Here are a few more upgrades I recommend adding to the basic first aid kit.
Betadine solution. This is what the hospital uses to fight bacteria in cuts. It is a bit pricey, but you can get it a much cheaper on Amazon than the drugstore. You can portion it out in to smaller bottles to keep in your go bag and you auto first aid kit. The little shampoo bottles that you get in a hotel are great once they are thoroughly cleaned out.
Suture Kit. Sewing up a deep cut is not that hard. You will want to be sure you clean the wound and use Betadine to keep the infection out. You will want to add some surgical gloves to this kit. I also keep a tube of Topicane to reduce the sensitivity to the area being sutured. Here is a link to Dr. Bones and Nurse Amy showing you how to suture.
When there is no time for sutures or you don’t have the equipment, super glue will seal a deep cut. You should also have a good flashlight in your car already. If you don’t, throw one in your first aid kit.
Quickclot makes a sponge that will help deep cuts clot faster. I recommend having one in every individuals bug out bag as well as one for the car. An IBD or Israeli Battle Dressing is a self contained sterile bandage with a gauze area and bandage for holding it on the wound that should also be in every family members bug out bag and the auto first aid kit. IBDs were designed to keep soldiers alive after being shot until they could get proper medical attention. These are absolute life savers.
Online pet stores sell most every sort of antibiotic that is available to humans. They come in the same dosages and are manufactured in the same facilities as those that require an expensive visit to the doctor. I don’t recommend skipping a visit to the doctor and taking fish antibiotics, but in a TEOTWAWKI situation, you may not have any other choice. A bad infection can take you out permanently. Be sure you print out the size and frequency of the recommended dosages for humans while you still have power and and internet. Amoxicillin is sold for fish under the name Fishmox. Cephalexin, a wide spectrum antibiotic is sold under the name Fishflex. In a TEOTWAWKI scenario, people are often doing more physical work which increases the odds of injury that can lead to serious infections if not treated.
In this age of terrorism and earthquakes, we have to think of nuclear threats as well. Potassium iodate tablets help to keep your body from absorbing as much radiation as possible. After the Fukishima meltdown in Japan, they were nowhere to be found. They are one of those things that you buy before you need it or you don’t buy it at all. CampingSurvival.com sells potassium iodate. They offer free shipping and you can use coupon code PREPPERRECON to get 5% off your entire order. CampingSurvival also carries a wide array of first aid kits and components.
A simple ace bandage is also an often overlooked item in a medical kit. It is great for sprains, but it can also be used to secure a splint to a broken arm or leg. I also keep cold packs in all of my first aid kits.
Don’t be too quick to throw out expired prescription pain medication. Research your expiring pain medication before you toss it. Most of it will last for years longer than what is indicated on the bottle. In a bad situation, it may be the only thing available to suppress the pain of a severe injury.
A few minutes of watching videos on you tube can also teach you the proper way to preform CPR and clear air passage obstructions. Knowledge doesn’t take up any room in your kit, so why not throw it in there? Being able to take care of yourself and your loved ones in a bad situation will keep you from being helpless when disaster strikes.
Happy Prepping!
