Everything in life is balance: work and family, work and play, stockpiling and thrift, wariness and a realistic perspective, protein and carbs, whatever. For instance, I’m not the sort of guy who foresees some kind of calamitous, total societal collapse in the near future, particularly in the United States (and comparably developed nations). I am, however, a believer in being prepared for any eventuality- especially more mundane ones like power outages, violent storms, etc. However, if life has taught me one thing it’s that change (and the surprise it brings) is life’s lone constant. Prepping for the unknown should absolutely include balancing the gathering of the bulk of medical supplies you may need but not such a variety of them your first aid kit becomes immobile.
In that spirit of pragmatic preparedness, I should iterate that it’s always a good idea, essential even, to have a first aid kit that you’ve stocked yourself. Prepackaged kits can be useful as a guide for your own kit but they’re far too one-size-fits-all for my taste. Individual people have individual problems, sensitivities, physical quirks, etc. Furthermore, if you happen to get a bad burn and don’t have access to professional medical help you may find yourself with one or two little packets of topical anesthetic, a few little packets of topical antibiotic lotion, 4 aspirin and a whole lot of nothing much else that helps.
At the risk of inspiring hypochondriac-dread in readers and breeching the indelicate, you might be surprised by the variety of health complications that can be totally debilitating: take your bathroom functions for instance. If you’ve ever been backed up with a really bad case of constipation you have an idea how painful, distracting and sometimes even disabling that can be. While constipation’s dehydrating opposite counterpart can be equally debilitating (as anyone who’s been hit by any number of gastrointestinal illnesses can attest). Not to mention how quickly diarrhea can turn deadly. In fact, diarrhea is widely believed to kill more people than any other single symptom on the planet.
Those are the sorts of things you should keep in mind when preparing your med kit as part of your a comprehensive kit-prep motto and mantra: “What do/will I need?” And, if you have a family, “What do/will they need?” Are you and/or members of your family prone to constipation, diarrhea, allergies, upset stomach, aches and pains, a painful or otherwise troublesome menstrual cycle, trouble sleeping, dry or cracked lips (get lip balm), rashes or other skin complaints, head colds, asthma, whatever.
Always have a good supply of loperamide (Immodium) on hand as an anti-diarrheal; stock both a stool softener and laxative, and as is the case with everything here- go with the brand or style you like the best; stock stomach ailment meds like chewable antacid tablets and pink bismuth liquid for more immediate relief and famotidine (Pepcid), cimetidine (Tagamet), omeprazole (Prilosec) or ranitidine (Zantac) for more long term acid-reflux/heartburn/sensitive stomach issues. I prefer omeprazole personally, but that is just my own preference. Certainly follow your own.
Allergies are a big one to pay attention to. Every good kit should have a supply of several allergy aids for moderate and severe reactions and prevention. It’s a good idea to always stock at least one epinephrine autoinjector (commonly known as an “EpiPen”)- should you or a member of your family have a severe anaphylactic allergic shock reaction the EpiPen that saves their life will prove perhaps the best purchase you ever made.
For less life-threatening but incredibly obnoxious allergy issues definitely stock diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and if the allergy/hay fever sufferer has been bothered by allergies long they should have a good idea if loratadine (Claritin) or cetirizine (Zyrtec) work better. If you’re not sure, consider stocking up on both. And definitely opt for the behind-the-counter pseudoephedrine as your decongestant. In my opinion at least (and a good chunk of the medical community), it’s far better than the phenylephrine commonly used in its place.
Make sure to have plenty of over the counter pain meds available.
Personally, I’m a proponent of buying those industrial sized, 100/200/500 pill count bottles of acetaminophen (Tylenol), aspirin and ibuprofen. Aspirin is great for older folks interested in aspirin’s blood-thinning, anticoagulant and coronary disease mitigation properties. Acetaminophen works well for a variety of minor to moderate aches and pains but can be tough on your liver, so watch dosage carefully. Ibuprofen, on the other hand, you can take a good deal of- 800 mgs every 6-8 hours (although I’ve had docs tell me off the record that they’re comfortable taking more). That’s if your stomach can handle it- ibuprofen is harder on the gut than acetaminophen. (If you like naproxen {Aleve}, obviously throw some of that in there too.)
Be sure to have at least one an instant cold compress on hand. Get a good quantity of the following: aloe vera gel for skin-soothing (or a big aloe plant- that works too); a big tube or two of triple antibiotic lotion; a tube of hydrocortisone cream for itching; meclizine (Dramamine) as an anti-nausea aid, sleep aid and even anti-anxiety assist if necessary (diphenhydramine also works well as a sleeping and possible anti-anxiety supplement) and a good supply of multivitamins, consider chewy ones for the kids.
Stock alcohol and or hydrogen peroxide; bandages and or unscented female napkins/Maxi Pads (great for absorption- in my opinion, perhaps the best bandage-like product available); sterile water for irrigation and needleless syringes for doing the irrigating; a blood-clotting powder or solution; a hefty supply of hand sanitizer; alcohol prep pads; latex gloves; burn gel; etc.
I imagine you’ve got the picture at this point- do a cataloguing of your own and your family’s medical needs and stock accordingly. For more general supplies, gather your preferential brand or style of the items commonly found in any first aid kit. Check with medical supply store outlets (brick and mortar or online) for… discounted medical supplies, and bulk stores like Costco for… bulk supplies. I’ll provide a couple sites below that offer good online first aid kit supply lists. And always be prepared. Good luck and good life!
Author Bio
Frank Nielson is a retired medical researcher who now spends his days writing. Through this writing, he is keen on helping consumers find the best medical supplies at an affordable price. When not stationed behind his well-worn keyboard, Frank loves spending time with his grandchildren and vows that someday he will tie the perfect fly.
http://www.redcross.org/prepare/location/home-family/get-kit/anatomy
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CampingSurvival.com is donating an Exotac nanoSTRIKER XL Ferrocerium Fire Starter in Olive Drab.The description says “We created an evolutionary derivative of the original nanoSTRIKER with a larger rod and striker handle. It utilizes the same innovative design as the original, but with just enough extra size and heft to improve its ease of use without making it too big or bulky for key chain carry. The striker handle is 46% bigger, making it easier to grip. The XL version also sports a 33% larger ferrocerium rod, which improves the durability and lifespan of the rod even beyond that of the original nanoSTIKERs. Slowly scrape shavings off the rod into a small pile. Use these shavings on top of your tinder bundle for even better sparks! Use the nanoSTRIKER? to light gas stoves, alcohol stoves, fuel tablets, BBQ grills, etc.” |
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MayflowerTrading.com is donating an The Guardian First Aid Fanny Pack. Contents include: 1 – Fanny Pack, 1 – Eye Wash, 2 – Instant Ice Packs, 1 – 3″ ACE Bandage, 1 – Bandage Scissors, 1 – First Aid Guide, 1 – CPR Mouthpiece, 3 – Iodine Prep Pads, 6 – Pair Nitrile Gloves, 3 – 2 x 2 Gauze Pads, 4 – 4 x 4 Gauze Pads 1 – Tissue Pack, 6 – Alcohol Prep Pads, 2 – Water Gels, 1 – 1 x10 yds Adhesive Tape, 1 – Bio-Hazard Waste Bag, 1 – Box 3/4 x 3 Bandages, 1 – Tweezers1 – 4 ounce Hand Sanitizer, 2 – Eye Pads, 6 – Wet Naps, 1 – Hydrogen Peroxide, 1 – 5 x 9 Combine Dressing Bandages |
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OzarkMountainPreparedness.com is donating $100 Gift Certificate to any of their wonderful survival courses.”Our mission is to provide the highest quality instructional courses to people who desire to pursue a self-reliant lifestyle; whether in the wilds or right at home. By blending both modern and primitive methods into our curriculum, we offer a comprehensive and practical view of survival and preparedness. Our course topics include wilderness and urban survival, fur trapping, bushcraft, primitive skills, long-term wilderness living, land navigation, home disaster preparation, outdoor cooking, food procurement and storage, foraging, wild edibles, and others.” |
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RifleStock.com is donating a set of five Self-Watering Grow Buckets. I recently got a set and will review them soon. What is a grow bucket? “It is a 4, 5 or 6 gallon bucket altered to grow vegetables and flowers using a water reservoir in the base. Growing plants in self-watering buckets has been around for quite a while now, but our design has improved on the old method of using two buckets, one inside of the other, to create the water reservoir.” |
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I figured my sponsors shouldn’t do all the work, so I’m throwing in a McNett Tactical Aquamira Frontier Pro Ultralight Water Filter: •Military edition portable water filter system with straw-style design •Attaches directly to water bottles, cups, or bladders •Removes 99.9 percent of Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and other contaminants •Activated carbon improves taste; universal connectivity adapter system •Filters up to 50 gallons; removable bite valve doubles as hanging drip filter |
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