Training first
Expert guides are blunt about it: owning gear doesn't make you prepared. A first aid course of a few hours, like those offered by the Red Cross and many local governments, teaches you , bleeding control and how to treat a burn. That takes up no space in your bag.
Rule of thumb
Don't store anything you don't know how to use. Advanced items like tourniquets, suture kits or airways can cause harm in untrained hands.
Level 1: what saves a life
With little space, experts prioritize the most serious problems: bleeding and breathing.
- Emergency pressure bandage (a dressing pad with a built-in pressure bar) to stop heavy bleeding by pressing on the wound.
- Sterile gauze, plenty of it, for packing and pressure.
- Nitrile gloves, two pairs. They protect the injured person from your hands and you from their blood.
- Trauma shears to cut clothing. You need to expose the wound without moving the person, and the blunt tip won't cut skin. Don't use your knife.
- , only if you've learned to apply one. It's the most effective tool for severe bleeding from an arm or leg.
- Emergency blanket: an injured person who isn't moving loses heat very quickly.
Level 2: everyday wound care
- Band-aids in several sizes, at least ten.
- Wound closure strips for small cuts: they hold the edges together so the cut heals faster and scars less.
- Blister dressings or moleskin.
- Medical paper or silk tape. Duct tape is not for wounds: its adhesive irritates skin and tears it when removed.
- Elastic bandage and rolled gauze.
- Single-dose saline, to rinse wounds and eyes.
- Antiseptic: chlorhexidine or povidone-iodine.
- Tweezers and a needle-less syringe to irrigate wounds with pressure: a jet of water flushes out dirt far better than just pouring it.
- Thermometer.
Level 3: over-the-counter medicines
Always check with your pharmacist that they're right for you, especially if you take other medication, have a chronic condition or are pregnant.
| Medicine | For | Careful with |
|---|---|---|
| Acetaminophen (paracetamol) | Pain and fever. The safest pain reliever for almost everyone. | Don't exceed the label dose: it damages the liver. |
| Ibuprofen | Pain with inflammation: bumps, sprains. | Stomach, kidney or heart problems, high blood pressure. |
| Antihistamine | Allergies, stings, hives. | Some cause drowsiness. |
| salts | Diarrhea and vomiting: prevent dehydration. | Mix with safe drinking water. |
| Loperamide | Diarrhea in adults. | Not with fever or blood in the stool. |
| Hydrocortisone cream | Itching, bites, irritation. | Short-term use. |
Choose tablets over capsules or effervescent sachets: they handle moisture and knocks better.
In most countries antibiotics need a prescription, and taking them on your own breeds resistance. Don't include them unless your doctor has prescribed them.
Personal items: what really matters
- Prescription medication for at least one week, ideally two, with a copy of the prescription or medical report.
- Epinephrine auto-injector, if someone needs one: it's the most important item in the whole kit.
- Inhalers, glucose meter and strips, hearing aid batteries.
- A sheet listing each person's allergies, conditions and medication, so anyone knows what to give whom if you're away or hurt.
What to leave out
- Hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol on open wounds: they damage healthy tissue and slow healing. To clean, use plenty of drinking water or saline.
- Suture kits and scalpels without medical training: closing a dirty wound badly seals the infection inside.
- Cheap pre-made kits: they're usually full of band-aids and light on what matters. Build your own.
Maintenance
Check expiry dates every six months, together with the kit review. Store it in a box that closes well, somewhere cool and out of children's reach, and make sure everyone knows where it is. Keep a smaller version in your go-bag and another in the car.