How to Build Your Own First Aid Kit (2022)

It's not possible to make sure you won't have an accident at home, on the road, in the office, or in the great outdoors. Make sure you are ready. Commercial medical kits are bulky and overpriced. You can build your own to take with you, keep it in the trunk of your car, or store it at the workplace.

For many of the following supplies, you will end up buying more than you need to, so split the cost with a few other friends as you build your med kits together. Our guides include Hiking 101, Best Home Emergency gear, and Emergency Car essentials.

Knowledge plus gear is superior to gear. It's a good idea to get some training so you know how to use your med kit. Inexpensive and widely available are Red Cross first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation classes. If you want a more outdoors-focused option that addresses situations not found in common household first aid courses, I personally recommend both NOLS' Wilderness First Aid classes or their Wilderness First Responder classes.

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There are medications.

You will put your kit into a larger Zip-Loc bag if you organize it into three quart-sized bags. Zip-Locs are inexpensive. You don't have to open them to see what is in them. These items should be included in your quart-sized bag of medicine.

A pill case is a good place to keep over-the-counter drugs. Along with any other medications you normally take, there are some useful all-purpose ones. Wrap a rubber band around the case to prevent it from opening. If you want to stick to the case, write the medication's expired date on a sticky label. It's a good idea to know when it's time to change them.

The gel reduces bites from insects. Rub Bite on the affected area after it comes in a tube. Pain relief from mosquitoes, fire ants, black flies, bee sting, and poison ivy can be provided by it. Add the EpiPen or Instant Glucose to the medications bag if you have them.

Your feet are likely to be your transportation in an emergency. If you're going on a long outdoors trip, you should be prepared to address foot Fungus problems. Certain fungi can be very painful and can become chronic health issues if not treated. A tube of inexpensive cream can save you a lot of money.

There are bandages.

Plan for the worst. Bandages can be used to stop bleeding and dress wounds. Depending on how many you bring, you may need to put them in the Zip-Loc on their own. The small items should be kept together in a quart-sized bag.

elastic bandages are put into the material so they can be pulled tight. If you want a variety in size, bring one 2-inch and one 3-inch Ace, and buy the kind with Velcro instead of metal clips, which are a pain to use. You could use a roll of Coban instead of the Ace bandage. It clings to itself even though it doesn't have anything else.

They are used to stop bleeding in large wounds. You need to buy them individually wrapped. Don't put the entire box in your med kit, just a few of different sizes. They should be in their wrapper. There are multiple uses for triangular, lightweight cravats. Gashes and cuts can be held on with the help of ster-Strips and Transpore Medical Tape.

These pads keep burned patches of skin clean and help reduce the pain of burns. Bandaging the burned areas dry will cause them to stick to the burned flesh and make it difficult to remove it.

The piece of gauze isimpregnated with a hemostatic treatment that encourages rapid clotting and stops heavy bleeding. One of the larger pieces of standard gauze can be swapped out if you decide to carry a QuikClot gauze. Celox is a hemostatic powder that works the same way. They can be lifesavers in the case of life threatening bleeding. If you're around firearms where accidental gunshots can create deep channel wounds, you should buy a Celox kit that comes with a plunger that will allow you to inject the Celox powder deep into the wound channel.

There is hygiene.

Managing wounds involves stopping the bleeding, as well as other things. Doing it in a sanitary way not only sets the patient up for success, but it also protects you from contracting illnesses from the patient.

If you have time you should put these on. While taking care of a patient, you don't want to pick up blood-borne diseases. nitrile gloves are better for keeping other people's bodily fluids off your hands as latex gloves aren't used as much nowadays.

These dressings keep wounds waterproof for a long time. It's a good idea to slap a Tegaderm over your wound when you're not sure if you're going to make it or not. It's not necessary for these when you'll be closer to civilization. They don't weigh much, so pack a few.

You can use sterile water from your water bottle to wash wounds. Open wounds should not be cleaned. If it's a 10cc or 12cc model, it doesn't matter if it's straight or curved.

These are the things you need to stop wound infections. Three types of antibiotic are supposed to be applied to wounds after they've been irrigated. You should keep them in any med kit you have around the house. It's a better idea to put the antibiotic on while you're dressing the wound rather than trying to get it at the store later.

There are other things.

The third Zip-Loc bag has a few other possibilities. If you want to dig out splinters, put a safety pin and a tweezer in this bag. Add a couple of Popsicle sticks to your kit if you plan on using it in the wilderness.

The treatment is the best I have ever used. I've found Moleskin to be less effective than the Hydro Seal on the ankle, but it can be useful for more awkwardly placed body parts, such as toes.

You don't want to get sick from being bitten. They will vomit into your skin before they are able to leave. It's obvious that one should be in all med kits. You can come inside from mowing the lawn or walking the dog and find something on your skin.

A tooth injury can be very painful. Ask anyone who has ever been to the dentist for more than a checkup. It is safe to numb the pain. You can bring dental wax if you're more than a few hours away from medical care. It is possible to save a tooth by applying dental wax to it in a timely manner.