We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More ›
A First Aid Kit is a critical survival tool, but it’s one of the most frequently overlooked categories of survival equipment. Without the kit and its included supplies, many injuries that occur in survival scenarios would be exceedingly difficult to treat.
I think of each First Aid Kit as a survival kit in and of itself. Yes, the medical supplies therein can help you survive, but why stop there? Even the smallest of my First Aid Kits have fire-starting equipment, like matches and lighters. They also have shelter items like space blankets or at least garbage bags to improvise shelter.
I have been using a VooDoo Tactical M3 Medical Bag for the past nine months, and have found it to be very effective at keeping my gear in good order through wilderness skills classes and household emergencies. The bag has three pouches, the largest of which contains my headlamp and non-latex medical gloves right on top where I can get them quickly; all of the other big pieces of gear are underneath. The medium-size pouch has all my swabs, bandages and Band Aids within easy reach. The smallest pouch contains all my meds and creams and ointments.
Items in My First Aid Bag
10 Alcohol swabs: to prevent infection
1 Medium tube of antibiotic cream: to prevent infection
4 Burn gel packets: for burn relief and to keep bandages from sticking to the burn
4 Sugar packets: for diabetic sugar regulation
40 Assorted Band Aids: to bandage wounds
6 Blister patches or moleskin: to bandage wounds
2 Small rolls of waterproof tape: to bandage wounds
10 Small gauze pads (4″ x 4″): to bandage wounds
8 Small non-stick gauze pads (4″ x 4″): to bandage wounds, especially burns
6 Large gauze pads: to bandage wounds
2 Gauze rolls: to bandage wounds
Ace Bandage: to apply pressure to wounds, and to immobilize joints and limbs
SAM Splint: to immobilize joints and limbs
12 Acetaminophen tablets: for pain, inflammation and fever
12 Ibuprofen tablets: for pain, inflammation and fever
12 Aspirin tablets: for pain and heart attack treatment
10 Anti-diarrhea tablets: for treating the symptoms of bacterial, viral or protozoa-caused diarrhea
10 Antacid tablets: for stomach upset
10 Antihistamine tablets: for cold, allergies and allergic reactions
8 Butterfly strips: to bandage wounds
Razor blade: as an emergency cutting tool
Bug bite stick: for sting and bite relief
10 Pairs non-latex gloves: for the prevention of contamination
1 Kwik Clot wound dressing: to control severe bleeding
EMT shears: to cut clothing and bandages
Wound irrigation device or eye wash: to remove debris from the eyes and rough or deep wounds
Glass thermometer: to determine body temperature for fever, hypothermia and heat-related illness
1 Large needle: to dig out splinters, and to lance boils and other sealed infections
1 Book of matches & 2 lighters: for emergency fire starting and heat sanitization of metal equipment
Tweezers: to remove splinters and foreign objects
Space Blanket: for emergency shelter and shock management
