How to Create an Emergency Ammo Can First Aid Kit

When it comes to having a well-stocked first aid kit, I want to be prepared.  I truly do.  Having spent weeks at a time on a boat in the remote waters of British Columbia, I have always understood that a drugstore and medical doctor may not be accessible.  If sick or wounded, I would be on my own.

So why then, were my first aid supplies in such a disorderly mess?

In hindsight, I believe that in spite of having good intentions, it was a lot easier to keep purchasing supplies then to organize them.  It was easy to get something on Amazon then toss it in a drawer or into the  large “first aid” bin I keep in the garage.  The problem with this method is that I never really had a good handle on what I had and what I really would need in an emergency.  I simply kept buying and tossing, buying and tossing.  Sound familiar?

I recently decided to do something about it.  As I sorted everything out on the floor of my great room, it became apparent that my first aid supplies needed to be broken up into separate kits: routine first aid, trauma, sick room, pandemic, and the all important portable kit that I could grab in the event of a disaster or carry with me on a road trip.  It was an epiphany!

Kit #1: A Portable Kit with the Just the Basics

The first kit I put together is a portable kit with just the basics.  Before starting, I laid down a few requirements.

1.  The portable first aid kit had to include the items that I felt were most likely to be needed during bouts of routine illness and day to day injuries.

2.  The kit needed to do double duty as my in-home basic first aid kit as well as a transportable kit that I could use on road trips or during an evacuation.

3.  The kit, in total, could weigh no more than 10 pounds.

This was not as easy as I thought it would be given that the weight and space requirement would require some tough choices, not the least of which, was the container itself.  My choice?  An ammo can!

The “Ammo Can First Aid Kit” was born!

A Portable First Aid Kit in an Ammo Can

After much trial and error, here are the items I settled upon and included in my ammo can first aid kit.

Bandages and Wound Control:

Bandages in a large variety of types and sizes, including waterproof
aka “Vet Wrap”
Sterile Gauze Pads and Sponges in a variety of sizes



Ace Bandage
Sanitary Napkin
, to hold bandages in place

Remedies and Medications:

OTC pain killers, including Tylenol, Aleve, Motrin and plain old aspirin
Benadryl
Anti-diarrheal

Cipro, an emergency antibiotic prescribed by my physician
Hydrocortisone Cream
Antibiotic Ointment

Natural Remedies:

Spark Naturals Health & Wellness Kit

Tools:

Surgical scissors
Nail Clippers
Flashlight, both for digging around in the kit at night and for close work
Tweezers for splinter removal
Disposable Razor

Antiseptics & Sanitizers:

, to disinfect cuts, scrape and wounds
91% Isopropyl Alcohol
Hand Sanitizer Foam

Misc:

(See )
100% Cotton Towel

Cotton Swabs
Nitrile Gloves
Surgical Masks

Facial tissues
Small hank of Paracord
Bag for waste

Holding it all:

Final Weight:

Nine pounds, four ounces

Other First Aid Items: What is Missing?

As I mentioned, I did have to make some decisions in order to maintain portability and stay within my 10 pound weight restriction.

Suture kit, yes or no?  I chose no because in many cases, leaving a wound open will promote healing. You can read more about that in this article: .

I also left out splints, instant hot/cold compresses, and items more suited to the sick room such as N95 masks, goggles, and coveralls.  Also missing are a number of ointments and creams you may find useful but given my penchant for essential oils, I left them out and chose to use natural remedies instead.

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The Final Word

It has taken me three months to put this kit together.  I would add things, remove them, then put them back again.  One night, while rummaging around in the dark, I realized I needed a flashlight so in it went.  Another time, I was dealing with a bloody scrape on my leg and had no where to dispose of the soiled gauze.  In went a bag for waste.

And so it will go with your own kit.

Although I have included a lot of reference links, the kit you build should be your own.  Personalize it, then make sure you can lift it easily and move it around.  Start to use it day to day and before you know it, you too will have the perfect portable first aid kit.

Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!
Gaye

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Related Articles:

Bargain Bin:  Below you will find links to many of the items mentioned to today’s article.  Use this as a starting point to build your own Ammo Can First Aid Kit!

: I love these Ammo Cans.  They are light weight yet strong plus they are stackable and easy to carry.  At $13.99, the price is right and perfect for a portable first aid kit.  Don’t forget the !

:  Whether you are miles from help or immersed in an urban disaster situation, every second counts during a medical emergency. This book will help you take quick, effective action to stabilize the situation. One of the best things about this book (other than the information, of course) is it’s size.  It is small enough to keep in your bug-out-bag and also in your first aid kit.

:  I have been using New Skin for years.  It is an antiseptic, invisible, flexible, and waterproof.  It works.

:  I first learned about self-adhesive bandages when my dog came home from the vet such a bandage wrapped around his leg.  A light went off telling me I needed to add some to my first-aid kit.  And so I did.

: A must for any first aid or emergency kit, Quikclot Sport stops moderate to severe bleeding until further medical help is available.

: This is another inexpensive, yet critical item. Combat medics, trauma doctors, and emergency responders all recommend this Israeli Battle Dressing (IBD) for the treatment of gunshot wounds, puncture wounds, deep cuts, and other traumatic hemorrhagic injuries.

: I never go anywhere without Potassium Iodide.  After Fukushima, you just never know when a nuclear disaster will strike unexpectedly and I refuse to rely on the authorities to be there with adequate supplies.

: This is the Swiss army knife that both Shelly and I carry.  It includes the following: large and small blades, two standard screwdrivers, bottle and can openers, a corkscrew, a wire stripper, scissors, key ring, reamer, and parcel hook. In addition, there is a tweezers and a toothpick that pull out of the end.

:  Every kit needs a thermometer.  This compact version is just $5.00 and uses standard sized watch batteries.

or : Either can be used diluted as a disinfecting solution for wounds.  Also good for day to day cuts and scrapes.

: This is another one of those items I had never heard of.  Its purpose is to hold a bandage or dressing in place.

:  I had a few of these left over from visits to the dentist but it never occurred to put them in my first aid kit.  I now realize that they are an excellent tool for flushing wounds.

:  One wipe is more than enough for a complete “bath”.  These are a good backup when traditional showers are not available such as the week or weeks following a disaster.  Also good for the sick room as well as camping, boating, hiking and such.  Here is my .

:  This is the #1 seller in the bandana category.  As of this writing, the price is $10.50 for the entire dozen.  I love these bandanas and you will often see me wearing them in photos here on the website. Be sure to read .

:  This kit comes packaged in a tin and includes a brochure with suggested uses for each of the oils. It includes all of my favorites, including Lemon, Frankincense, Oregano, Melaleuca (Tea Tree), Rosemary, Lavender, Amend (Soothing Blend), Respire (Respiratory Blend), Shield (Protective Blend), and Peppermint.  Use the discount code  “” to receive a 10% discount.

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For over 25 years Emergency Essentials has been providing the highest quality preparedness products at great prices.  Plus, each month they feature sales that quite honestly are fantastic.

Once again, Emergency Essentials is having a huge sale on Mountain House products.  The is $119.99 for six large tins.  Also on sale are my favorite at $3.99 and the  for $14.95.

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Need something from Amazon (and who doesn’t)? I earn a small commission from purchases made when you begin your . You still get great Amazon service and the price is the same, no matter what.

Amazon has a feature called . This is an easy tool for finding products that people are ‘wishing” for and in this way you know what the top products are.  All you need to do is select the category from the left hand side of the screen.

Help support Backdoor Survival. Purchases earn a small commission and for that I thank you!

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Essential Oils for the First Aid Kit

Consider adding an assortment of health and wellness related essential oils to your first aid kit.  At a minimum, include melaleuca (tea tree), lavender, oregano, peppermint, rosemary, and clove oils.  At a cost of less than $45, these six essential oils will serve you well in a wide variety of first aid and emergency situations.

You can read about these and other healing essential oils in or other articles on this archive page: .

For an even broader selection of oils consider this which includes a total of 10 oils and blends, nicely packaged on a tin that is perfect for your first aid kit.  And note that with any purchase from you will enjoy a 10% discount by using code at checkout.

by Gaye Levy first appeared on .

from Prepper Daily News http://ift.tt/1JWGiPz
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