Nowadays, everyone’s got a mini first aid kit or bag on hand. Whether it be at home, at the office, or stored in the trunk of your car, a first aid kit has become a necessity.
It’s not hard to see why, really. Everyone wants to be prepared just in case something goes wrong. Having a basic first aid kit on hand makes for better survival chances.
But what about a prepper first aid kit that covers most or all emergency situations? A DIY first aid kit that even MacGyver would be proud of?
Here’s how you can do that in this expansive first aid guide:
How to Prep Yourself Medically
Before we dive into what you should include in your DIY first aid kit and individual first aid kit (IFAK), you have to make sure you’re medically prepped. It’s one thing to go out and buy the supplies and another to know how to use them.
Besides, we’re not going to lie. It feels good to be medically confident. So get medically prepping!
Learn life-saving skills
If you want to be prepared for when SHTF, then learning life-saving skills is 100% on the to-do list. Here’s a list of skills you better learn:
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
It’s as basic as it can get, but knowing how to administer CPR can truly save lives. There are a lot of classes you can attend to get a certification that you are qualified to administer CPR.
Heimlich Maneuver
There’s been a lot of stories of how strangers save people from choking on things by merely applying the Heimlich Maneuver. That’s why it’s a useful thing to learn.
We suggest you learn both the Heimlich Maneuver for adults and infants/children. Applying the maneuver for adults on children can do more harm than good if you don’t do it properly, so training is a must.
Using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
This device is everywhere now—from schools to offices and malls. An AED is a portable medical device that analyzes the patient’s heart rhythm and then determines if there’s a need for a shock during sudden cardiac arrest. You do need proper training to be able to use an AED, so go and get yourself certified.
Read up on medical procedures
You don’t have to read the same things medical students and doctors are learning. Still, a basic understanding of simple procedures, such as stitching wounds shut, can be helpful. At least you won’t be a total fish out of water if you ever need to do a medical procedure. With that, we recommend you keep a first aid guidebook in your prepper first aid kit.
Familiarize yourself with meds
There’s no use getting a whole bunch of medicines and stuffing them into your DIY first aid kit if you don’t know which med is used for what. Russian Roulette medical version, anyone? The last thing you want is to take medicine for your tummy aches when it’s meant to treat allergies.
What Medicines to Stock Up On for Your Prepper First Aid Kit
One thing you want to have for long-term survival is the right meds on hand. Stocking up on meds or at least knowing what to get can very well save lives.
Here are what we recommend you get for your DIY first aid kit:
**Disclaimer: Most meds mentioned here are over-the-counter meds. For those who have allergies or medical conditions, it’s best to talk to your doctor about what meds are right for you to store in your kit.
Inflammation and Pain Meds
Ibuprofen (Advil)
Having some ibuprofen in your prepper first aid kit will be really helpful for those darn old back and knee pains. Inflammation can be a right bitch, and no one wants to deal with muscle pain when on the run.
Naproxen (Aleve)
For those annoying cramp pains during periods, women can use Naproxen to relieve the pain.
Acetylsalicylic Acid (Aspirin)
ASA is used to treat fever and pain that are brought up by other illnesses. It’s excellent for general pain relief, too, and partly acts as a blood thinner—great for preventing blood clots and stroke. On the other hand, those with bleeding problems (hemophilia) should probably be cautious about their intake.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
You can use this to treat mild or moderate pain caused by headaches and toothaches. It’s also great for fevers. It will definitely help you increase your resistance to feeling pain, so stash a bunch in your prepper first aid kit.
Gastro Meds
Calcium Carbonate (Tums Regular Strength)
Upset stomachs are the worst, and so are heartburns and acid indigestion. Quickly ease the pain by taking calcium carbonate as an antacid.
Bismuth Subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol)
Known as the pink bismuth, you can use this medicine to treat indigestion, gas, stomach discomforts, and diarrhea.
Loperamide Hydrochloride (Imodium)
When shit hits the fan, shit hits the fan. Traveler’s diarrhea is the last thing you want, and it’s best to have this in your DIY first aid kit just in case.
Topical Meds
Antiseptics (Neosporin, Betadine, and Dettol Antiseptic Liquid)
If you’ve got an open wound, catching a nasty infection is just one of the things to worry about. That’s why having antiseptics on hand is a must. It’s used for general wound cleaning and does an excellent job of keeping the risk of sepsis and infection at bay.
Burn Gel
If you’ve got first-degree burns, burn gel is a good remedy that will relieve the pain and help manage it.
Hydrocortisone Cream
This cream is commonly used to treat several skin conditions like insect bites, allergies, and rashes. It will reduce both the itching and the swelling.
Anti-Fungal
This medication is a fungicide that treats athlete’s foot, ringworms, thrush, and more. It’s a lifesaver out in the wild and can prove to be handy in your prepper first aid kit, too.
Topical decongestants and analgesics
One word: Vicks. To help soothe coughs and other symptoms, slather on some Vicks, and you’re good to go. Or sleep, more like.
Specialized Meds
Insulin
Diabetes is actually pretty common, and stocking up on this medicine is a must if you suffer from diabetes or have loved ones that do. It’s best to consult with your medical provider about how you can prep and stock up on insulin for the long term.
Beta Agonists (Ventolin)
Asthma is a bitch, and it can kick your ass all the way to the gates of heaven or hell. When SHTF, you want to be prepared because if you suffer from asthma, then you know how unpredictable it can be.
Antihistamines (Claritin)
Antihistamines are perfect for dealing with your allergies and curbing them so that you don’t go crazy scratching them—or worse—lose the ability to breathe because of a reaction.
Epinephrine Pen
When severe allergies hit, an EpiPen injection improves your breathing. EpiPens are usually used in emergencies.
Phenylephrine (Sudafed PE; 4-Way Nasal Spray)
You might not think much of a sinus or nasal congestion, but when it hits you, it hurts. You get headaches, your face feels stuffy, and your nose feels stuffy. You’ll even like your whole head and face is heavy. The best way to deal with that is with phenylephrine.
Ammonia Inhalant (Dynarex Ammonia)
When someone feels lightheaded or has passed out, a great way to bring them back to consciousness is to have them smell some ammonia inhalant, aka smelling salts.
Oral Rehydration Salts (Equalyte; Pedialyte)
After dealing with diarrhea, you’ll want to take oral rehydration salts to help with electrolyte replacement.
Antibiotics (Amoxicillin)
Though antibiotic literally means “against life,” it’s pretty much the lifesaver you need when you’ve got a nasty injury that’s prone to infection. Antibiotics stop infections, killing off the bacteria to save your life.
Miscellaneous
Soap
Nothing like good old soap and water to keep you clean, especially when dressing wounds. Soap stings way less than other wound-cleaning agents, and it’s also very inexpensive. It’s a basic item that belongs in every DIY first aid kit.
Sunscreen
Ever got a bad sunburn while out in the sun? Well, it pays to have some sunscreen on if you’re planning to spend a lot of time outdoors. One, it protects you from getting sunburn, and two, it prevents you from getting skin cancer. We think those are two good enough reasons to stock up on sunscreen.
Bug Spray
A simple bite from a mosquito or bug can lead to some pretty annoying wounds or complications. You don’t want to worry about bugs and shit when you’re busy trying to survive. Use bug spray.
Situation Specific Kits
Having one prepper first aid kit is great, but having specific kits for specific situations? We know we’ve got you shaking in your boots. Prepping is all about getting ahead of things and being ready.
We’re taking prepping your DIY first aid kit to the highest level with these situation-specific kits you can have on hand:
Wounds & General Trauma
Alcohol
A first on the list, look into getting some strong alcohol. No, not a bottle of whiskey. Legit medical alcohol to disinfect.
Gauze
To do the right job, you need the right tools, and gauze is something you definitely need in your DIY first aid kit. It helps in deep wound and post-surgical wound healing.
Gauze Bandages
There are some great things that we love about gauze bandages. First, they have excellent ventilation, helping wounds heal faster. Second, they’re absorbent and prevent excess moisture around wounds. Keeping your injury dry is key to it healing more quickly, guys!
Gauze Clips
If you got gauze bandages, then you need gauze clips to keep them in place. Plus, if you keep them in good condition, you can reuse them.
First Aid Plasters and Bandages
For cuts, scrapes, and those general wounds, these will work just fine, protecting your injury from getting worse. Slap them on, and you’ll be good to go.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Sure. You can get any other antiseptic out there for your first aid kit, but can you use it as a mouth rinse, too? Because with hydrogen peroxide, it’s safe to use as a mouth rinse. To do that, just mix two parts water with one part hydrogen peroxide, and you’re good to go. Hydrogen peroxide—hitting two birds with one stone.
Hemostatic Agents (Celox; QuikClot; Hemcon)
Widely used in the military because of how effectively it stops traumatic bleeding on the battleground, hemostatic agents are easy to get. And if they’re using it on the battlefield for extreme trauma cases, then hell, you need them in your prepper first aid kit.
Triangular Bandages
This type of bandage is pretty versatile and comes in the shape of a triangle. It can be used as a sling, a tourniquet, and more.
Chest Seals
Stab wounds, gunshot wounds, or any puncture wound is considered a sucking chest wound. These types of wounds are pretty dangerous as they can lead to collapsed lungs. Obviously, you can’t DIY this, so having a chest seal on hand is a must since chest seals are specifically used for these types of wounds.
Surgical Tapes
Hold your wound dressings and bandages with surgical tape. You can also choose to have Durapore tape, a high-strength adhesion tape, which can be used in various ways. It can secure large dressings together.
Eye Irrigating Solution
Coming in bottles, these eyewashes are made up of a sterile solution you can use to clean your eyes. For those moments when your eye feels irritated, or you have something stuck in your eye, and you just can’t seem to get it out, this is the solution. Literally. Pretty handy when clean water to flush your eye out isn’t available.
Trauma Shears
Used mainly by paramedics and EMTs, trauma shears let you cut off clothing during emergency situations without accidentally stabbing the wounded with it. It’s designed to cut off clothing safely and quickly.
CPR Mask
If you’ve got the CPR certification down, which we hope you do, then a CPR mask will help make the procedure easier for you. With a CPR mask on hand, you can safely deliver rescue breaths.
Diagnostic Kit
Thermometers
Really easy to get, you can choose to get a digital thermometer or the traditional kind. We recommend getting both for your prepper first aid kit to be safe. You can’t go wrong with having both on hand.
Blood Pressure Monitor
Having high blood pressure can be a dangerous thing if you don’t monitor it, and it can lead to a lot of health problems like heart disease.
You might want to invest in a blood pressure monitor to keep things in check. As with the thermometer, you can get an electronic BP monitor that does all the work for you or go for the traditional BP monitor known as a sphygmomanometer.
Stethoscopes
An iconic instrument used by doctors, stethoscopes are used to listen to sounds that the body produces. You can hear someone’s heartbeat, listen to their breathing, and even go as far as listening to how their intestines are doing.
Of course, all that isn’t going to mean jack if you can’t interpret what you hear. It’s best to have relevant knowledge in that matter to make your stethoscope really useful.
Otoscopes
An otoscope is a device that lets you look into the ears. With this bad boy, you can see the ear canal and the eardrum.
You might not think much about your ears, but when something goes wrong with them, it can all go south very quickly. For example, how easily you can lose your sense of balance.
Fracture Kit
Splint
A fracture can happen anytime and anywhere, and to keep a fracture in place, you’ll need a splint. We recommend you get a SAM splint in your DIY first aid kit. It’s a versatile splint that’s proven to be really useful in a lot of different situations.
Orthopedic Cast
You’ve got your splint. Now, you need a cast. The difference between the two? A splint doesn’t go all the way around, while a cast does. Some fractures need a full wrap-around to keep things in place. That’s why an orthopedic cast is essential.
Cast Liner/Undercast Padding
Without a proper liner, the skin can get irritated from a cast or a splint. Padding going around the fracture is a must, and it will provide comfort and protection.
Dental and Oral Kit
Oral Analgesic Gel
A lifesaver when it comes to tooth pain, oral analgesic gels work as a local anesthetic. It numbs the area in your mouth where you feel pain. Toothaches are hell, but oral analgesic gels are heaven-sent.
Extraction Forceps
In the worst-case scenario, when you’ve got no choice, extraction forceps might be what you need in a dental emergency. Having forceps on hand is going to be a better choice than a pair of rusty pliers going into your mouth.
Cheek Retractors
If we were given a choice, we wouldn’t really want to do any dental work at all, but sometimes, life gets in the way, and DIY dental work needs to be done in extreme situations. That’s when cheek retractors come in handy. Cheek retractors help in keeping the mouth open and give you a good view of those pearly whites.
Dental Mirrors
Pretty self-explanatory. Ever tried looking at the back of your mouth with a mirror and a flashlight? Well, it’s impossible. Take our word for it. Dental mirrors, on the other hand, make it super easy to check your teeth and look for cavities.
Temporary Dental Cement
For those moments you can’t get to your dentist fast enough, temporary dental cement saves the day. MacGyver-ing your tooth? Forget that. Get a kit. They’re pretty easy to find and are straightforward when it comes to using them.
Related: 18 Essential Emergency Dental Kit Supplies
Surgical Kit
Scalpels and Dissection Kit
Put that machete down. You do not want to be using a blade that big to cut out a relatively small splinter. If you’re going to do a surgical procedure outside of an operating room, at least have some of the proper tools to do the job.
Suture Kit
When in doubt, stitching up a wound with sutures is still the safest way to go to make sure it holds properly.
Other things you’ll need for your prepper first aid kit that are pretty self-explanatory:
- Towels
- Headlamp
- Hot and cold packs
- Reusable surgical gowns
- Surgical masks
- Medical nitrile gloves
- Needles and syringes
- Sterile cotton balls
- Cotton swabs
Birth Kit
Even with the TEOTWAWKI, childbirth can still happen, and it’s best to have a birth kit ready for when you need it. This isn’t something you want to DIY, especially with a newborn in the picture.
IV Kit
Used for fluid replacement, delivery of medication, and blood transfusions, IV kits are useful just in case you ever need to do any of that stuff mentioned. This is another thing you can’t DIY, and we wouldn’t want you attempting that, either.
Final Thoughts
It might be a little bit overwhelming, but we’d rather be overwhelmed with info about medical supplies for preppers than underwhelmed.
Of course, you don’t have to get all the things we listed above. It’s meant to serve as a guide, but you can always customize your DIY first aid kit to your liking with the specific products or brands you like.
Got any suggestions on what else can be added to a prepper first aid kit? Let us know!
