It’s common knowledge to always prepare yourself with a first aid kit when hiking, camping or backpacking in the wilderness. But, what about other potentially dangerous sports like skateboarding, wake boarding or biking? It’s not a bad idea to stash a basic first aid kit in your pack, bike pouch or glove box of the boat or car. The provided First-Aid Checklists include various levels of treatment needed, from basic to more extensive.
Basic First-Aid Kit – Packaged first-aid kits typically contain most or all of the items below. The kits can be personalized with supplemental items to meet each person’s needs.
- Bandage strips in varying sizes
- Antiseptic/antibacterial ointment
- Antiseptic or rubbing alcohol wipes
- Gauze pads in varying sizes
- Waterproof medical tape
- Fine point tweezers
- Safety pins
- Blister treatment: Moleskin & blister gel
- Pain medication like ibeprofen
- Insect after-bite relief treatment
All-Inclusive First-Aid Kit – A larger, more extensive kit includes items for more serious illnesses and/or injuries. These, too, can be purchased as a pre-pack or individual items can be purchased to supplement a basic first aid kit.
Rolls of gauze
- Gauze pads & hemostatic gauze pads
- Ace type bandages
- Hydrogel pads & liquid bandages
- Pre-packaged slings (triangular cravat) or fabric for slings
- Splints – finger and SAM
- Oval eye pads
Medicine Chest – The items below won’t take up much space and shouldn’t be overlooked as additions to your basic first-aid kit.
- Hand sanitizer
- Aspirin
- Antacid tablets
- Throat lozenges
- Anti-diarrhea medication
- Treatment and preventative ointment for poison ivy/ poison oak
- Lubricating eye drops & a sterile saline solution
- EpiPen to treat severe allergic reactions
- Aloe vera gel for sun burn relief
Advanced Medical Kit – For backcountry trips longer than a few days, a more advanced medical kit should be prepared and brought on the trip.
- Cotton tipped swabs and cotton balls
- Hypothermia thermometer (reads low temperatures)
- Standard thermometer
- Small mirror and magnifying glass
- Irrigation syringe with 18 gauge catheter
- Latex-free medical gloves
- Strong, steel needle and heavy duty thread
- Medical waste bag
- Duct tape
- Metal whistle
- Notepad and waterproof pencil/pen
- Mylar emergency blanket
First-Aid Tool Kit – To supplement the advanced kit, you’ll need some medical tools to assist with the emergency.
- Flashlight or headlamp
- Safety razor blades and/or a scalpel
- Strong, blunt-tipped scissors
- Swiss Army knife
- Needle nosed pliers
- Emergency tool (e.g. 4-in-1 for use as a hammer, pry-bar, etc.)
[…] First-Aid kit – Check out our First-Aid Checklist […]
Fantastic ideas for a first aid kit!