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. (continue reading)