Wilderness: First Aid Kit

In an emergency situation, a person should be familiar with how and when to use each item in a first aid kit. Completion of a basic first aid course and a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) course can prepare a person to render assistance in an emergency.

A well-equipped first aid kit should contain the following:

• Pocket Dive/Wilderness Emergency Handbook
• 2 X 2-inch sterile gauze pads
• 4 X 4-inch sterile gauze pads
• 2-inch elastic wrap
• 4-inch elastic wrap
• 2-inch rolled gauze
• 4-inch rolled gauze
• Elastic and butterfly bandages
• Cotton swabs
• Adhesive tape
• Tweezers
• Scissors
• Forceps
• Wire cutters
• Soap
• Sterile eyewash
• Syringe, 30 mL
• Acetic acid 5% (vinegar)
• Isopropyl alcohol
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Sunscreen
• Instant heat pack
• Instant cold pack
• Tourniquet

A person should become familiar with both the uses and the warnings for each of the following nonprescription medications. A person should always check for allergies prior to use.

• Acetaminophen (Tylenol), 20 tablets
• Ibuprofen (Motrin), 20 tablets
• Aspirin, 20 tablets
• Bacitracin ointment
• Hydrocortisone cream 1%
• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) 25 mg, 20 tablets
• Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, Afrin) 30 mg, 20 tablets
• Ranitidine hydrochloride (Zantac), 20 tablets
• Topical anesthetic ointment

For diving and wilderness trips that involve traveling to locations that are distant from medical care, obtaining the following prescription medications from a family doctor or another health care provider is advisable. Prior to taking any prescription medication, a person should always consult a doctor and check for allergies.

• Bactrim DS, 20 tablets (avoid if allergic to sulfa drugs)
• Ciprofloxacin 250 mg, 20 tablets (not recommended for children)
• Ana-Kit or EpiPen
• Compazine 10 mg, 20 tablets
• Cortisporin Otic suspension, 1 bottle
• Silvadene cream, 1 tube

|Web Links|

American College of Emergency Physicians, Home First Aid Kits

American College of Emergency Physicians, Traveler's First Aid Kit

ReadyAmerica, First Aid Kit

American Red Cross, First Aid Kit

MedlinePlus, First Aid Kit

Nemours Foundation, KidsHealth for Parents, First-Aid Kit

first aid kit, first aid kit necessities, first-aid kit, first aid, CPR, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, first aid supplies 

Author: Scott H Plantz, MD, FAAEM, Research Director, Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Editors: N Stuart Harris, MD, MFA, Staff Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, ; James Kimo Takayesu, MD, Staff Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital/Massachusetts General Hospital.