The Boy Scouts have a motto: Be Prepared. It might sound quaint, but believe me, when you are going to be spending a great deal of time in the out-of-doors, it's wise advice - very wise. When you are outdoors, just about anything can happen - and at some point, it usually does! That's why experienced campers and hikers will tell you that whenever you leave home for the great outdoors, you need to take a camping first aid kit.
I know your first reaction: Grab the first aid kit you have at home. But that won't do. Why? Well, when is the last time you saw a home first aid kit with splints for broken bones, or suction cups and a surgical knife for treating snakebite? The simple fact: you need a good camping first aid kit, not a regular home first aid kit, because you need the special supplies that come in an outdoor or camping first aid kit.
Which reminds me: if you have a youngster in the Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts, one of the very best gifts that you can give them is a good quality camping first aid kit. The same holds true for someone who is in wilderness or survival training. It is very true - not marketing hype - that these kits have been known to save lives.
Your first priority? Make sure that your camping first aid kit is well-stocked. After all, if it is going to be of any real use it should have more than just burn cream and band-aids! Your kit should be stocked with a variety of bandages, adhesive tape, finger and leg splints, ace bandages, tweezers, scissors, snake bite kit, gloves -- and a comprehensive first aid guide.
By the way, a good first aid kit is an absolute must. In the home kits these are merely little more than large brochures, but the better ones will explain how to handle case of animal bites, poisoning, broken bones - even what to do if someone is drowning or you find them unconscious. If your first aid guide is not very helpful, then buy a good one and keep it at all times with your kit.
Here's a good tip: Buy one of those sturdy metal fishing tackle boxes (the ones with the fold out trays) and stock it with the items that you will need. This would make the perfect camping first aid kit for a scout troop or for family use.
Here are some other things to stock in your first aid kit: pain and fever reducers (like Tylenol or aspirin), a pre-paid cellular phone, water purification tablets, emergency matches (in a waterproof case), thermal blankets, and a handheld GPS device. You will not find some of these items in most pre-stocked first aid kits, so you will need to buy them separately and add them to yours.
One final note: once you have your kit assembled, make sure to inspect the contents at least once or twice a year. Remove any expired medicines, and replace any supplies that have gone beyond their shelf-life or that have been opened or damaged (opened or damaged items are no longer sterile). And as you use the supplies, make a note to buy replacements. You don't want to wait until you are in an the middle of nowhere, in the midst of a medical emergency, to find out that you are missing something!
