By Matthew Stein, P.E., Author of When Technology Fails: A Manual for Self-Reliance and Planetary Survival, ISBN #978-1933392837, published by Chelsea Green Publishing, White River Junction, VT (800) 639-4099  http://www.chelseagreen.com 

Get yourself a decent first aid kit. Each car should have a kit and your house should have one. Most preparedness/survival suppliers stock an assortment of first aid kits, from simple to field surgical quality. Here are suggestions for a modest first aid kit:

•  2 Ace bandages
•  1 box of adhesive bandages (at least 12 Band-Aids) of varying sizes, with at least two 2" or larger square bandages
•  6 butterfly bandages
•  1 large roll of 2" cloth adhesive tape (may be torn or cut to smaller widths). Great for taping blistered heels or hands.
•  Several 4" x 4" sterile nonadhesive dressings
•  Three 3"-wide gauze rolls
•  2 triangular bandages
•  *Triple antibiotic ointment
•  Mouth shield for mouth-to-mouth resuscitation (precaution against AIDS, tuberculosis, and hepatitis)
•  3 sterile applicator sticks, cotton tipped
•  Alcohol and/or 10 prepackaged alcohol squares
•  Instant cold-pack/icepack
•  First aid manual
•  Thermometer
•  Safety pins and sterile needle
•  Scissors
•  Surgical rubber gloves (several pairs)
•  *Pain reliever tablets (aspirin, acetaminophen, etc.)
•  *Laxative
•  *Antidiarrhea medication
•  *Syrup of ipecac (to induce vomiting)

*NOTE: Check expiration dates and try to rotate stock every year.

Add the following items for a more advanced first aid kit:

•  Snake bite kit
•  Emergency suture kit
•  Splinting material (air splint, traction splint, hard splint, etc.)
•  Tourniquet
•  Thumb/finger splint
•  Burn gel and “second skin”
•  “Moleskin” for blisters
•  Echinacea, colloidal silver generator, and grapefruit seed extract natural antibiotics (internal). May work on bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.
•  Tea tree oil natural antifungal and antibiotic (external only!). Penetrates skin to reach infections!
•  Single-edged razor blades and surgical scalpel kit
•  Kelley hemostats
•  Surgical blunt tip and pointed scissors
•  Silver nitrate to cauterize bleeding
•  Prescription antibiotics and painkillers
•  Sterile thread