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