Emergency Preparedness: Automobile

My mother was meeting me for lunch awhile back, and had scraped her knee shortly before arriving. I've always kept a first-aid kit and emergency supplies bag in my car since I started driving, but find it quite difficult to find anything in the one pocket sack which was filled with zip-loc bags holding various medical supplies, so I decided to do something about it.

I've never liked the standard first-aid kits which you can buy at the supermarket, Wal-Mart, etc. For one thing, they contain hardly anything of real use. The kit may contain 200 items, but 180 of them may be nothing but bandages which you could buy by the box for a quarter of the price (and for the rest of the items, they start counting how many aspirin tablets there are)! My grandfather used to use military ammo boxes, but I wanted something more organized and eventually settled on a double sided Plano tackle box. The box is organized into several dozen compartments, the lids are clear, and it latches for security.

Just going from memory (it's currently in the car), the tackle box now contains the following:

• Bandages of various sizes
• Gauze pads of various sizes
• Gauze rolls of various sizes, and closures
• Eye pads
• Blister pads
• Triangle bandage
• Finger splints
• First-aid tape
• Alcohol and other antiseptic wipes
• Cotton balls
• Cotton swabs
• Small pack of tissues
• Emergency blanket
• Non-latex gloves (2 pairs)
• Mouthpiece for administering CPR
• Instant heat wrap (the instant cold pack is in the duffel bag - it wouldn't fit)
• Medications:
  • Neosporin
  • Benedryl cream and tablets
  • Rolaids
  • Small bottle of Advil
  • Small bottle of Tylenol
  • Small bottle of Aspirin
  • Cough drops and hard candy
  • Contact drops and case
• Tools:
  • Tweezers
  • Safety pins
  • Duct tape
  • Razor
  • Swiss army knife
  • Magnesium and flint (for lighting fires, I keep one for camping and decided to move it to the car's kit)
  • Thermometer
  • Whistle
  • Small pencil and pad of paper
• Call police/911 window sign
• Light stick
• A few dollars worth of quarters (for payphones, as well as air pumps and vacuums - I needed to use one once after my sunroof shattered)

In looking at the list, I should probably pick up some aloe vera gel and burn cream to add to the supplies, and probably something which is anti-diarrhea, as well. I may get a booklet of matches to keep in there as well.

The old duffel bag now houses the following:

• First-aid book
• Instant cold pack (it wouldn't fit in the tackle box)
• Bungee cables
• MRE
• Personal hygiene items (including sunscreen and lip balm)
• Plastic cups
• Funnels (for replacing car fluids)
• Large flash light
• Poncho
• Road flare
• Some other items which I can't remember off of the top of my head

I also have jumper cables and two blankets in the trunk, along with a couple spare umbrellas, a small fire extinguisher (very small), kitty litter (for traction if I get stuck somewhere), two small snow shovels, two ice scrapers, and supplies for changing my tire. In the summer, I also keep water in the trunk, but generally not in the winter because it ends up freezing, bursting the bottle, and making a mess. I've been toying with the idea of an emergency crank radio, but haven't purchased one yet (I have several battery operated ones in the house). I had been considering getting a small gas canister (without the gas, of course!), but if push came to shove, gas stations will usually lone them out, so it didn't seem necessary).

In the glove box, I keep a smaller flash light, tire pressure gauge, an emergency battery charger, disposable camera, hand wipes, tissues, and gloves. There are also detailed maps of the state, and more general maps of the surrounding states behind the passenger seat.

Whrew! Are you prepared?