Most of my summers growing up involved lots of camping and being outside in the middle of nowhere. My family was the free-spirited type and a first aid kit was usually left behind at the house, shoved in the back of the kitchen cabinet. We would slip and fall and get an occasional scratch or three and my mom would wash off the bloodied dirt with soap and water and send us on our way. My dad always had a Swiss army knife in his pocket and my mom always had a couple of bottles of aspirin and Ibuprofen in her purse.
One day, my nephew sliced his pinky finger severely and the tip of it was barely attached. My brother and dad didn’t have any type of first aid kit and grabbed what they could out of the car. A clean diaper was on the seat and my dad quickly used his knife to cut it in strips and then used regular tape to wrap his finger. Who would have guessed that a diaper could stop the bleeding and save his finger? Although I would never suggest going my family’s route, if your emergency kit has a few essential items, then usually the other items can be made from things normally in your RV, like a bandage from a diaper.
Here are the ten things I would always have in my RV kit:
1. First Aid Handbook
I took a first aid class a few year back and by the time the class reached an end, I began to panic. How in world was I supposed to remember all of this stuff? It didn’t occur to me that having a medical manual in my car or RV emergency kit would easily solve that problem.
2. Gauze
Having gauze would have been a faster, cleaner, and easier solution for my nephew’s finger, but in case you run out of gauze, ripping up strips of clothing works too.
3. Antibiotics
A small scratch can turn into a serious infection and having antibiotics can prevent an infection from spreading and causing sickness.
4. Aspirin & Ibuprofen
Sometimes when I least expect it, a headache will get me and having aspirin on hand can save me from a lot of pain. It can help with any small pains, discomforts and swelling.
Allergic reactions can become very serious and when you are exploring the outdoors you might come across something you are normally or newly allergic to.
6. Swiss-style knife
Scissors, tweezers and knives are great to have in your emergency kit and this amazing little knife covers it all.
7. Medical Tape
My dad used regular tape to hold the diaper over my nephew’s fingers and even though it worked, medical tape doesn’t stick so tight to itself and can be easily unwrapped.
8. 100 assorted Band-Aids
Having Band-Aids around prevents dirt and germs from getting in small scrapes and scratches. Choosing a box with a large assortment will give you a Band-Aid for a small blister, a deep slice, or a large scrape.
9. Peroxide
Peroxide is like magic. Seriously, this stuff has so many uses and should definitely be in every RV kit. It is great for cleaning, killing fungus, attacking germs and disinfecting the skin or surgical tools.
10. Matches
Did you know that the number one cause of death in outdoor recreationalists is Hypothermia? Having matches in your emergency kit could save your life.
This is my “must have list,” but my kit is filled to the rim with plenty of other things. It is always better to error on the side of caution, so stocking your RV kit with even more items and medical supplies is the best route. You can never be over-prepared but can definitely be under-prepared when that unplanned accident happens. What items do you keep in your kit and have you ever had to use them?
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