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I was looking over the contents of my Ditch Bag the other day and I realized that the bag itself has been a faithful piece of equipment for a long time now. I bought my Maxpedition Condor pack in 2005 and have used it as my every day carry bag since then. 5 years is a long time for a piece of gear, and other than being a little dirty it’s as good as new.

There hasn’t been a problem to date with the zippers or stitching in any way, this bag is stout in every way. Not only would I feel comfortable using this bag for another five years, but I doubt I’ll have any problems with it in that time either.

Maxpedition makes quality products and I’m sure it won’t be the last one I purchase.

Medical Kits

Having a first aid kit on hand of some type is fairly common these days. It doesn’t take a geniusto realize you can fix yourself in some cases, as long as you have the right tools. There are plenty of websites that explain various aspects of first aid and cpr for you to browse, but here I will give you some idea of what I generally have on hand in the places specified. At the bottom of the page I’ve also added links to places I’ve had good luck with.

The home first aid kit:
· Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes,
· 2-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6)
· 4-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6)
· Hypoallergenic adhesive tape
· Triangular bandages (3)
· 2-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
· 3-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
· Tweezers
· Needle
· Moistened towelettes
· Antiseptic
· Thermometer
· Tongue blades (2)
· Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant
· Assorted sizes of safety pins
· Cleansing agent/soap
· Latex gloves (2 pair)
· Sunscreen
· Non-prescription drugs
· Aspirin or nonaspirin pain reliever
· Anti-diarrhea medicationAntacid (for stomach upset)
· Syrup of Ipecac (use to induce vomiting if advised by the Poison Control Center)
· Laxative
· Activated charcoal (use if advised by the Poison Control Center)
· Antibiotic Ointment
· Aspirin Tablets (5 grain)
· Kaopectate
· Medication recommended by your doctor
· Bandages
· Ace bandage
· Adhesive tape, 2″ wide roll
· Bandages, plastic strips
· Bandages, large triangular
· Butterfly bandages
· Cotton-tipped swabs
· Gauze pads (4″ x 4″)
· Sterile absorbent cotton
· Sterile gauze bandages, 2″ & 4″ wide rolls
· First Aid handbook
· Petroleum jelly
· Pocket/utility knife
· Rubbing alcohol
· Scissors
· Thermometer
· Tissues
· Tweezers
· K-Y Jelly
· tea tree oil, one fluid ounce, a natural antiseptic
· one of those emergency blankets that look like foil,
folded up to about three inches by three inches, and
are sold for about $5 each in camping stores.
· one enema bag per person, with the knowledge of
when to give enemas to rehydrate, raise core body temp,
and flush out the intestines from cholera and similar
bacterial diseases that lodge in the intestines and can
be flushed away. In the absence of professional medical
care, properly administered saline enemas can save a person
from cholera.

Other recommended items are sutures, syringes, and other medical supplies that most of us view as fairly sophisticated. I recommend that you start with what’s listed here and then study Red Cross materials and determine what they should keep in stock for their own situation.

The car first aid kit is less extensive, and it should not be confused with the car emergency kit, of which it is a part but not the whole.
Burn ointment
Gauze bandage rolls
ACE bandage rolls
Dressing sponges
Antibiotic ointment
Gauze pads
Iodine or similar prep pads
Alcohol prep pads
Butterfly bandages
Antibiotic ointment
Medical adhesive tape
Blanket
Scissors
Signal flares or reflective upright triangles

The evacuation first aid kit (part of the bug out kit) should contain the following, as a minimum:
Bandages
ACE bandage
Antibiotic ointment
Anti-Fungal ointment
Gauze pads
Iodine or similar prep pads
Alcohol prep pads
Butterfly bandages
Antibiotic ointment
Medical adhesive tape
Aspirin and/or non-aspirin pain relievers
Tweezers

saf-t-gaurd
emergency medical products
Med FAQ