"Be Prepared" - That's the motto of the Boy Scouts. And as an Eagle Scout, former Junior Assistant Scoutmaster, and camp staff employee, I can tell you: when you're outdoors, you MUST be prepared for every contingency! That's why the experienced outdoor types (like myself) will tell you: whenever you head outside for camping, hiking, or wilderness adventures, you had better take a camping first aid kit.I know your first reaction: Grab the first aid kit you have at home. But that won't do. Why? Well, when is the last time you saw a home first aid kit with splints for broken bones, or suction cups and a surgical knife for treating snakebite? The simple fact: you need a good camping first aid kit, not a regular home first aid kit, because you need the special supplies that come in an outdoor or camping first aid kit.Which reminds me: if you have a child enrolled in the Boy or Girl Scouts program, one of the coolest (and practical) gifts that you can give them is a good first aid kit. Ditto for someone who is in to wilderness excursions or survival camping. These kits have been known to save lives - and that's not marketing hype.Of course, good camping first aid kits should be well-stocked. For sure it should contain more than just antiseptic towelettes, burn cream and band-aids! These kits should include such things as a variety of bandages (including some for bandaging large wounds), adhesive tape, finger and leg splints, ace bandages, tweezers, scissors, snake bite kit, vinyl gloves - and also a comprehensive first aid guide.The first aid guide, by the way is critical. It contains vital information on the proper treatment for wounds, handling poisoning cases, burns, animal bites, broken bones, drowning, treatment of the unconscious - many topics. If the guide supplied in your kit is not very good, buy a separate guide and keep it with your kit.A good practice: Purchase a large, metal fishing tackle box, and stock it with the items that you will need. This makes a great camping first aid kit for a family or scout troop.Here are some other things to stock in your first aid kit: pain and fever reducers (like Tylenol or aspirin), a pre-paid cellular phone, water purification tablets, emergency matches (in a waterproof case), thermal blankets, and a handheld GPS device. You will not find some of these items in most pre-stocked first aid kits, so you will need to buy them separately and add them to yours.One final note: once you have your kit assembled, make sure to inspect the contents at least once or twice a year. Remove any expired medicines, and replace any supplies that have gone beyond their shelf-life or that have been opened or damaged (opened or damaged items are no longer sterile). And as you use the supplies, make a note to buy replacements. You don't want to wait until you are in an the middle of nowhere, in the midst of a medical emergency, to find out that you are missing something!
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