Category: First Aid

Building a Practical First Aid Kit: Beyond the Band-Aids

JM Mason
Two make hikers sitting on rocks in the forest, one is wrapping a bandage around the other man's hand

When seconds count, a well-stocked first aid kit can mean the difference between a minor inconvenience and a major emergency. But walk into any pharmacy, and you’ll find pre-made kits filled with items you’ll never use and missing things you actually need. Let’s build something better. Why Pre-Made Kits Fall Short Those $20 first aid kits in the red nylon bags? They’re designed to check boxes, not handle real emergencies. You’ll get 40 adhesive bandages, a single pair of tweezers, and maybe some alcohol wipes—but nothing to control serious bleeding…

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Survival First Aid: Jewelweed

JM Mason
A picture of a jewel weed plant, there is the green stem and leaves and one orange trumpet shaped flower blossom.

Identification: Orange flowers with red spots are trumpet shaped and have a curly tail. The leaves are oval shaped with shallow rounded teeth. The seed pods are long, slender and ribbed. Uses: The stalk has a gooey fluid that is great for treating a variety of skin irritations. Things like bee stings, dermatitis, poison ivy, rashes and more. You can break the stalk and apply the fresh juice and pulp to the affected area for immediate relief.

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Plantain for Wounds

JM Mason
A green plantain plant growing in the ground.

Plantain is a plant that has multiple uses, not only is it edible but it’s also great as an antibacterial poultice for wounds. 1. Grind plantain leaves into a paste. If it’s too dry you can add a little water but you want a paste that holds together. 2. Apply the paste generously to the wound. 3. Cover the paste and wound with clean bandages. If you don’t have clean bandages then you could use the bigger leaves from the plantain plant or large mullein leaves to cover it and…

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