When creating an emergency kit, first decide on what your kit will be used for. Will you use it for a camping trip or to keep in your car or home? From there, you’ll need to do a bit of research on what will be appropriate for each situation.

If you’re interested in customizing your own emergency kit, first consider the practicality of the size of your emergency kit. You obviously won’t be able to take as many medical supplies with you on a camping trip as you will be able to store in your home or even your vehicle. It is a good idea to keep a replenishing station in your home that you can supply your various emergency kits with as needed.

Be sure to organize the medical supplies in your emergency kit so that they are easy to access and in some sort of logical order. For example, in one section, store items that are meant to treat small injuries. These will include bandages and other sterile dressings, in addition to cleansing agents.

In most emergency situations, you’ll need medical supplies that ensure the sterility of the injured area to avoid infection. Latex gloves are essential for this purpose. Vinyl gloves are an essential addition if there’s a possibility that the injured person may be allergic to latex. It’s important to periodically check the gloves that you store in your emergency kit. They may become brittle over time.

Other items to include in your emergency kit include burn ointment, gauze pads, tweezers, scissors, adhesive bandages, eyewash, pain medicine, a thermometer, microspore tape, and any prescribed medical supplies or medications.

Again, keep in mind whether your emergency kit will be stored in your home, car, for a camping trip, or for any other purpose. For example, for an emergency kit that will be stored in your car, in addition to first aid supplies, essentials include flares, an emergency blanket, jumper cables, to name a few. For an emergency kit that you’ll store at work, you might consider including a comfortable pair of shoes in the event an evacuation occurs which requires a long-distance walk. No matter what type of emergency kit you’re creating, extra food and water should always be considered an essential addition.

Don’t forget to periodically check the dates on your medical supplies and restock when necessary. Also, restocking after use is essential to ensure that you always have a consistent supply of tools to use during any given emergency situation.