Nobody enjoys being caught up in a major accident or a disaster, either natural or manmade, yet it is far better to be prepared for one of these rare, hideous events than to be caught totally unready. Making preparations while the sun is still shining and all is right with the world is a great way to both ensure that you and those close to you remain safe and alive if disaster does indeed strike, and to give yourself peace of mind while things are still going smoothly; you know you are ready, so you can relax and enjoy the moment rather than having a nagging doubt about the future.

There are many perils lurking beneath the smiling, placid face of the everyday world. Relatively short-lived disasters can still be dangerous if you are unprepared for them. For example, finding potable water after a hurricane has devastated your area and flooded it with a mix of river water, chemical infused runoff, and sewage can quickly become a critical issue of survival while you are awaiting rescue.

Tornadoes may clog roads with debris after they whirl through your town, delaying medical aid to the injured, in which case a good first aid kit can possibly save the life of someone you care for deeply who might otherwise succumb to their injuries while waiting for rescuers. Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes cause many hazardous conditions, from ash falls to liquified ground swallowing buildings to fires, avalanches, collapsed structures, mud flows, and a host of other dangers. In these cases, you may be thrown back on your own resources for days and possibly a week or two.

As the example of Japan has shown, nuclear power plants represent a major hazard as well if some even causes a breach in their protective shell. Chemical spills, forest fires, terrorist attacks, bad blizzards, violent civil unrest and rioting, floods, huge windstorms, and many other possible events can all place you in danger and force you to rely on your own resources ( like first aid kits ) for a time.

Since disasters are by their very nature perilous, there is a higher risk of injury during one of these events than during ordinary times. Therefore, having a first aid kit on hand is a wise precaution, even if you do not have food, water, or communications devices (all of which also help, of course). Being able to patch yourself up can keep you stronger, fitter, and better able to help your family, pets, and friends. You can also help other people survive by being able to take proper care of their injuries, as well as getting them back on their feet sooner and able to help cope with the survival situation.

The Concept of the Critical First 72 Hours

     The first 72 hours following a disaster or accident are critical, because this is the period of maximum disruption of normal services and the like. It is also the period when the treatment of injuries sustained during the disaster or in the immediate aftermath is most important, both because you probably can't just call for an ambulance and head to the emergency room, and because the injury is fresh and you need to give the body as much of a chance as possible to rebound from it and start the process of recovery.

     The first 72 hours are when you are most likely to be left totally to your own resources. Nobody has had time yet to move people and material into a position to help. Caught by surprise, many emergency services are paralyzed or in the process of sorting out their own problems before they can start helping others. There is also a possibility of an “aftershock effect”, depending on the nature of the disaster and how ready was your bug out bag http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bug-out_bag.

A 72 Hour First Aid Kit

     This website is dedicated to helping you create and prepare a 72 hour first aid kit to deal with injuries and medical problems during the critical three days following the start of a disaster or emergency. This kit needs to be both broadly enough based to allow you to deal with a range of different problems, and sophisticated enough to offer several solutions to each problem, and to give you treatment options that will likely result in a positive outcome for the patient.

     This can be a daunting task without advice, but with the information on our site you can build a 72 hour first aid kit that will fulfill all of these requirements and help you and your family stay safe no matter what happens.

Learn more about 72 hour kits and some funny first aid facts!

• Butterfly Bandages for Your 72 Hour First Aid Kit
• Choosing a Book for Your 72 Hour First Aid Kit
• Other Types of Wound Dressing for Your 72 Hour First Aid Kit
• Conforming Sterile Gauze Rolls for 72 Hour Wound Care
• Sterile Gauze Dressings for a 72 Hour First Aid Kit