Emergency First Aid: A Complete Guide to Medical Care, CPR, and Hygiene

Shelter, water, and food all follow a predictable timeline. You have roughly three hours without shelter, three days without water, and three weeks without food. Injury and illness don't follow a timeline at all. A bad fall, a deep cut, a severe allergic reaction, or a cardiac event can become life-threatening in minutes — regardless of how well-stocked your pantry is or how solid your shelter plan happens to be.

That's why medical readiness sits alongside the other pillars rather than fitting neatly into the Rule of Threes. It's not about a countdown. It's about being capable of responding effectively the moment something goes wrong, whether that's a kitchen accident during a normal week or a serious injury when emergency services are delayed, overwhelmed, or entirely unreachable.

A note before we go further: This guide is educational. It is not a substitute for certified, hands-on first aid and CPR training, and it does not replace professional medical care. Reading about how to control bleeding or perform CPR is valuable preparation, but real competence comes from hands-on practice under qualified instruction. If you take one action after reading this article, make it signing up for a certified first aid and CPR course through the American Red Cross or a similar organization in your area.

This guide covers building a complete first aid kit, the core skills every prepper should know, CPR basics, the role of natural remedies, and the often-overlooked importance of hygiene and sanitation in preventing illness before it ever starts.

Why Medical Readiness Belongs in Every Preparedness Plan

Shelter, water, and food problems develop over hours, days, and weeks. Medical emergencies don't offer that runway. A laceration that severs an artery can cause life-threatening blood loss in minutes. A severe allergic reaction can close an airway in less time than that. This is the core reason medical readiness deserves its own dedicated focus rather than getting folded into general supply planning.

Access to professional care is often delayed or unavailable during emergencies. Widespread disasters strain emergency medical services exactly when demand spikes. Roads may be impassable, hospitals may be overwhelmed, and 911 response times can stretch well beyond what's normal. The skills and supplies you have on hand may be the only medical care available for a period of time.

Untreated minor problems escalate. A small wound left uncleaned can become a serious infection within days. A minor burn without proper care can blister, become infected, and develop complications. Many of the medical emergencies preppers face didn't start as emergencies — they started small and were left unaddressed.

Skills built now are skills available later. Unlike most physical supplies, medical knowledge doesn't expire, doesn't take up shelf space, and can't be lost in a move or a disaster. Investing time in learning first aid and CPR now pays off regardless of what kind of emergency eventually arrives.

Building a Survival Medical Mindset

Medical preparedness is as much about mindset as it is about supplies and skills.

Know your limits. A solid first aid kit and basic training prepare you to manage cuts, sprains, minor burns, and stabilize more serious injuries until professional help arrives. They do not turn you into a substitute for a doctor, paramedic, or surgeon. Recognizing what's within your ability to treat — and what requires professional care — is one of the most important judgment calls in any medical situation. When in doubt, and when professional care is reachable, seek it.

Get certified, hands-on training. Reading about wound care, splinting, or CPR builds awareness, but it doesn't build the muscle memory and confidence that come from practicing under a certified instructor. The American Red Cross and similar organizations offer first aid, CPR, and AED certification courses widely, often at low cost, and the training holds up under real pressure in a way that reading alone cannot replicate.

Stay calm and think clearly. In a real medical emergency, panic is the enemy of good decision-making. Slowing down for even a few seconds to assess the situation, check for danger to yourself, and form a plan leads to better outcomes than rushing in unprepared. This is a skill that improves with training and practice, just like any physical technique.

Understand basic triage. When multiple people are injured or multiple needs compete for attention, triage means quickly assessing who needs help first. As a general principle: address life-threatening issues — severe bleeding, airway obstruction, absence of breathing — before addressing painful but non-life-threatening injuries like a sprained ankle or a minor laceration.

Building a Complete First Aid Kit

A well-built first aid kit is only useful if it's actually stocked with what you're likely to need, organized so you can find things quickly, and matched to where it will be used.

Kit Tiers

Different situations call for different kits. Building several tiers, rather than one all-purpose kit, ensures you have appropriate supplies wherever you are.

Wound Care Supplies

Wound care makes up the bulk of any well-rounded first aid kit, since cuts, scrapes, and lacerations are among the most common injuries encountered.

• Adhesive bandages in multiple sizes
• Sterile gauze pads and rolled gauze
• Medical adhesive tape
• Non-stick wound dressings
• Antiseptic wipes or solution
• Antibiotic ointment
• Elastic bandages (ACE-style) for wrapping
• Butterfly closures or adhesive wound closure strips
• Moleskin or blister treatment

Medications Worth Including

• Pain relievers (acetaminophen and ibuprofen)
• Antihistamines for allergic reactions
• Anti-diarrheal medication
• Antacids
• Hydrocortisone cream for skin irritation
• Any personal prescription medications, kept current and rotated
• Oral rehydration salts or electrolyte packets

Tools and Trauma Supplies

• A commercial tourniquet, rated and rolled, not improvised
• An Israeli bandage (also called an Emergency Bandage or Emergency Trauma Dressing/ETD)
• Trauma shears
• Tweezers and a needle for splinter and debris removal
• Disposable gloves (nitrile, latex-free)
• A CPR face shield or pocket mask
• An instant cold pack
• A digital thermometer
• A splinting material — SAM splint or similar rigid, moldable option
• A first aid manual or quick-reference card

Store-Bought vs. Build-Your-Own Kits

Commercial first aid kits offer convenience and a reasonable baseline of supplies in an organized case, making them a solid starting point — particularly for a vehicle or bug-out kit where compact organization matters.

Building your own kit lets you tailor contents to your household's specific needs — accounting for allergies, chronic conditions, climate, and the activities you and your family actually do. Most experienced preppers use a commercial kit as a foundation, then customize and supplement it based on their household's particular needs.

Whichever approach you take, check expiration dates regularly and replace anything used or expired. A first aid kit with outdated medications or degraded adhesive bandages provides a false sense of security.

Essential First Aid Skills

Supplies are only as useful as the skills behind them. The following skills form the foundation of practical first aid knowledge — and every one of them is taught hands-on in a certified first aid course, which is the best way to move from reading about a skill to being able to perform it under pressure.

Bleeding Control and Wound Care

Controlling bleeding is one of the most time-critical first aid skills there is.

1. Apply direct pressure. Use a clean cloth or sterile gauze and press firmly on the wound.
2. Elevate the injury above heart level if possible, while continuing pressure.
3. Add more material if blood soaks through — do not remove the original layer, as this can disrupt clotting that's already begun.
4. Use an Israeli bandage for a wound that basic gauze can't control, but that a tourniquet doesn't apply to — a torso wound, a junctional wound (groin, armpit, or neck), or a deep laceration bleeding too heavily for standard dressing alone. Also known as an Emergency Bandage or Emergency Trauma Dressing (ETD), it's a compression bandage built with a pressure bar — a small plastic applicator sewn into the wrap — that lets you route the bandage back over itself through the bar and lock in strong, even, sustained pressure without tying a knot. It's designed to be applied one-handed, which matters if the injured person needs to treat themselves. Place the pad directly over the wound, wrap firmly, route the tail through the pressure bar, and continue wrapping tightly until secured.
5. Apply a tourniquet if bleeding from a limb is severe and direct pressure isn't controlling it. Apply 2 to 3 inches above the wound (never directly on a joint), tighten until bleeding stops, and note the time it was applied. A properly applied tourniquet is painful — that's expected — and should only be loosened by trained medical personnel.
6. Seek emergency care for any wound with uncontrolled bleeding, a wound that won't close, or any injury that exposes muscle, fat, or bone.

Cleaning and dressing a minor wound:

1. Wash your hands thoroughly before treating the wound.
2. Rinse the wound with clean water to remove debris.
3. Apply gentle pressure with a clean cloth to stop minor bleeding.
4. Apply antibiotic ointment to reduce infection risk.
5. Cover with a sterile bandage or gauze, and change the dressing daily or whenever it becomes wet or dirty.

When a wound needs professional care: Deep wounds, wounds with edges that won't stay closed, wounds from a dirty or rusty object, animal bites, and any wound on the face or over a joint generally need professional evaluation — stitches or staples close a wound far more effectively than a bandage and reduce both scarring and infection risk.

Burns

Burns are classified by depth and severity, and the classification determines the right response.

Treating a minor burn:

1. Cool the burn under cool (not cold or icy) running water for 10 to 20 minutes.
2. Remove any jewelry or tight clothing near the burn before swelling begins.
3. Do not apply ice directly, butter, or other home remedies — these can worsen tissue damage.
4. Cover loosely with a sterile, non-stick dressing.
5. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever as needed.

Seek emergency care immediately for any burn larger than 3 inches across, any burn on the face, hands, feet, groin, or over a major joint, any third-degree burn, or any burn caused by chemicals or electricity.

Sprains, Strains, and Fractures

The RICE method is the standard first response for sprains and strains:

1. Rest — stop using the injured area.
2. Ice — apply a cold pack for 15 to 20 minutes at a time to reduce swelling.
3. Compression — wrap with an elastic bandage, snug but not so tight it cuts off circulation.
4. Elevation — raise the injured area above heart level when possible.

Splinting a suspected fracture:

1. Avoid moving the injured area more than necessary.
2. Check for circulation beyond the injury — color, warmth, and sensation in fingers or toes.
3. Immobilize the joint above and below the injury using a rigid splint material padded for comfort.
4. Secure with bandages or cloth strips, snug but not restricting circulation.
5. Recheck circulation after splinting, and seek medical care for proper evaluation and treatment.

A fracture with visible deformity, an exposed bone, or loss of circulation beyond the injury is a medical emergency requiring immediate professional care.

Recognizing and Treating Shock

Shock occurs when the body's organs and tissues aren't getting enough blood flow, and it can develop after serious injury, severe blood loss, or significant trauma. Recognizing shock matters because it can be life-threatening even when the original injury seems stabilized.

Signs of shock: Pale, cool, or clammy skin; rapid, weak pulse; rapid, shallow breathing; confusion or anxiety; nausea; and weakness.

Treating shock:

1. Lay the person down and, if there's no suspected spinal or leg injury, elevate the legs slightly.
2. Keep the person warm with a blanket.
3. Do not give food or water.
4. Call for emergency medical help immediately — shock is always treated as a medical emergency.
5. Monitor breathing and responsiveness until help arrives.

Choking — The Heimlich Maneuver

Choking can become fatal in minutes, making rapid response critical.

For a responsive adult or child:

1. Ask if they can speak or cough. If they can, encourage continued coughing.
2. If they cannot speak, cough, or breathe, stand behind them and wrap your arms around their waist.
3. Make a fist with one hand and place it thumb-side against the person's abdomen, just above the navel.
4. Grasp your fist with your other hand and deliver quick, upward thrusts.
5. Repeat until the object is expelled or the person becomes unresponsive.

For an infant under 1 year: The technique differs significantly — back blows and chest thrusts are used instead of abdominal thrusts, since abdominal thrusts can injure an infant's organs. This is an essential reason hands-on infant CPR and choking training matters for anyone caring for a baby.

If the person becomes unresponsive, lower them to the ground, call 911 immediately, and begin CPR — chest compressions can help dislodge an obstruction even in a choking emergency.

Allergic Reactions and Anaphylaxis

Mild allergic reactions — localized hives, mild itching, or minor swelling — can often be managed with an antihistamine and close monitoring.

Anaphylaxis is a severe, rapid, whole-body allergic reaction and a medical emergency. Signs include difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips, or throat, a rapid drop in blood pressure, widespread hives, and a sense of impending doom reported by the person experiencing it.

Responding to anaphylaxis:

1. Call 911 immediately.
2. If the person has a prescribed epinephrine auto-injector, help them use it or administer it according to the device instructions — typically injected into the outer thigh, held in place for several seconds.
3. Have the person lie flat with legs elevated, unless they're having trouble breathing, in which case sitting up may be more comfortable.
4. Be prepared to administer a second dose if symptoms don't improve and emergency help hasn't arrived, if a second auto-injector is available.
5. Continue monitoring until emergency responders arrive, even if symptoms appear to improve — anaphylaxis can recur.

Bites and Stings

Insect stings typically cause localized pain and swelling. Remove a visible stinger by scraping it out (don't squeeze, which can release more venom), apply a cold pack, and monitor for signs of an allergic reaction.

Snake bites should always be treated as potentially serious. Keep the person calm and still, keep the bitten limb at or below heart level, remove tight clothing or jewelry near the bite, and seek emergency medical care immediately. Do not attempt to cut the wound, suck out venom, or apply a tourniquet — these outdated methods can cause more harm than the bite itself.

Animal bites carry infection and rabies risk. Clean the wound thoroughly with soap and water, apply a clean dressing, and seek medical attention — particularly for any bite that breaks the skin significantly or comes from an unfamiliar or wild animal.

Seizures

Seizures can look alarming, but most follow a predictable course, and the right response is more about protecting the person than stopping the seizure itself.

Responding to a seizure:

1. Stay calm, and time how long the seizure lasts.
2. Clear the area of anything hard or sharp the person could strike.
3. Ease the person to the ground if they aren't already down, and place something soft under their head.
4. Do not restrain the person or put anything in their mouth — both are outdated practices that can cause injury.
5. Once the seizure ends, turn the person onto their side to help keep their airway clear, and stay with them until they're fully alert.

Call 911 if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, if the person doesn't regain consciousness afterward, if a second seizure follows shortly after the first, if the person is injured, pregnant, or has diabetes, or if this is their first known seizure.

Poisoning and Accidental Ingestion

Suspected poisoning — from household chemicals, medications, or spoiled food — calls for fast, specific action rather than general first aid.

Responding to suspected poisoning:

1. Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (U.S.) immediately, or 911 if the person is unconscious, having difficulty breathing, or having seizures.
2. Have the container or substance on hand if possible — this helps responders give the most accurate guidance.
3. Do not induce vomiting unless specifically instructed to do so by Poison Control or emergency responders — this outdated advice can cause additional harm depending on what was ingested.
4. If the substance is on the skin or in the eyes, rinse thoroughly with clean water for at least 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Keep Poison Control's number saved in your phone and posted somewhere visible in the home, especially with young children in the household.

Heat- and Cold-Related Illness

Heat exhaustion, heat stroke, hypothermia, and frostbite are covered in depth from a prevention standpoint in the Survival Shelter Guide, including how clothing choice and layering — covered in that guide's section on clothing as your first layer of shelter — serve as your primary defense against both. From a first-aid response standpoint:

Heat exhaustion is treated by moving the person to a cool area, removing excess clothing, applying cool wet cloths, and offering small sips of water if they're alert and not nauseated. Heat stroke — marked by hot, dry skin, confusion, or loss of consciousness — is a medical emergency requiring immediate cooling and emergency care.

Hypothermia is treated by getting the person out of wet clothing, warming them gradually with blankets and warm (not hot) compresses, and seeking emergency care for moderate to severe cases. Frostbite is treated by gently rewarming the affected area in warm — not hot — water, never rubbing or massaging frostbitten tissue, and seeking medical care, since frostbite damage isn't always immediately apparent.

CPR and Cardiac Emergencies

Cardiac arrest can happen suddenly, and survival depends heavily on how quickly bystanders respond. Effective bystander CPR performed in the first few minutes can significantly improve a person's chance of survival before emergency responders arrive.

This section provides a general overview only. It is not a substitute for certified CPR training, which includes hands-on practice that builds the muscle memory, timing, and confidence needed to perform CPR effectively under real pressure.

Basic adult CPR steps:

1. Check the scene for safety, then check if the person is responsive by tapping their shoulder and asking loudly if they're okay.
2. If unresponsive and not breathing normally, call 911 or have someone else call immediately.
3. Begin chest compressions: place the heel of one hand on the center of the chest, the other hand on top, and push hard and fast — at a depth of about 2 inches for an adult, at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute.
4. If trained and willing, give two rescue breaths after every 30 compressions, tilting the head back and lifting the chin to open the airway.
5. Continue cycles of compressions (and breaths, if performing them) until emergency responders arrive or an AED becomes available.

Differences for children and infants: Compression depth and hand placement differ for children (about 2 inches, often using one hand for smaller children) and infants (about 1.5 inches, using two fingers). These differences are exactly why a certified course covering all three age groups is valuable — the techniques are similar in principle but meaningfully different in execution.

Using an AED (Automated External Defibrillator): Modern AEDs are designed for use by untrained bystanders, with voice prompts that guide you through each step — turning the device on, placing the pads as shown in the on-device diagram, and following the prompt to deliver a shock if the device detects a shockable heart rhythm. Continue CPR as directed by the device between shocks.

Why hands-on training matters so much here: CPR is a physical skill. Compression depth, rate, and hand placement are difficult to calibrate correctly from text alone, and getting them right matters for effectiveness. A certified course — widely available through the American Red Cross and similar organizations, often in a single afternoon — builds real competence that reading cannot replace.

Natural, Herbal, and Home Remedies

Natural and home remedies have a long history of supplementing first aid care, and many have genuine practical value — particularly for minor issues or as a bridge when commercial supplies run low.

When home remedies make sense: For minor, non-emergency issues — small wounds, mild digestive upset, minor skin irritation — natural remedies can provide real relief and are worth knowing, especially in a prolonged situation where commercial medications may be limited.

Common natural remedies worth knowing:

• Honey has natural antibacterial properties and has been used for minor wound dressing for centuries; medical-grade honey is also used in modern wound care products.
• Aloe vera soothes minor burns and skin irritation.
• Ginger can help settle mild nausea.
• Plantain leaf (the common lawn weed, not the banana relative) has traditionally been used as a poultice for minor insect bites and stings.
• Chamomile is commonly used for mild digestive upset and as a calming tea.

Clear limitations: Natural remedies are not a substitute for emergency care, prescription medication, or treatment of serious injury and illness. A severe wound, a serious infection, anaphylaxis, or a cardiac emergency requires professional medical intervention — no herbal remedy changes that. Treat natural remedies as a useful supplement for minor issues, not a replacement for real medical care when real medical care is needed and available.

Hygiene — Preventing Illness Before It Starts

Hygiene rarely gets the attention it deserves in preparedness planning, but poor hygiene is one of the most common causes of preventable illness and infection during an emergency. When routines around handwashing, bathing, and sanitation break down, disease spreads quickly — often faster and more predictably than the original emergency itself.

Hand Hygiene Without Running Water

Hand hygiene is the single most effective tool for preventing the spread of illness, and it remains achievable even without running water.

• Hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content is effective against most illness-causing germs when soap and water aren't available.
• A simple gravity-fed wash station — a water container with a spigot positioned above a basin — allows for proper handwashing using stored water efficiently.
• Wash before eating, after using the bathroom, and after handling waste or raw food — these are the highest-priority moments for hand hygiene, even when water is limited.

Bathing and Personal Cleanliness Off-Grid

• Sponge bathing using a small amount of warm water, a washcloth, and mild soap accomplishes most of what a full shower does, using a small fraction of the water.
• Baby wipes or body wipes are a practical addition to any emergency kit for situations where even sponge bathing isn't practical.
• Solar showers — a water bag designed to heat in direct sunlight with a hose and shower head — are a worthwhile addition for longer-term off-grid situations.
• Prioritize hands, face, underarms, and groin when water is severely limited — these areas matter most for both hygiene and comfort.

Dental Hygiene in an Emergency

Dental hygiene is easy to overlook, but untreated dental problems can lead to serious infection. Keep a basic dental kit — toothbrush, toothpaste or tooth powder, and floss — as part of your medical and hygiene supplies, and maintain regular brushing even when other routines are disrupted.

Laundry Without Power

• A five-gallon bucket and a plunger with holes drilled in it creates a simple, effective manual washing machine.
• A washboard remains an effective tool for scrubbing out heavier soil.
• Sun-drying clothing on a line is effective and uses no power; direct sunlight also has some natural antimicrobial benefit.
• Prioritize undergarments, towels, and anything in direct contact with wounds or used for food handling when laundry capacity is limited.

Managing Illness in the Household

When someone in the household becomes sick, isolating them as much as practical reduces the chance of the illness spreading to others.

1. Designate a separate room for the sick person if possible.
2. Use a separate set of dishes, cups, and utensils for the duration of the illness.
3. Increase hand hygiene frequency for everyone in the household, especially the person providing care.
4. Clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces — doorknobs, light switches, faucet handles — more frequently.
5. Monitor for worsening symptoms that would indicate a need for professional medical care.

Off-Grid Human Waste Disposal and Sanitation

Improper human waste disposal is one of the fastest ways disease spreads in any emergency situation. When plumbing fails, having a sanitary plan in place prevents what could otherwise become a serious secondary health crisis on top of the original emergency. Core options include a bucket toilet for short-term use, a portable camping toilet, or a properly built latrine for longer-term situations — with distance from water sources, gardens, and living space as the single most important safety principle across every method.

Sanitation deserves its own dedicated guide given how much ground it genuinely covers — latrine construction, composting toilets, greywater and blackwater management, odor and pest control, and specific guidance for infants, illness, and winter conditions. Read the full guide in our Off-Grid Sanitation Guide.

Preventing Infection

Recognizing the early signs of infection allows you to act before a manageable problem becomes a medical emergency.

Signs of an infected wound:

• Increasing redness spreading outward from the wound
• Warmth and swelling around the area
• Pus or unusual discharge
• Increasing pain rather than gradual improvement
• Fever
• Red streaking extending from the wound (a sign of the infection spreading and a clear signal to seek emergency care)

Infection prevention connects directly to the other pillars covered in this series. Contaminated water used to clean a wound can introduce the very bacteria you're trying to avoid — see the Emergency Water Storage Guide for purification methods that apply just as well to wound care as to drinking water. Food safety practices covered in the Emergency Food Storage Guide similarly reduce the illness risk that can compound an already difficult situation.

When infection signs appear, clean and re-dress the wound, and seek professional medical care — especially if redness is spreading, fever develops, or red streaking appears. Untreated infections can become serious quickly, and antibiotics, when needed, require professional evaluation and prescription.

Medical and Hygiene Supplies by Scenario

Power Outage

A short-term power outage rarely changes medical needs dramatically, but it does affect hygiene routines and any household member dependent on powered medical equipment.

• Keep a battery or solar backup for any essential medical device — CPAP machines, nebulizers, and similar equipment. Sizing and building that backup power is covered in full in our Emergency Power Supply Guide.
• Maintain hand hygiene and food safety practices even when routines are disrupted.
• Keep your first aid kit accessible and check that battery-powered components, like a thermometer, have working batteries.

Extended Grid-Down Situation

• Hygiene becomes an active daily priority rather than a background habit — implement bucket laundry, sponge bathing, and waste disposal systems as routines, not improvised responses.
• Monitor household members for illness early, and isolate as needed to prevent spread.
• Ration medical supplies thoughtfully, prioritizing wound care and any chronic condition management over less critical items.
• Reassess prescription medication supplies and discuss extended-supply options with a healthcare provider before a crisis, when possible.

Bug-Out Medical Considerations

• A compact, well-organized bug-out first aid kit should prioritize trauma care — bleeding control, wound care, and splinting — over the broader supply range appropriate for a home kit.
• Pack hygiene basics: hand sanitizer, a small supply of wipes, and a toothbrush.
• Carry any essential prescription medications, along with a written list of medications and dosages in case you're separated from your supplies or need to communicate with a medical provider.
• Lightweight items that serve double duty — a bandana that can be a dressing, a sling, or a tourniquet windlass — are worth prioritizing when weight is a concern.

Key Takeaways

• Medical readiness doesn't follow the Rule of Threes. Injury and illness can become life-threatening in minutes, which is why this pillar deserves dedicated attention.
• This guide is educational, not a replacement for certified training. Hands-on first aid and CPR certification builds skills and confidence that reading alone cannot provide.
• Build a tiered first aid kit — personal, home, vehicle, and bug-out — matched to where it will actually be used.
• Master the core skills: bleeding control, burn treatment, splinting, shock recognition, choking response, and allergic reaction management.
• An Israeli bandage fills the real gap between basic gauze and a tourniquet — ideal for torso and junctional wounds where a tourniquet doesn't apply, and usable one-handed if you're treating yourself.
• Know the right response for seizures and poisoning — both are common household emergencies with specific, non-intuitive first steps, including never restraining a seizing person and never inducing vomiting without instruction.
• CPR and AED use save lives in the critical first minutes of a cardiac emergency, before professional responders arrive.
• Natural remedies have real value for minor issues but are not a substitute for medical care when medical care is genuinely needed.
• Hygiene prevents illness before it starts. Hand hygiene, bathing, dental care, and laundry all remain achievable without running water or power.
• Proper waste disposal is essential, not optional — improper sanitation is one of the fastest paths to widespread illness in any emergency.
• Recognize the signs of infection early, and don't hesitate to seek professional care when a wound shows signs of worsening.
• Get certified. A single first aid and CPR course is one of the highest-value things you can do for your household's preparedness.

You've now covered shelter, water, food, and medical readiness — four of the core survival priorities. The next article in this series covers sanitation — managing human waste safely when normal plumbing fails. Read our Off-Grid Sanitation Guide.

For all our preparedness guides, visit the Preparedness Guides page.

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