Hi Paul810,
Since I first began driving, I have kept a gallon of drinking water, a flashlight, jumper cables & a blanket in the trunk of my car. Nowadays, I make sure the blanket is wool and there are more than one flashlight, one of them a large Maglight. I added an EMS bag when I joined a Medical Response Team at work, and have kept that stocked ever since. I also now carry some odds and ends like a few misc tools, eye goggles and leather gloves, a roll of hose tape, a couple of hose clamps, a Leatherman Crunch, a water bag for carrying radiator water, a "Call Police" sign, a fire extinguisher & a disposable gas can.
I now drive a 2000 Jeep Wrangler. Lack of a trunk led me to get creative about repacking to get in all the stuff I wanted to carry. The first time I went offroading, I quickly realized I now had the ability to easily drive well out beyond where the the Police Car, Fire Truck, Tow Truck or Ambulance could reach. In other words, I might well be on my own if I screwed something up.
So, in addition to some extraction gear like a Hi-Lift Jack, some tow straps, et. al. I added two backpacks that hang behind the front seats.
They are sold by Mopar as accessories made just for Wranglers. In other words, they look nice, fit well and work just fine for what they are (storage), but aren't particularly rugged and the straps are thin webbing not really suited for any long (or even medium) term use.
I reinforced with heavy duty thread and some webbing inside the pack where the straps join the fabric of the backpack, because they're not really made for carrying a lot of heavy stuff (and I pack them quite tightly full!). I get the feeling they were intended just for picnics & such, but I put medical supplies in one and survival gear in the other.
Here are the current contents of the medical pack. Be aware that some of this stuff I keep in it as legacy gear from my EMS days and may not be needed or advisable for first aid kits.
Bandages:
arm sling
SAM splint
finger splints
knuckle bandages
abdominal padding
triangular bandages
2" adhesive bandages
adhesive shear spots
wound closure strips
10"x30" trauma dressing
disposable sterile sheet
disposable rescue blanket
adhesive tape 5 yards (1")
adhesive tape 5 yards (1/2")
assorted sanitary gauze pads
assorted sanitary gauze rolls
Water Gel® burn dressings (4x4)
4x4, 3x3 and 2x2 sterile dressings
Bloodstopper and Trau-Medic bandages
compressed purified cotton rolls/balls
Protective Gear:
eye shields
Laerdal® Pocket Mask
CPR Barrier MicroShield®
nitrile examination gloves
disposeable forearm sleeves
infectious waste disposal kit
Misc. Equipment:
forceps
eye wash
tweezers
stethoscope
oral airway kit
mini-flashlight
sterile eye pad
Sawyer Extractor
constricting band
"EMS Field Guide"
instant cold packs
Fisher "Bullet Pen"
Leatherman Sideclip
EMT shears/scissors
digital thermometer
blood pressure cuff
1st responder holster
disposable thermometers
assorted safety pins
accident report form pad
Meyerco Rescue One folding knife
green "Extreme" 180° "Krill" lamp
dehydrated/compressed pop-up style sponges
Fox 40 International "Mini Fox 40" whistle
detailed waterproof list of kit contents w/ their locations and uses
Salves/Ointments:
After Bite
alcohol wipes
cleaning wipes
petroleum jelly
first aid cream
medicaine swabs
calamine lotion
hydrogen peroxide
merthiolate vials
lubricating jelly
antibacterial soap
antibiotic ointment
Betadine/iodine vial
Betadine/iodine wipes
antiseptic swabsticks
antiseptic towelettes
PAWS antimicrobial wipes
gelled alcohol hand sanitizer
a can of additive-free shaving cream
Nutrition/Drugs:
glucose wafers
Aqua-Blox water boxes
Here are the contents of the survival pack. Keep in mind that I have not reviewed these contents in quite a while, and need to completely review what I'm carrying.
Signaling Gear:
"Call Police" sign
compressed air horn
emergency road flares
orange reflector triangle
bright orange bandannas
Skyblazer LoudMouth horn
Ultimate Survival, Inc. "Jet Scream" whistle
Cyalume "SafetyGlow" light stick (2hr orange)
Cyalume "SafetyGlow" light stick (2hr yellow)
Kriana Corp "Krill" yellow "Extreme" 360° lamp
Kriana Corp "Krill" yellow "Standard" 360° lamp
Cyalume standard light stick (8hr white) w/ lanyard
Cyalume standard light stick (12hr orange) w/ lanyard
Cyalume "High Intensity" light stick (30min yellow) w/ lanyard
Cyalume "Ultra High Intensity" light stick (5min orange) w/ lanyard
(All lightsticks except the SafetyGlows are kept in toothbrush holders to protect them.)
reflective aluminized blanket (to wrap around the tailgate & tire if I must abandon the vehicle on the side of the road)
Emergency Devices Group:
Brunton 15mm compass
Leatherman Super-Tool
one-sided razor blade
heavy-duty aluminum foil
reflective emergency vest
emergency gasoline substitute
temporary emergency engine belts
NATO Lifeboat matches and striker
full size disposable butane lighter
Pelican "MityLite Magnum" flashlight
Four Seasons Survival "Spark-Lite" kit
Cyalume standard light stick (12hr yellow)
Cyalume standard light stick (12hr yellow)
insect repellent citronella candle in a can
BURNFREE Hydrogel Survival Fire/Trauma Blanket
spare lithium battery sets f/ all electronic devices
Shelter and Personal Protection Gear:
zinc oxide
2 sun hats
insect repellent
floppy brim sun hat
waterproof disposable camera
extra compact folding umbrella
2pr thick synthetic hiking socks
2 reflective aluminized emergency bags
Personal Supplies:
(These items are the ones placed where they are the most accessible.)
mouthwash
sunglasses
toilet paper
tissue packs
foil packed wipes
disposable toilet seat covers
Pure Touch Skin Care "Tush Wipes"
waterless anti-bacterial hand cleaner
"#1 Travel John" "Disposable Relief Bags"
Miscellaneous Gear:
Fisher "Bullet Pen"
waterproof playing cards
all plastic deck of cards
magnetic "travel chess" set
heavy-duty industrial duct tape
assorted stainless steel safety pins
3M Scotch brand "Super 33+" electrical tape
550# mil-spec parachute cord w/ internal strands
"Rite in the Rain" and "Nalgene" waterproof paper
assorted size 4mil zipper lock style plastic bags
lightweight thin flat plastic fresnel style magnifying glass
Water and Food:
Survivor Industries "Mainstay" survival rations
Survivor Industries "Mainstay" emergency water bags
It took a while to pack the bags, and they're so fully and carefully packed that I don't like to get into them, but that just keeps m from using up my stocks in non-emergencies. If I ever have to make my Jeep a shelter or abandon it and walk out, I can just grab the survival gear bag and go. If there's someone with me, they can grab the medical bag in case it's needed.
FWIW, I have used the medical bag to good effect when I have encountered traffic accidents. Offroad, I feel better just knowing it's there.
Stay safe,
J.T.