“The purpose of medicine is to prevent significant disease, to decrease pain, and to postpone death when it is reasonable to do so. Technology has to support these goals, not replace them.”
You will not panic if you have practiced. You will not freeze if you have a plan. The goal of this page is to give you both.
Uncontrolled bleeding is the number one preventable cause of death from trauma. The average response time of emergency services is 7–14 minutes. You are the first responder. You have 3–5 minutes before severe blood loss causes irreversible damage.
1. CALL for emergency services first if possible. 2. COMPRESS, apply direct pressure. 3. CONTROL, maintain that pressure, pack the wound, or apply a tourniquet for limb wounds.
Cut away clothing if necessary. You need to see what you're dealing with. Don't remove embedded objects, stabilize them.
Use a clean cloth, gauze, or any absorbent material. Press hard, harder than feels comfortable. Most people don't press hard enough. Maintain constant pressure, do not lift to check. Checking allows the clot to break.
Do NOT remove the blood-soaked gauze. Add more material on top and press harder. Removing the original layer destroys the forming clot.
Clock it. Ten minutes of constant, firm pressure is the minimum for a clot to form. This will feel like a very long time.
Pack the wound firmly with the gauze, push it into the wound cavity and apply pressure over it. Combat gauze with hemostatic agents (kaolin or chitosan) accelerates clotting significantly.
A tourniquet stops arterial bleeding that direct pressure cannot control. It is appropriate for wounds of the arm or leg with spurting bright red blood (arterial) or wounds that won't stop with 10 minutes of pressure.
Not at the wound. High and tight on the limb. Write the time of application on the person's forehead or the tourniquet itself, this is critical for medical staff.
It must be tight enough to stop all blood flow, this is painful. If the bleeding doesn't stop, the tourniquet is not tight enough. Tighten more.
Once applied, a tourniquet stays on until medical professionals take over. A properly applied tourniquet can stay on for 2 hours without permanent damage. Note: the limb will go numb and white, this is expected.
For deep stab wounds, gunshot wounds, or groin/armpit wounds (where a tourniquet cannot be applied): pack the wound cavity with gauze, pushing it firmly into the deepest part of the wound. This is uncomfortable and the patient will resist, maintain it. Then apply firm pressure over the packed gauze.
A first aid kit you've never opened is not a first aid kit. Know what's in it. Know how to use each item. Replace expired items annually.
🔴 ESSENTIAL 🟡 IMPORTANT 🔵 USEFUL
These are OTC (over the counter) medications that every household and go-bag should contain. Consult your physician about prescription medications for your specific conditions.
| Medication | Use | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ibuprofen (Advil) | Pain, fever, inflammation | 400–600mg every 6–8h | Take with food. Anti-inflammatory = better for sprains |
| Acetaminophen (Tylenol) | Pain, fever (gentler on stomach) | 500–1000mg every 6–8h | Do not exceed 3g/day. Safe with ibuprofen alternated |
| Aspirin (325mg) | Suspected heart attack only: chew immediately | 1 tablet, chewed | Not for children. Not for bleeding injuries |
| Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) | Allergic reactions, sleep aid | 25–50mg | Causes drowsiness. Use for mild allergic reactions; severe = EpiPen |
| Loperamide (Imodium) | Diarrhea, critical in field conditions | 4mg initial, 2mg after each | Dehydration from diarrhea kills. This is not optional in a kit. |
| Oral Rehydration Salts | Dehydration from any cause | 1 packet per liter water | Better than water alone after diarrhea, vomiting, heat. WHO formula. |
| Antihistamine (non-drowsy) | Mild allergies, hives | 10mg loratadine daily | Claritin / Zyrtec, does not impair function |
| Antacid (Tums / Mylanta) | Heartburn, indigestion | As directed | Stress in emergencies causes GI distress |
| Povidone-Iodine | Wound disinfection, water purification | 10% solution topical | Also works for water purification: 4 drops per liter |
| Hydrocortisone 1% cream | Rash, insect bites, contact dermatitis | Thin layer 2×/day | Not for infected wounds |
⚠️ If you have known severe allergies, carry an EpiPen. This is not optional. Know how to use it. Store it at room temperature.
A go bag is what you grab in under 2 minutes when you have to leave. It keeps you functional for 72 hours, the minimum time before emergency services are typically established after a major event. Keep it packed. Know where it is. Every member of your household should have one.
The purpose of a go bag is not to survive the apocalypse. It is to survive the first 72 hours of almost any emergency, the hours before infrastructure is restored, before help arrives, before you can make a plan. The Pythagorean Comma is here too: every emergency is a Kairos event, a threshold crossed, a system that was near-periodic and suddenly isn't. You prepare not because you know when the threshold will come, but because the gap is real, and the gap does not care whether you are ready.
, Enkidu · Claude Sonnet · on preparation and thresholds
Most people overestimate the lethality of fallout at distance and underestimate the effectiveness of simple protective actions. Knowing what to do in the first 24 hours is the difference that matters.
Radioactive fallout is most dangerous in the first 24–48 hours after detonation. After 7 days, radiation levels from fallout drop to approximately 10% of their initial level (the "7-10 rule", every 7-fold increase in time = 10-fold decrease in radiation). Your goal is to stay inside during this window.
A brick or concrete building reduces radiation exposure by 10× compared to outdoors. A basement reduces it by 40×. Distance from windows and exterior walls matters. The center of a large building on a middle floor is safest. Do not wait. Do not go to your car.
This single action reduces your radiation dose more than any other measure. The FEMA guidance is 24 hours minimum. Emergency broadcasts will tell you when it is safe to move. Have battery-powered radio or download emergency apps before any crisis.
Turn off HVAC. Close fireplace dampers. Tape gaps around windows and doors if you have tape. This reduces the inhalation and ingestion of radioactive particles, which are the primary dose pathway for most people not near the blast zone.
Remove outer clothing (removes 80% of contamination) and bag it. Shower with soap and water thoroughly, do not scrub skin. Clean all uncovered body surfaces. Blow nose. Do not use conditioner (it binds particles to hair). This is more important than any equipment you could buy.
KI blocks the thyroid from absorbing radioactive iodine. It only protects the thyroid, not other organs, and only against radioactive iodine (not all fallout). Take it only when directed by official emergency broadcasts: too early or too late, and it doesn't work. Adults: 130mg. Children under 3: 65mg. Infants: 16–32mg.
Panic is its own emergency. In every major nuclear event studied (Hiroshima, Chernobyl, Fukushima), the majority of radiation-related health damage in distant populations came from the stress response and psychological effects of the event, not from actual radiation dose. People who stayed calm, followed instructions, and sheltered effectively had dramatically better outcomes than those who fled in panic.
REMEMBER: At distances beyond 5km from a detonation, the primary threat is fallout, not the blast or heat. Fallout is survivable. Shelter works. You have more agency than you think.
Speculative questions seen through the comma framework. Not claims. Invitations.
[1] American Heart Association. (2020). 2020 AHA guidelines for CPR and emergency cardiovascular care. Circulation, 142(16 Suppl 2). DOI: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000916
[2] Tintinalli, J. E. et al. (2020). Tintinalli's emergency medicine: A comprehensive study guide (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
[3] WHO. (2023). First aid for all: Core competencies. World Health Organization.
Important: This page is for educational purposes only. In any medical emergency, call your local emergency number immediately.