The Boo-Boo Box

Let me start this article off by making one thing very clear: I’m not a doctor, but I am accident prone.  This article is not intended to be medical advice but to make you think about preparing for emergencies. (Emergencies that are not catastrophic, just inconvenient.)   

The ability to save a life -- having the knowledge and equipment to do so -- is wonderful. Never miss an opportunity to get medical training. Get an aid bag and learn how to use everything in it. Carry an individual first aid kit, take a class and know how to save a life. Now that’s out of the way, let’s continue with this article. 

The boo-boo box concept comes from a Special Forces Medic friend of mine. We’ll call him Sgt Redneck.  He knows who he is. He pointed out to me on the range that he has all this amazing equipment to save lives, stop bleeding, and restore airway. But he can’t find a Band-Aid to put on the Team Sgt’s thumb to save his career. So, we started to joke that we needed a box just dedicated to boo-boos. Because I myself am accident prone and I have children, my boo-boo box is well used. I’m going to share the evolution of my boo-boo box with you today. 

I started with just taking a regular ammo can and spray painting it white. Threw some Band-Aids and some antiseptic ointment in there. I’ve been using it for the past few years now.  Like most of my kit, I revisit the box often and add or take away what I’ve deemed necessary or unnecessary. Like most things, this is personal. Your needs may vary from mine but, uncharacteristically, I’m going to give you a list and explain why I have those items. Remember, this is just an example to trigger your thoughts, because it’s important that you come up with what’s right for YOU. 

Like I said, in the early times of the boo-boo box, it was Band-Aids and ointment. I have an assortment of different Band-Aids, from large to extremely small, as well as those crazy space-age waterproof ones. I find it is extremely helpful to have multiples of the various sizes because if I do it once, I probably will do it again. I like the cloth Band-Aids because of their breathability but if we’re in a wet environment, I have the waterproof ones.  

I still carry Neosporin, but I also carry Bactine spray. I like the Bactine spray because you can spritz it on without touching the wounded area. It has a topical which helps with the pain. It’s very helpful with small children and it’s a little more sanitary. 

I added some 2x2 gauze pads because you might need something just a little bigger than Band-Aids. These with some white medical tape work wonders. They’re also great for cleaning, and for that reason I also have some 4x4 gauze pads.  I have some 1x1 alcohol wipes, excellent for cleaning and sanitizing items and they take up hardly any space.

Next, I like to keep a large plastic syringe, like those that you use to give children medicine. These are great to irrigate a wound. Just fill with a little clean water and gently plunge to clean out the debris. Something that gets a lot of use in my kit is New Skin. It burns something awful, but I have found it to be highly effective. It’s great with blisters as well as difficult cuts. Speaking of blisters, you must have moleskin.  

There are many extra things that have found their way in and out of my kit over the years. Some things may be seasonal such as sunscreen. I do like to have some sort of lotion whether it be Aquaphor or Lubriderm. Dry, cracking skin is an irritant that can become a problem, so a little bit of prevention goes a long way.  

The things that I’ve mentioned are not to be a checklist, they are just to help you think of things to put in your own boo-boo box. I have had great success planning our boo-box as a family and it’s great to see the ideas and perspectives from each family member. For example, my wife recently pointed out that we have nothing for tooth pain. Something that I completely overlooked. So, plan as a family and see what is right for your crew.  

The boo-boo box is meant to be a resource for the small inconveniences. When you need a quick patch to get back in the game. It is separate from your trauma or aid bag. Remember that a thousand cuts can kill you just as effectively as a sucking chest wound, so you need to be prepared to treat both. The little ankle biters and the big ankle breakers.

Chris