'Be Prepared' It's the Boy Scout motto and it defiantly applies to first aid situations. This is never more relevant than when your packing your bags and heading to an unknowns and exciting location on vacation. It is not uncommon when travelling to find yourself along way from help if there is an emergency. If camping, tramping or backpacking, at home or in foreign country there are a few essential items to carry. These include simple items such as heavy duty tape, cable ties, a torch, but most importantly a first aid kit. I'm a pessimist at heart, I prepare for the worst but am grateful when the worst does not occur, however I know that if something does happen I will be ready for it.

The following article compiles what would have to be the most important items and should be included in a first aid kit. Importantly if you invest in a first aid kit read the instructions and know how to use the items in you kit before you need them.

Be aware - If you have prescription based medication you need to take overseas with you then ensure that it is correctly labelled, and the prescription is correct. In the current age of fear surrounding air travel you must be extremely careful with such details nothing is overlooked and your incorrectly labelled heart medication could be the cause of a full search resulting in you missing your plane.

Latex gloves Latex gloves are mandatory these days, always wear gloves when attending to someone else's injury, especially if you're the first on the scene and don't know the injured person. Your life is always more important, don't take unnecessary risks. There are many contagious diseases around today; contact with another person's blood should be avoided at all cost.

Paracetamol based pain killers - A lot of pain killers have Paracetamol in them, ask for it by name as they are extremely effective at reducing pain. The little known benefit is that Paracetamol also reduces nausea and will therefore not only help headaches but also stomach aches, and even that hangover from last night.

Tweezers Its silly things like a splinter or sliver of glass that can really make a trip uncomfortable, especially if hiking a long distance, therefore a good set of tweezers is perfect for removing splinters and other such annoyances.

Sling (triangle shaped bandage) A perfect tool for immobilizing arms. If you think the injured arm is dislocated or even broken, place into a sling as this will do no more damage to the injury.

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