Whether you were a Boy Scout or you knew someone that was, there is a very good chance that you know the scout motto, "Be prepared!" In life, there is so much that will catch you off-guard. Emergency situations are the events that most people are completely unprepared for.

If you want to help in times of need, in times of crisis, and in emergency situations, then you need to follow the boy scout motto and "Be prepared!" Pack the following items in the trunk of your car so that you are ready and willing to help, no matter the emergency situation you happen upon. (Also, make sure you know how to use these items as well; it helps to take training courses when you can.)

A Fully Stocked First Aid Kit

Being well-equipped means that you have vinyl gloves, gauze, bandages, medical tape, tourniquet supplies, band-aids in various sizes, rubbing alcohol, iodine, peroxide, cotton balls, sterile and clean rags, bandage shears, a blood pressure cuff, and perhaps a stethoscope in your first aid kit. Package all of it in a clear, see-through tote with a locking lid. Then you know exactly what you have used previously and what you need to restock in the kit after every use.

An AED Defibrillator

Portable defibrillators are an essential tool when you happen upon a scene where it is going to be a while before the EMTs arrive and someone clearly needs the defibrillator if he/she is going to survive. A lot of defibrillators come with instructions so that anyone can use them, but if you can take a training course and become certified, that is an even better option. Keep the defibrillator fully charged and check it often to make sure it is ready to go if and when you should ever need it.

AED Accessories

In addition to the AED, make sure you stock up on accessories, such as Zoll AED accessories. This includes extra disposable volt pads, leads, and a portable heart monitor that will establish whether or not the person being defibrillated has been successfully revived. Store these supplies in a separate tote to keep them dry. 

CPR Masks

To refrain from passing potentially harmful bacteria and viruses between yourself and the people you are assisting, carry some CPR facial masks with you. These are easily sterilized between uses. When used correctly, you place the mask over the person's mouth and nose, open his/her airway, and force a breath in through the plastic pipe-like structure that sticks up from the mask. This also helps you avoid getting any of their blood in your mouth.

Blankets and Solar Blankets

Blankets are necessary for keeping people warm when the weather is extremely cold. They can also keep people warm when they are going into shock. Blankets can be used as soft splints for body parts that need to be immobilized due to broken bones or sprains. 

Solar blankets are extremely lightweight and made of a highly reflective, silvery, foil-like material. They are able to collect more heat and pull it to the person under the solar blanket. In addition to this application, solar blankets can be used to signal for help in remote locations.

Now You Are Ready

If you have taken a first-aid course and a CPR course, you are essentially ready for most emergency situations that you may encounter on the road or about town. The only things you cannot prepare for are the situations that require immediate surgery for extreme blood loss, head traumas, or internal bleeding. The rest you have prepared for with all of the supplies you have in the trunk of your car.