First Aid kits

[funkfool]

Ok - anyone have a first aid bag made up?
I had a kid wreck his bike in my driveway a few weeks ago and realized I have bandaids and ace bandages and some neosporine - and that's about it.
So I am on a mission to rectify the situation.

1). I need a first aid kit in a bag for the house that has the items I would need in an emergency (Not the equipment to stock a field hospital) - just a good general first aid kit. This would also be my BOB medic kit.

2). I need a smaller kit for the cars... just what I would need if I came across an accident or an injury.

[funkfool]

Here is the Red Cross recomended family kit:
http://www.redcross.org/images/pdfs/code/First_Aid_Kit_Contents.pdf

First Aid Kit Contents

*ACFAS MINIMUM RECOMMENDED FAMILY KIT CONTENTS

Assemble a first aid kit to include in your Disaster Supplies Kit and one for each vehicle.
Include:

Additional items may be added to personalize or customize this kit.
Family First Aid Kit Content Suggested Use

Absorbent Compress 5x9 dressing Cover and protect open wounds
Adhesive Bandages (Assorted Sizes) Cover and protect open wounds
Adhesive Tape (cloth) 1” To secure bandages or splints
Antibiotic Ointment packets (approx 1 g) Anti-infection
Antiseptic wipe Packets Wound cleaning/germ killer
Aspirin (Chewable) 81 mg For symptoms of a heart attack**
Blanket (Space Blanket) Maintain body temperature for shock
CPR Breathing Barrier (w/one-way valve) Protection during rescue breathing or CPR
Instant Cold Compress To control swelling
Gloves (large), disposable, non-latex Prevent body fluid contact
Hydrocortisone Ointment Packets (approx 1 g) External rash treatment
Scissors Cut tape, cloth,or bandages
Roller Bandage 3” (individually wrapped) Secure wound dressing in place
Roller Bandage 4” (individually wrapped) Secure wound dressing in place
Sterile Gauze Pad 3x3 To control external bleeding
Sterile Gauze Pad 4x4 To control external bleeding
Thermometer, Oral (Non-Mercury/Non-Glass) Take temperature orally
Triangular Bandage Sling or binder/splinting
Tweezers Remove splinters or ticks
First Aid Instruction booklet Self explanatory
*ACFAS is the American National Red Cross Advisory Council on First Aid and Safety.

[funkfool]

http://thereluctantpaladin.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-im-preparing-bob-first-aid-kit_18.html

When I first decided to do this, I looked at commercially prepared first aid kits like you find at walmart and sporting good stores. They didn't do much for me. Seemed like a lot of money for basically some antibiotic ointment and a couple of bandaids. So, I decided to make my own. This isn't my primary first aid kit, its just my mobile one that travels around with me when I'm away from home. My home first aid kit, which we'll look at later, is LOTS more involved.

Here's a list of what currently rests within:

Flashlight
Tweezers
Nailclippers
zyrtec (allergies)
Pepcid (heartburn/stomach acid)
tylenol
tylenol sinus
Prescription generic vicodin*
alcohol swabs
assorted bandaids
butterfly closures
neosporin
"hot hands" hand warmers
Thermacare heat wrap
"OFF" towlettes
eyeglass repair kit
small lock blade knife
lighter
small multitool with pliers, wire cutter, screwdrivers
roll gauze bandages
Gauze sponges
Quik Clot**
Small gooseneck magnetic light

The kit is small, but I could (and probably will) cram a little more in it. Like I said, it's not supposed to fill all medical needs. It's just supposed to help us out in the short term, should the need arise.

A couple of notes:

*The prescription generic vicodin are left overs from previous medical issues. I tend not to take hardcore pain killers unless I really need them.... but I'll fill the prescription every time the Dr. is willing to write one. I stash them for use in an emergency, just in case medical care isn't available. If I have a broken bone or other serious trauma - I don't want to be stuck with OTC tylenol. The tablets are kept IN A PRESCRIPTION BOTTLE THAT HAS MY NAME ON IT. I can't stress that enough. Possession of a prescription pain killer like vicodin that looks squirrely to the cops can cause you some grief.

**Quik Clot (http://www.quikclot.com/) is some amazing stuff. I hope like hell I never need it, but having it could easily mean the difference between having a bad injury, and completely bleeding out. Its a dry compound that is applied to serious trauma like a severed artery. It causes rapid clotting, so that the subject doesn't bleed out and die before help can get there. Stabbings, gunshot wounds, vehicle crashes are all instances where severe arterial trauma could result in fast bleed out. It used to come in a dry loose granular form, but now is available in "sponges" that are individually wrapped. That's what I have in all our first aid kits. I wouldn't go anywhere on the motorcycle without some in the saddlebags.

[funkfool]

Triage Kit:
http://www.utahpreppers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/firstaidfannypack.jpg

Environment and Prep
5 Light Sticks
50 Alcohol Wipes
10 pr Vinyl Surgical Gloves
Procedural
Sting/Snakebite Kit
1 Roll Medical Tape
3 5×9 Surgical Dressing
3 4×4 Gauze pad
10 3×3 Gauze pad
1 Burn Gel
1 4.5 in x 4 yd Bandage Roll
1 Ace Bandage Wrap
3 Gauze Wraps
1 Eye Wash
1 Moleskin
50 Multiple sizes Large to small bandaids
2 Sterile cotton tipped applicators
1 Surgical Scissors
1 EMT Shears
1 Hemostat
1 Tweezers
20 Safety pins
1 Large Sling Bandage
1 CPR Shield
1 Lighter
1 Ipecac Syrup
2 Neosporin/Antibiotic Ointment
1 Analgesic Gel (Benzocaine)
2 Finger Splints

Extended First Aid Kit:
http://www.utahpreppers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/firstaidmessengerbag1.jpg

100 pr Vinyl Surgical Gloves
200 Alcohol Wipers
2 Surgical Scissors
1 EMT Shears
1 Hemostat
2 Moleskin
1 CPR Shield
25 4×4 Gauze pad
10 5×9 Surgical Dressing
20 3×3 Gauze Pad
5 4.5 in x 4 yd Bandage Roll
2 Instant Cold Pack
2 Instant Heat Pack
1 Eye Wash
4 Rolls Medical Tape
2 btls Potassium Iodide (KI)
1 Roll-able Splint
1 box Nox-A-Sting Wipes
Emergency Candles
200 Band-Aids

[jerrymrc]

I keep the M2 bag stocked plus I keep a good sized first aid pouch with celox in the truck for range trips. I have not been though it in a while. This is just the go stuff. I also have one whole shelf in the linen closet packed with stuff

[Troublco]

I have the same kit Jerry does in my truck. For home, I have a full blown EMT bag that came loaded, and then I tossed in extras. I also have two surplus hard-cased GI first aid kits, one in the house and one in the truck along with the larger bag.

[jerrymrc]

A couple more things. A friend of mine is a SF-PA used to be a medic with 3 tours of the sand box under his belt. A couple of his points. Forget the sutures just buy a damn stapler. Hydrogen peroxide, Buy lots, Irrigate the hell out of wound with it.

He also agreed that the bag celox is better than granular kind (mentioned something about trying to get it into a wound with a 50mph sandstorm going) and always have one of the syringe types on hand as well.

[Irving]

I think an important thing to have in this thread (but try not to derail it) is to cover where to learn how to use all this stuff. I could shoot myself in the leg while in a fully functional, but deserted, hospital and I'd still die. I can use bandaids and neosporin.

[jerrymrc]

I think an important thing to have in this thread (but try not to derail it) is to cover where to learn how to use all this stuff. I could shoot myself in the leg while in a fully functional, but deserted, hospital and I'd still die. I can use bandaids and neosporin.

I was going to mention that. I am not an EMT or nurse. I spent two years in night school thinking I wanted to be a nurse but found out equipment does not talk back.

5 years in a MASH with 3 deployments and a year in the sand box means you get cross trained in a hurry. On top of that our Hospital has all kinds of courses that are mandatory for the patient care staff but optional for the rest of us. ;)

There are courses that you can take.

[jerrymrc]

For people in Denver. $55 get's your foot in the door for training.

http://www.coloradosafety.org/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=38&category_id=5&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=2&vmcchk=1&Itemid=2

[7.62x39(4)life]

to treat trauma I would add "Israeli", "izzy" emergency bandage, since it can be used as a primary secondary dressing and a tourniquet. (learn how to use this piece of gear)


As far as hemostatics(quickclot celox wouldstat) go (LEARN HOW AND WHEN TO USE)

quickclot and Celox are both fine... for my kit I have gone with Celox because it is able to be broken down by the body into glucose.

The granules can be problematic in the wind or if the patient is not lying down.

for my kit I have the celox gauze so I can pack the wound.
quickclot also make a gauze.

Sponge /dissovable bags are the other good option as well as the celox aplicator syringe mentioned above.

[Beprepared]

Don't forget what many of us have in quantity under our roof/car thanks to the wives,[Help] MAXI pads and TAMPONs! Throw in some gauze and your a lot farther that you thought. [ROFL1]

[Mtn.man]

Whiskey and Iodine.