I have ~$250 on my flex spending account and want to put together a first aid kit for the truck. Any suggestions for a basic setup? Don't necessarily need a bag, just the stuff to fill one.
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I have ~$250 on my flex spending account and want to put together a first aid kit for the truck. Any suggestions for a basic setup? Don't necessarily need a bag, just the stuff to fill one.
https://www.ar-15.co/threads/74405-E...xible+spending
useful links there.
What do you want to treat with it?
The basic stuff you would see on a camping trip along with what may be seen at a minor car accident. Don't need the real serious stuff (wouldn't do me much good as I don't know advanced first aid.)
With that much cash you should be able to buy a nice car first aid kit.
The next logical question is;Quote:
Originally Posted by 00tec
How much alcohol goes with you on camping trips?
You should be able to pick up a hell of a kit from Adventure Medical Kits. We bought one with our FSA last year.
About a keg and a half for a 4 day trip with 3 people. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Wulf202
One more reason to attend one of cmaillirds [spck] classes.Quote:
Originally Posted by 00tec
For the most part match the stuff is an Adventure Medical Kit for your basic stuff. You can get on the WEBSITE and look at the supplies in each kit. Not sure on what you can and cannot buy with FSA/HSA money but from what I have seen in the past an Adventure Medical Kit is ok to purchase, if not match the supplies. Now that said just about everything in those kits are for Boo-Boo type stuff and contain no real life saving supplies. Add a Tourniquet (CAT), Pressure Dressing (OLAES), Chest Seal (Halo), Hemostatic Agent (Combat Gauze or Celox Rapid). All told that is an additional $100 of true life saving stuff. None of it requires additional certification and all can be used by anyone.
Camping and car accidents can result in the same injury patterns we talk about in Casualty Care, just much more rare and more difficult to actually accomplish (to increase you chances, just add alcohol), but it CAN happen. We had one member here save his dogs life with these tools, for me that is more than enough reason to have it.
So... On those notes, looking at their website, I'm looking at:
http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/...ve&product=86#
Or
http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/...dname=Grizzly#
I would add other goodies to either kit, now just to decide which one...
How do you verify what you can, and can not purchase with the HSA money?
These might be worth a look and they are compact: http://www.shop.darkangelmedical.com/Kits_c11.htm
ETA: Here's a link to get you started -- http://www.benefitspro.com/2012/05/0...sa-cheat-sheetQuote:
Originally Posted by Irving
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p969.pdf
Depends your plan, to some extent, though there are inclusions and exclusions that are standard.
Your provider should have the lists on their web, and .gov should have the common inc/exc lists.
If you only have Flex (FSA), you will generally have more leeway. HSA is a savings account, so you aren't constrained by use-it-or-lose-it, so take that into consideration.
I know we used to stock up on OTC med, bandages, cough drops, etc., but they eliminated the otc's from FSA on our plan.
I have switched to having HSA and FSA, but by doing that, my FSA is only valid for vision and dental expenses. I try not to use my HSA funds unless absolutely needed. They're earning inteterest for the future.
Sent via my Mobile Work Avoidance Device
I'd say buy some kerlix, an Israeli bandage, a SAM splint, some petroleum gauze (lots of uses) and an ACE bandage. Spend the rest on training. If you know what "right" looks like, you can improvise a lot of things.
www.fsastore.com
Awesome website. I have a coupon around here somewhere too... I'll post it if I find it.
Training isn't on the FSA or HSA listsQuote:
Originally Posted by Zombie Steve
I like that site when I'm trying to finish off the last of the funds. I wonder if FSA would cover an ITS trauma kit.Quote:
Originally Posted by rbeau30
.. i secretly hoped he would have said----- herpesQuote:
Originally Posted by Wulf202
Is this stuff worth buying?
http://fsastore.com/Woundseal-Powder...ns-P21779.aspx
Here's the real deal. Much more useful for allpication to a significant bleeder.Quote:
Originally Posted by Irving
http://www.amazon.com/QuikClot-Comba...ndage+clotting
I know about quick clot, and I know the product I linked is NOT QuickClot. I just was curious if that product worked as advertised for the price.
Irving, I only brought it up because the bandage is just the right thing for jamming down inside a wound. It fills up the hole, absorbs some blood, and applies the clotting agent all at the same time. It's what combat medics carry, and I saw a video of it being used to great effect to stop a femoral artery bleed. As I understand it, the powdered clotting agents are not as highly regarded. Hopefully, Zombie Steve will chime in here.
I'm sorry I can't comment on the effectiveness of the product you linked.
Edit to add: I found the link to the video. It's a pig, by the way. Don't watch this if you're squeamish.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj4gSDivxt0
I don't have a ton of experience with the hemostatic wound dressings. I've only been told to avoid the powders, as they will cause burns. My understanding is they also tend to throw off a lot of dust - you don't want this stuff in coming in contact with your eye. If it does, you have 2 people that need treatment instead of one.
that info is very datedQuote:
Originally Posted by Zombie Steve
We just took cmailliards class and learned all about this stuff. The stuff thar burns is no longer available.
Ah, good. As I said... not a lot of experience with it.
How realistic is it to use diapers and other bladder control products in place of, or to supplement gauze for stopping blood flow? I'm building my FSAStore purchase and want more guaze and pads. However, I have more 30"x30" bladder control pads (and various other sizes) and diapers in the garage than I could afford on my FSA. Would I be wasting my money on gauze if I have all that stuff?
Before anyone asks, I was cruising around my neighborhood during a garage sale weekend and came across this lady selling diapers. She didn't sell them by her deadline, so I put 7 large boxes into my Amigo. I couldn't even see out the back on the way home. None of the diapers fit for the person I had in mind for them, so they may go up for sale or donation here if anyone knows someone that could use them.
EDIT: Well, I can't get the list of what I ended up getting to show up. It was $164 after the $10 off coupon. I'm excited.
I ended up with the adventure medical mountain comprehensive kit, along with a few of the trauma packs with quickclot. Going to add a few things to this kit, like the gauze seen above, then next year get a home kit for the long term.
Jumping in a bit late here. Stay away from QuickClot (ACS, Sport, First Responder) it has very poor results in USAISR studies. Combat Gauze or Celox Rapid are the two top performers currently with CG being the agent of choice for the military. If you want a powder, and it's not a bad idea to diversify, go with Celox. Make sure understand when, where and how to use these agents. They are for life threatening hemorrhage (arterial), that are not amenable to a TQ (high femoral or brachial) and are compressible (not the belly).
Any comment on using absorbent pads for leaky bladders in place of, or to supplement guaze pads?
I would steer clear unless it is all you have. These are designed to hold large amounts of fluid, if that fluid is blood that blood, your patient will be in trouble. With no clot forming they will continue to bleed and that pad will continue to soak it up. The goal is to form a clot, massive absorbent pads are not designed for this. They are great for soaking up blood on the floor to clean up but are not the greatest in saving a life. Hope this makes sense.
That makes perfect sense. To be clear, I am asking about substituting for regular old 4x4 12 ply guaze, not the combat guaze. Same story still?
Yeah. Think about the commercial for paper towels "we can hold more than any other towel". This is what they are designed to so hold more fluid. I suppose it could work with strong direct pressure to negate the desire of those pads to just absorb fluid. It wouldn't be my first choice though.
That makes sense since they would be actively trying to soak up stuff. Sounds like I'll have some pee pads and diapers for sale soon. Thanks. :)