TOPSECRETTUNDRA

I think it is a great idea to carry a first aid kit in all your vehicles. You never know when you will need them so it is best to be prepared. Here are some basic items that are good to have in your First Aid kit.

Bactine or any Antiseptic
Gauze
Scissors
Adhesive Tape (Medical Tape)
Ace Bandage
Instant Cold Pack
Latex Gloves
Band Aids
Tweezers
Small Bottle of Water -(For cleaning dirt for cuts or scrapes)

Some people may think it's stupid to carry a first aid kit but trust me the first time you reach for it you will be glad you have it. So what are some other basic items that are good to include in your kit. I am sure I missed some good ones.

firemaniac

This time of year definataly add heat packs as well which are good to have any time, including Summer, Hypothermia can set in from being in the water for to long as well

Some of the things I carry, this is not a complete list as it is forever evolving

Easy access in the glove box

• adhesive bandages
• antiseptic wipes
• butterfly dressings
• CPR face mask

in the tool box

• 4X4 dressings
• 2X2 dressings
• "Kling" wrap
• sterile water (for washing wounds)
• "SAM" splint
• Safety glasses
• Latex or Nitrile gloves
• Triangle Bandages
• Cold packs
• Heat packs
• "Space" blanket
• Blood Pressure cuff
• stethoscope
• trauma dressings

as I said the list goes on and changes

I would suggest also carrying a small supply of any prescription drugs that you may need, as well as a couple of different over the counter pain relievers and some good antihistamine (Benadryl)

If someone in the group is allergic to bees and carries a bee sting kit make sure they are not the only ones that know how to use it as they may not be able to self administer it in an emergency

while I am on a rescue mission I may also carry an assortment of larger splints, Oxygen and Airway equipment, as well as other specialized tools

With all of the above it helps to know how to use it some good resources for training are your local fire station, the American Heart Association, or the American Red Cross who also have some well put together kits that they offer for sale.

Remember if the injured has a first aid kit use theirs and supplement with yours, If they don't have one feel free to use yours

Sorry for running on but as a long time Firefighter EMT this is very important to me and TOPSECRETTUNDRA happened to be the spark that lit the fire under me

TOPSECRETTUNDRA

Great stuff firemaniac! Yeah I'm a bomb tech so I'm always anticipating the need for a first aid kit. My kit has everything you have plus a tourniquet and quickclot. I don't think I will ever use the quickclot though because I don't want to get sued. Again great info!

sa51

first aid kits are a must have, even in daily driving. you never know what may happen.

Windsor

In place of bottled water, you could use saline solution (stuff for contact lenses is easy to acquire).

It is usually a good idea to buy a commercial FirstAid Kit and then enhance it with parts you think are missing. I've bought several from SportsMansGuide.com. If you want to get real exciting, they also have a field surgical kit.

firemaniac

So if I see you running??!!

I have heard of the Quickclot, but have never used it or seen it in person, so far sticking to my county protocols it is not allowed yet. We stick to direct pressure, elevation, indirect pressure has worked for me the county allows tourniquet on extremities as an absolute last resort after a consult with the control Dr. on duty but I have never needed to administer one yet (knock on wood).

DocWard

Things are quite a bit different for us military medics!

These days tourniquets are included in every soldier's personal first aid kit, and they can be self administered.

I agree with the saline idea, and better yet, if you can get them, saline in a syringe for irrigation.

fatoldcapt

I was an EMT for about 25 years (First in 1976) but am retired now. I just carry what I imagine I would need for myself and family. A selection of small swabs and bandaids and dressings. Sting Kill swabs, green soap or aniseptic swabs, etc. And for the really big oops a trauma dressing, burn sheet, rescue blanket, wire splint, triangular bandage, some "Kling" and an Ace bandage. Tape, finger splints, tweezers, etc.
Just remember A,B,C's and treat for shock everything else is small stuff. I can't get to carried away with items because I have no certification now.
The only trouble is I have to force myself to check it at least once a year to make sure items haven't expired or otherwise opened and gotten ruined.
aaron

firemaniac

Hey just a reminder, check the expiration dates on the perishables, meds, etc... in your first aid kits, as well as make sure they are up to date with your needs.

mrddk92

i like to carry this stuff called rex-eme. it seems to work a lot better than neosporin and the others.

toyNG

great list firemaniac! A box of gloves is awesome because it also comes in super handy for trail repairs; nothing worse than grease caked hands without a sink nearby. I would personally also add a suture kit and a bottle of hard alcohol as an anesthetic

Tofer

roll of electrical tape and some paper napkins leftover from mcD's... thats my first aid kit.


that being said, i really need to invest in a real one..

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

in additions to the list already here, I also carry two 'SAM' splints. They are a light sheet of aluminum coated with Foam that allows you to mold it to form a split.
similar to this one on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/FLEX-ALL-SAM-STY...3A1%7C294%3A50

edit--just saw that he had sam splints on the list

a great kit to find would be a 'Combat Lifesaver' kit from the military--they show up sometimes on ebay...though the average person will not have the training to do IV's (I got stuck 22x's for practice)

firemaniac

Naah, Duct tape has magical healing powers

firemaniac

Suture kit, well maybe, Butterfly bandages have worked pretty good for me, and the ER doesn't have to take extra steps to remove theme to completely clean the wound. I am not saying not to use theme if you are TRAINED AND AUTHORIZED to do so.

As for the tourniquets for the military, I am willing to bet they only go on if direct pressure, elevation, and indirect pressure don't work, except in an "under fire" situation where the Soldier could be injured or worst case Killed if not treated and moved very quickly

JeepRecoveryINC.

Remember in a pinch a modified hood and fishing line can be used to stitch someone up until you can get them to a hospital. I've done it on myself and the doc said other than the fishing string he could have swore it was done by a pro (I explained that I had some practice stitching the dog up).
If you're not comfortable playing doctor on yourself or others but they need to be fixed make sure you have clean water and some rubbing alcohol or 100 proof clean the wound and use super glue to seal the wound then dress it and elevate it until the glue does it's thing.

NYChopshop

For me, I make sure I can take care of the ABC's of trauma and medical emergencies while I'm away from any kind of medical infrastructure. You can always plan around being around a radio or with help and the truth is you just plain never know. I was trained as an EMT in New York City, and got myself one of the Dynamed kits from www.galls.com (the mega-medic BLS XTRA bag - BLS stands for Basic Life Support). This thing is really great. Its not too big to be cumbersome, and I can take care of anything from delivering a baby to maintain a patent airway on someone with serious face trauma. I'm not saying that this bag is right for everyone, as there are definitely pieces of equipment that the layman just wont know what to do with. It's also $260 or so and thats prohibitively expensive as a carry along med kit. Here are the contents:



Airway
1 Dyna Med CPR Mask
1 Disposable Airway Kit
1 Bag Valve Mask
1 Nasal Airway Kit

Burn
1 Burn Sheet
1 Burn Pad (4" x 4")

Bandages
16 Adhesive Bandages (1" x 3")
2 Abdominal Pads (5" x 9")
1 Trauma Dressing (12" x 30")
20 Sterile Dressings (4" x 4")
10 Sterile Dressings (3" x 3")
2 Blood Stoppers
2 Gauze Rolls (3" NS)
2 Gauze Rolls (4" NS)
1 Waterproof Tape (1/2")
1 Waterproof Tape (1")
1 Elastic Bandage (3")
1 Elastic Bandage (4")
2 Triangular Bandages
4 Eye Pads
1 Petroleum Gauze (3" x 9")
2 Kerlix® (4-1/2")

Equipment & Supplies
1 BP/Stethoscope Kit
1 SAM® Splint
1 Ace Collar
1 Obstetrical Kit
1 Personal Protection Kit
1 Ipecac Syrup
1 Charcoal
1 Ammonia Inhalant
1 Insta-Glucose
10 Alcohol Prep Pads
1 Antibiotic Ointment
1 Bee Sting Kit
2 Cold Packs (5" x 9")
1 Eye Wash
10 PVP Iodine
1 Instrument Pack (shears,
Kelly forceps, bandage scissors,
splinter forceps, penlight)
1 Space Blanket
1 No Rinse Gel (4 oz)
5 Pair Nitrile Gloves
1 Garrity® Disposable Flashlight
1 Disposable Foam Blan

Here is another great little set from galls, its a tactical tool kit for your belt and it has, as any EMT will tell you, almost every one of the tools you most often use right there at your fingertips:

http://www.galls.com/style.html?asso...og&style=EM014


I have had to administer activated charcoal to a drunken hiker camping near me up on a trail by West Point, so like I said, much of this stuff you never know if or when you would need them. I added more soft-core medical stuff like bandaids, extra gloves, a real quality flashlight, a high quality stethoscope, a small sized roll of saran wrap to treat sucking chest wounds... I also added survival items like a magnesium firestarter, a couple extra knives, and even a few of those gross tasting nutrient bars just in case. Never get extremely tasty survival food or it will just turn into 'car snacks' at some point. MRE's are great to take camping and whatnot, but too bulky to carry around all the time. Always expect to add and remove things from any kit you would be buying, the most important things to consider are the bag itself and the quantity of usable materials. For most people, I would expect them to know how to perform effective CPR and do basic first aid anyway, so I would suggest you look for a package designed for 'first responders'. Those kits usually run from $40-$120 and are a great place to start.

As far as storage goes, try to keep the stuff in a 'bail out bag' and not tucked away neatly in a pocket in your vehicle as not only do you sometimes need to indeed bail in an emergency, but the chances are extremely good that the person requiring your help wont be standing right next to the pocket of your truck allowing you to quickly get the materials you need when called upon to perform first aid.

For anyone interested in being fully prepared, look into taking a wilderness first responder's certification course. Wilderness medicine, even with a good kit on you, is different in practice than what I learned to perform in a fully stocked ambulance on the way to a hospital. Knowledge will be the best tool you have to save a life, the medical kit you pack will be an afterthought when compared to the actions you will have to take to be effective.

redhawk427

i think someone already mentioned somethin similar but bring burn relief. first night after getting my first aid kit, i burned my fingers on my lantern. it hurt lol. well luckily, my first aid kit had a burn relief which helped sooth the pain. also just a tip, burns hurt because of the oxygen in the air, so therefore cut off the oxygen by putting the burn in water. instant relief. as soon as it leaves the water however, it hurts again. but cold water is nice too cuz it numbs the pain.