First Aid

LevNuts

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Just curious what you all bring for first aid kits. Any recommendations on kits?
 
Make your own: that way you'll know whats in it and how to use it.

As a rule of thumb, I think your first aid kit should be divided into 2 groups: booboos and do what you have to to get to a hospital. (This comes from my survival thinking: most situations resolve themselves within 24 hours, I forget the citation. So what I have to survive with is 72 hours of gear.)

Booboos: stuff like bandaids, neosporin, splinter removal, ibuprofen, my personal RX,

Hospital: guaze pads and wraps, vet wrap.

This is my personal, always on me small kit.

I carry a fully stocked first responder kit in my truck.
 
As a rule of thumb, I think your first aid kit should be divided into 2 groups: booboos and do what you have to to get to a hospital.

That's a great statement above.

I never had more than a handful of bandaids and such when I was younger and dumber. After hanging out with ex-medics and current EMT's a lot on the river in AK a day and change from anything, and mostly from listening to their stories - I understood why they had things like a bone drill.

My "on-me" kit is exactly as above, though I add moleskin and a tiny tube of regular super glue. I always have a larger set in the truck and a tube of EMT glue (the latter mostly for the dogs, but usable on folks if need be for wound closure).
 
My 'on me' kit in my pack is usually not a whole lot since I keep a large kit in camp. I usually carry some band aids, a couple packets of 4x4 gauze, an ace bandage, tube of superglue, motrin, a maxi pad, and moleskin, and black electrical tape. This kit is for immediate needs for small issues. My kit in camp is usually a SAM splint, pepto, imodiam, more maxi pads and tampons, another ace wrap, duct tape, neosporin, my daily meds, tylenol, motrin, peroxide, hand sanitizer, and an emergency foil blanket. I also carry my inReach with me at all times incase of a major emergency.
 
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Make your own: that way you'll know whats in it and how to use it.

As a rule of thumb, I think your first aid kit should be divided into 2 groups: booboos and do what you have to to get to a hospital. (This comes from my survival thinking: most situations resolve themselves within 24 hours, I forget the citation. So what I have to survive with is 72 hours of gear.)

Booboos: stuff like bandaids, neosporin, splinter removal, ibuprofen, my personal RX,

Hospital: guaze pads and wraps, vet wrap.

This is my personal, always on me small kit.

I carry a fully stocked first responder kit in my truck.

I went through an annual refresher first aid class a couple weeks ago and they recommended one hand operational tourniquets.

Tourniquets can give you 14 hours to get to the hospital for vein and/or arterial bleeding.

Another option for a gun shot wound is would packing material to pack the wound for transport.

I would also have material for stabilizing an impaled object, it is important to never remove an impaled object such as an arrow, stick, etc.

There is quite a bit of gear you can get first aid wise that you hope you never have to use.
 
Kinda like the above. I split it into 3 types.
1) cuts and abrasions of all types. Band aids of all sizes. aspirin, IBpro. benedrill, one ounce plastic bottle of JD - I'm told it's medicinal
2) impaled or in case some nitwit shoots me. roll of guaze. Lots of paper towel - multiple uses. antiseptic towels. Added a tampon on the advice of Cush. Drew the line at maxi pads however :W:
3) the most likely for me, since I hunt alone. tearing a knee up or limb. Ace and heavy wrap and a roll of athletic tape. Electricians tape, duct tape. a knee brace or two
 
The biggest thing is know how to use what you have and also keep it up to date. I just replaced my quick clot pads as they have expired. My kits is like the others above. The worst case gun shot vs skinned elbow. I also have a additional kit I toss in for when the family is with me. Kids Advil and the like.
 
Thanks All. Right now I have my IFAK with a CAT tourniquet, Israel bandage, quick clot, 7 sutra sets, 2 tampons, betadine, iodine, lidocaine, Band-Aids, gauze, electric tape, ace bandage, Tylenol, Naproxen, and a few syringes, scissors and tweezers of three sizes.
 
The military and civilian sector are going away from the use of quick clot due to the damage it does to the skin and flesh around the wound. Pressure bandages and tourniquets are the real way to go. That why I recommend a tampon or maxi pad shoved into the wound with an ace wrap around it. They fill with blood and become their own pressure dressing from the inside and you can wrap the ace wrap tight enough to make a tourniquet effect, along with the black electrical tape above the wound and nearest joint for more of a tourniquet if need be.
 
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The military and civilian sector are going away from the use of quick clot due to the damage it does to the skin and flesh around the wound. Pressure bandages and tourniquets are the real way to go. That why I recommend a tampon or maxi pad shoved into the wound with an ace wrap around it. They fill with blood and become their own pressure dressing from the inside and you can wrap the ace wrap tight enough to make a tourniquet effect, along with the black electrical tape above the wound and nearest joint for more of a tourniquet if need be.

Just to add, that Quick Clot Powder should not be used. It can stop the bleeding, but will be very difficult to remove at a hospital.
 
To the above 2 comments, yes and no. I agree w both but I am currently n have been a full time firefighter/paramedic for the last 19years in which we help w the training of special forces medics also. It goes along w the the sayings; "life over limb" n "know ur equipment," quick clot n the like are messy for in hospital tx but in the field; especially by urself, there isn't much better combined w a self application tourniquet for a severe bleed. But I mean a severe life threatening bleed, not just a good cut that needs sutures. Also when u pack a wound, u really need to pack a wound; get ur finger in there n shove it in as far as it will go n keep doing that until it is full then put a pressure dressing on top, w a tourniquet above the wound. I carry both w me along w sutures n stuff for minor injury/illness. At camp I have quite abit more things for myself n others I may run into; intubation equip, bvm's, meds, etc. And I let everyone know that r camping around me not to hesitate coming to ask for help or equipment. Everyone above has given great advice, I'm just throwing my two cents in based on my experience n training.
 
I was basing my comment on 15 years as a combat medic with 3 combat tours in which I have used all of my advice above, plus being a civilian EMT I99. It was 2 SF medics in Iraq that told me not to use quick clot, plus my EMT I training instructor that said not to use it as well. It's not even carried in our department rigs. Not trying to argue, just adding my experience and what I was trained to do into the mix.
 
Believe me, not trying to argue either. I read my post n should have put the quick clot gauze, not the powder; still carry them on our units, use it on most severe GSW's. Ain't no need to go tooting our own horns here, that's why I luv this forum; good people, good advice, no big peacocks showboating around . I appreciate ur service; done it also. That's who we train/refresh also; SF Medics/helo medics/premed/etc, they ride out w us on our units while they are going through the UTHSC classes.
 
Quick clot has often times caused severe burns to the skin and flesh around the wound. Often times when the ED doctors would remove the quick clot, the bleeding would start again due to tearing of the clot away from the original wound. There's also been case studies that in a breeze, the powder caused burns to the eyes of the person doing it if the breeze was blowing towards the person. This for the powder form. The gauze bandages also have been known to cause the burns also.
 
Like I said, life or limb, SEVERE BLEED (death). Yes they can cause some burning and in the er they will have some bleeding when removing; where they r ready and prepared for this. In the field or on the street would u worry about some burns or flesh loss or DEATH? Our medical director is extremely progressive and allows our medics; me, with a vast scope of practice. He also; being we r Military City USA, works closely and in conjunction w all branches of service along w their special forces, which we train. Like I said before I am not trying to start anything or toot my horn but if we r, and I believe we r, dealing w life or possible life threatening injuries people should know and understand all options. And I have used everything and more that I have talked about on many pts. Advice is advice, use it if u want.
 
Just curious what you all bring for first aid kits. Any recommendations on kits?
Here are my picks for the essentials.
  1. Plasters (Bandages) It goes without saying that these are an absolute essential in any first aid kit. ...
  2. Gauze. Gauze is the medical jack-of-all-trades. ...
  3. Crepe bandages (ACE or elastic bandages) ...
  4. Surgical tape. ...
  5. Small scissors. ...
  6. Tweezers. ...
  7. Antiseptic wipes. ...
 

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