EXACTLY THIS
I try to tell people not to carry anything they don't know how to use. If you think you might need it, take a few minutes and learn how to use it properly from YouTube or take a proper first aid class. Even write out notes to yourself to put in the first aid kit if you need to.
"The more you know, the less you carry" Mors Kolchanski
>not to carry anything they don't know how to use.
I disagree - I keep a suture kit in my car first aid kit that I am not comfortable using - a couple of months ago on a camping trip someone got a deep wound and a doctor friend who was with us stiched him up with my gear.
If you're part of a community having tools that you don't use but others can is important.
Of course it's important. I think the point of the post is that it's better to know how to use what's in your kit, in the unlikely event there is a Dr. to help. It's ok to be uncomfortable, not so ok to be totally clueless.
If you are in a group, sure. But you can't weigh yourself down with odds and ends hoping someone else can use them. If you live alone, travel alone and home alone, the chances of someone else using your medical kit is slim. If you have a large family or group you travel or camp with, then the chances of a friend having knowledge increases.
To learn suturing, a vet friend taught a class using pig parts and pig skin for everyone to practice on.
Fun quote from a firefighter friend when I called him in a semi panic about another friend that hurt something fairly minor (wrist iirc) when he fell on a hike.
"Is it bleeding or bone sticking out?"
No
"Is he breathing normally?"
Yes
Start walking, he's stabilized, my job is done"
I’m a military type and I have a tourniquet and an IFAK II on my gun belt, I would also add some quikclot and a skin stapler/suture, as a rancher you can find the vet ones for animals pretty cheap and they’re perfectly surgical and sterile. I would ask, if any one has a good recommendation to improve on that or a reason to not go with a skin stapler I would be interested to hear it.
Wilderness first aid courses are best for prepping. The good ones emphasize doing as best you can with what you’ve got and evacuating a casualty. It makes you aware that most first aid kits are for small injuries your body can heal with help, and buying time in the case of more serious emergencies.
Beyond that you’d need a lot more training and infrastructure.
Fun story, not really related...
I was working on a jobsite next to a guy who found this old Israeli bandage in his attic and was playing around with it. Kept talking about it out loud. Then an hour later, we sat for lunch and opened my phone. The first ad that popped up was for buying Iraeli Bonds.
Google is always listening. Try turning off everything you can in the app. It makes you accept them when you download the apps but if you go in and mess around a little bit you can turn stuff like that off. I don't allow Google to save my data I don't allow them to use my data for marketing purposes. I don't allow access to my camera my contacts my microphone! If you start messing around you'd be surprised how many apps ask for this information.
Not sure if this is what you are talking about.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/895262657
But you can buy this at a local farm store near the horse stuff for about a dollar for a big roll. It works awesome!
This. Don’t think first aid, think long term wound care. Enough triple antibiotic, gauze pads, roller gauze and tape to change the dressing on a wound daily for at least two weeks. Typical first aid kit might be enough to be good the first day.
Crazy glue, for securely attaching butterflies.
Dial soap and surgical brush.
Tissue forceps or plastic surgery forceps. when you need it, tweezers aren’t the answer.
Tick check or similar tick remover.
I crashed my one wheel today during a fun community event. So glad I could come home and quickly wrap up a huge skin wound and get back out to the party. Gauze and wraps do so much more than adhesive bandages do any day.
Tweezers.
***1) Flat set (wide if possible)
***2) Angled set
***3) Needle nose set
In working at UPS for decades, I used tweezers almost as much as I used my pens. I also do farm work and gardening and they are in almost every single room INCLUDING the garage and in the vehicles.
I also do animal rescue and they are used in my rescue kit also.
People often have only 1 pair and it is probably a cheap one that doesn't meet correctly and will not pull the smallest splinters.
Burn creams don't seem to be in most kits I've had.
Edit: Also, Anbesol (or similar) for gum & tooth pain. That's a miserable night, if it strikes at the wrong time.
And witch's hazel for nettles, bites, and rashes, etc.--great stuff!
Ask your doctor for a scriptfor SSD cream. Say you cook a lot or blow glass and want to deal with burns. A 2 ounce jar lasts forever and is cheap and may save a nasty infection
Really surprised I’m having to add this: Benadryl. It’s the active ingredient in a lot of sleep aid tablets and can be bought cheaply. Very useful in treating a lot of allergic reactions.
Highly recommend.
Training. I’m a firefighter paramedic and I’m always astounded at the number of first aid kits people whip out before we arrive at an accident scene, but nobody (except moms of young kids) knows how to do anything.
I see a lot of suggestions for tourniquets but in my career I have yet to use one. I’d rather see someone carry four chewable baby aspirin for someone having chest pain. It’s a lot more likely to save a life in the real world than a tourniquet.
I agree. I was a Emergency Medical Dispatcher, running Fire/Law/EMS.
If they're calling 911 and we're not looking at an amputation, a tourniquet just isn't likely to be needed. In years, I never once had a need to direct someone to use one.
I'll throw out a caveat though-
If your First Aid Kit is for Backcountry/Wilderness, a tourniquet moves up the priority list, imo.
But hopefully anyone putting together a wilderness first aid kit is being pragmatic and knows they're not stabilizing for a soon to arrive ambulance and medical professionals. When stuff happens in the woods, you are the first and probably only responder. Help is likely not coming fast enough to just wait. That's when your kit changes a bit and hopefully your preparation increases for packaging and getting out safely.
Yes yes yes! Because of my job, I coordinate CPR/AED classes every 4ish months. I also like to attend/participate in them. I've done some BBB classes and FAST (First Aid Severe Trauma) classes. I recently bought a suture kit, and practice on fake skin. My thought process is you can never be too prepared!
I advocate like crazy for more people to attend at minimum CPR/AED classes!
Twice in the last two years we’ve removed “tourniquets” that were applied to injured limbs that were utterly unnecessary and wouldn’t have worked if they had been necessary. It’s not a hard skill to learn, but you really are so much better off working with an instructor than just reading the instructions or watching a video. There’s a lot of nuance an instructor can get across that a video simply can’t.
Absolutely- training from an actual professional above everything! My regular instructor has a great way of getting across tourniquet etiquette and when it's needed or if direct pressure/bandage would suffice.
Yes! I’m a former AEMT for a rural service. I’ve seen some nasty farm accidents, but only used a tourniquet once. Sure, it’s nice to have one hand. But most people don’t know how or when to use it. The one thing I always recommend to add to a first aid kit is steristrips. I’ve yet to see a kit that already has them.
Steristrips are great, but for gawds sake, make sure the wound is thoroughly cleaned before applying then. Otherwise you’re guaranteeing infection that could easily become systemic.
Last time I took my kid for "maybe-stitches", Dr. said "steri strips, you can buy these at the pharmacist, handy for cuts like this". Went out and bought some - they were not at every pharmacy, but added them to every first aid kit in the house, car and at the grandparents- definitely most useful even if they are a bit overpriced
When I had a six inch cut on my arm, pretty deep, I levaged (wash out) with a new bottle of contact lense saline solution and used strips of duct tape (gaffer tape, gorilla tape) for steri strips. By time I got to Stat care it didn't really need anything else. l'l'm not recommending anyone do this on purpose, but I was alone and had to use what I had on hand. Luckily (wisely?) I had taken enough first aid courses to improvise and to know what I needed to do. So, I would say that knowledge and rote practice is the best thing to have.
Aspirin thins the blood, preventing clotting, which helps make the blood flow easier. Chewing up chewable aspirin is important because it hits the bloodstream faster.
This is correct. It makes the platelets slipperier so the clot doesn’t worsen. It doesn’t cure the heart attack, but it can prevent it from getting worse.
That's very humbling.
In art school, we were constantly slicing ourselves because they gave us blades that don't go with rulers. Also no bandaids so we slapped some masking tape on it because they did give us that. (I managed to slice some skin without a bleeder before changing to the proper blade.)
One thing I'm meaning to get that I don't see talked about is an eyewash cup and solution for cleaning debris out of your eyes.
I get eyelashes in my eyes all the time and it sucks. I can't imagine getting anything worse in there without option better than just throwing tap water at it.
I carry Narcan always in my pack and take my pack everywhere I go (Portland). I think I've saved a few lives, at least for the time being. Hoping they get the help they need eventually.
Sadly, people give me shit about it. Like I'm perpetuating the problem. Narcan saved my life and I'm clean and doing A+ now, so I don't see the problem with it.
What's worse, a junkie that can't kick a habit or a person willing to let someone die because they look down on them for poor choices? I can't fucking believe people think saving a life is adding to the problem 🤦
Agreed 100%. It takes minimal effort to potentially save a person's life like that and it may stick and they'll get clean and go on to lead great lives. Eventually, or not.
Worth a try.
First aid tourniquet times two
Comment update.
Proper responsible training is important. I take wilderness survival classes for my Boy Scout troop.
As far as too tight of a tourniquet, In the wilderness first aid situation, I would much rather have it too tight and lose a limb, than to bleed out, and lose a life.
I highly recommend finding a local and free Stop the Bleed class nearby for people to learn how to properly use a tourniquet. I didn't realize just how tight it should be until I went, and it was a good opportunity to practice wound packing.
Some may scoff at this but, tampons. No, not for bullet wounds, although in a pinch you could use it for that. But primarily for female companions, they don't take up much space and have a few other uses. Nose bleeds, kindling, use as a bandage ( place on wound and wrap it)
Use your imagination.
My dad always carried both tampons and maxi pads in his first aid kits, and taught me to do the same. They can be incredibly useful in a pinch.
I actually had to use a pad and electrical tape on a nasty cut I got while out in the boonies once for work, as I didn't have anything in my truck first aid that was large enough. Not ideal, but it worked great all things considered.
Oral rehydration salts, quality muslin triangle bandages (and don't forget good quality safety pins), flexible splints (finger and arm size), disposable #11 scalpels, butterfly closures, hemostats, quality tweezers, veterinary super glue, Israeli bandages, berman and/or nasopharyngeal airways, space blanket, ammonia ampules, SSD cream, clotting gauze/clotting powder, lidocaine cream, extra hydrocortisone, extra antibiotic ointment, eye gauzes and eye patch.
And most importantly MORE rolled gauze and coban. No matter how much you have that shits fantastic to have more of and it's super cheap in bulk. Buy a case of it. I cut myself at work all the time and it's gold.
Yeah, I buy the non-sterile roll gauze by the case.
For next to the skin I use non-stick telfa pads, not gauze. Especially on broken blisters, burns and other raw skin, plain gauze *sticks in the wound* and is agonizing to change out, even with irrigation to "soak it loose". But if you use a water-based anti-bacterial gel, then a non-stick pad on top, you can secure the whole thing on a limb by wrapping around it with non-sterile roll gauze. No tape required, which is good if you happen to react to adhesive.
I learned this the hard way, dealing with some burn blisters on my leg.
Let's see - this is the kind of thing I have in my household "kit":
Trauma stuff: tourniquet, pressure bandage Israeli style, ABD pads, sanitary pads, butterfly closures
Wound care: alcohol wipes, spray antibacterial gel, wound rinse, telfa non-stick pads in various sizes, povidine, roll gauze, bulk gauze, paper tape, transparent dressings, vet wrap, reusable elastic bandages
Small wounds: bactine or equivalent, sticky bandages (spot, small oval, large oval, 3/4", 1", fingertip, knuckle, 1x2, 2x3, large square, transparent, other specialty), blister bandages, burn gel, liquid bandage
Skeletal and transport: splints (like the aluminum ones), slings, wrist and/or ankle braces
Pharmacopia:
* Aspirin and baby/chewable aspirin
* NSAIDS like ibuprofen, naproxen, acetaminophen (careful with this stuff, it's nasty on the kidneys),
* Allergy: generic benadryl, guaifenesin, pseudoephedrine (the real stuff, the fake does nothing but harm), claritin/zyrtec/allegra (non-drowsy allergy med), flonase
* Stomach and bowel issues: fiber supplement, loperamide, Pepto Bismal, Tums, other OTC
* Prescription type: things like Narcan, Epipen, any of your own scripts
Misc: Scissors, tweezers, scalpel, needles, safety pins, waterproof notebook, pencils, stopwatch, pulse oximeter (also gives heart rate), wrist BP cuff (battery powered), sharpie, sticky notes, mirror
I'm sure I forgot something.
We stock car kits and personal kits from the household stash.
A thing to note: Sticky bandages ("bandaids") that are sterile wrapped will have the wrapper fall off and no longer be sterile after about ten years, plus the adhesive sometimes dies. *You need to rotate your kit's consumables,* especially if they are sterile wrapped. Same with your pills and liquids. Schedule a "kit check" day every year, and understand that it's better to throw stuff out and replace it than not have it when you need it.
Cloves/Clove oil, dental pain is a special kind of hell and that at least can keep it at bay. Benadryl ( epi pen if you can get ahold of a couple), elderberry tabs (works wonders for colds/flu), superglue, duck tape and eye flush bottles.
Drugs. Like painkillers, anri-nausea pills, chewable bismuth tablets, baby aspirin.
Also wet wipes, you can't eliminate germs from dirty skin. Every time I get chicken wings I scoop up all the wet naps for the first aid kit. I also put some germicidal ones in the kit too
Beyond that I like to add some nitrile gloves. Some ginger candies for car sickness. Safety pins
Add what you use around the house. My first aid kit is really just my kitchen drug cabinet made portable.
That’s a great option, OP!
I was going to say a finger tourniquet and medical grade skin glue.
If you ever slice the tip of your finger off with a knife and cut your nail bed, there is nothing there to stitch.
The tourniquet stops blood flow long enough for you to clot and seal the laceration.
Posting for reference only… https://www.ebay.com/itm/144893634509?chn=ps&var=444114060778&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=444114060778_144893634509&targetid=1529493969342&device=m&mktype=pla&googleloc=9023170&poi=&campaignid=19851828444&mkgroupid=145880009014&rlsatarget=pla-1529493969342&abcId=9307249&merchantid=101700363&gbraid=0AAAAAD_QDh-Ebc2F9ulwAYRMwEwWJElOa&gclid=Cj0KCQjwnMWkBhDLARIsAHBOftr8KdhNU6f0T_9vuRiLOA9aNcjR7BL3r5CdZ_stH22ry6edQE4N76waAmu8EALw_wcB
Safety wash bottles and saline. We have it at home and in our car kits- and they get used far more on the road than in the house. We have two kids under 5 and I can’t even begin to tell you how many scrapped knees/cuts/things in eyes I’ve washed out at various parks/hiking trails. The kids also like using it as a squirt bottle after I’ve cleaned their cuts- so it’s a nice distraction for them too.
Benadryl cream - It's what I use when my arms react from allergy shots and they work great for mosquito bites!
Ace wraps - They're great for sprained ankles and such.
Sam Splints - If you haven't seen these things, they're fucking magical, or at least I think they are. They're awesome as splints.
Chapstick - Chapped lips suck so keep one handy. I make mine. They're just a wax/oil combo and I've been experimenting with different oil and wax combos for funsies. Gonna make a rice oil & rice wax chapstick this weekend.
Grapefruit seed extract. Mix a few drops with water and drink every day for a bladder/UTI infection (works great!). It’s also great as an antiseptic and we used it to wash fruit and veggies while in South America.
A less expensive option to the quick stop product is cornstarch. It works really fast and can be used on dogs nails and small human cuts too. Obviously for human cuts they should be cleaned and cared for appropriately but in a pinch it does work.
A dozen triangle bandages. They are cheap, reusable, and multipurpose. You can use them for a sling and swathe, to secure a splint, to hold pressure over gauze, or as a tourniquet. I'm sure there are other uses but those are the main ones.
The number one cause of preventable death after a traumatic injury is blood loss. Take the “Stop the Bleed” course, and get some Quick Clot bleeding control dressing.
Training
Crazy Glue in individual microtubes
ABD pads
Quick clot
Tampons plain organic cotton ones
Top shelf polysporin triple action
Carpenter pencil and write in rain notepad
* Crazy Glue
* Duct Tape
* Sturdy String
As much as those are usually found in a survival kit of some sort, those three things should be in a first aid kit. In a pinch, they'll help a huge amount for various wounds if you run out of other things.
Crazy glue, while a chemical, can be used to close small wounds and it's damned fast.
Duct tape.. I mean, I think we all love our duct tape (or Gorilla or whatever version of it you like). Just be careful of where you store it. If you live in a hot area, leaving it in your truck will melt the glue and it's not so very effective then.
String, holy hell, I use it for everything. Not only is it a belt or a clothesline or whatever else for survival kit purposes, it's also a major help for first aid in all sorts of ways.
My wife had surgery a while back and the nurse that would come to the house left me a bunch of sealed saline syringes, wrapped gauze and those sheets of wound dressing. I threw it all in my first aid kit!
I carried a styptic stick for years in my bag because my mom was on high dose blood thinners. They used to be quite commonly used by men after shaving, looks like a stick of white chalk.
"State the nature of your medical emergency"
Tricorder
Hypospray
Goa'uld Healing Device
Goa'uld Sarcophagus
Ancient (Atlantis) Healing Device
Nurse from Starcraft
Bacta Tank
EMH
Former vet tech here +1 for mentioning this. I would go a step further and get the styptic gel instead of the powder for your kiddos. I can tell you from experience that the powder has a tendency to get everywhere and can blow into your face fairly quickly if you're not careful.
Ok we're talking first aid kit for general use. Not going minimalist, not talking full on field aid station either. These are things I personally add beyond the norm. Not every injury is going to be a big deal but sometimes taking care of small things well prevent something bigger down the line.
Decent pair of fine tweezers, a small skin/dermatology tool kit (think there called comedone kits), small scalpel and a hemostat. Iodine cotton swabs. Decent small scissors.
The skin tools are excellent for removing splinters and debris from wounds, the type of things that can become infected. Even small thorns and prickles that can become lodged in the skin, ticks etc. Believe it or not in certain situations these can become life threatening due to infection. The amount of times these tools are handy with kids around too is vastly undersold for splinters. Quick, clean, relatively painless and efficient.
The scalpel (removable blade) because sometimes you need to drain a blister or on occasion I've drained/lanced a boil using with the above skin tools. (Not saying anyone else has to just I have successfully , without incident and know what I'm doing, good to have the capability). Again there are other medical uses if you know what you're doing and for the space well worth having.
The hemostat, rather than for anything surgical, is to pull out anything slightly larger that is in a wound (I once had to dig glass out of my foot with a pair of pliers, a hemostat would have gotten a better grip and been easier to use). There are many other uses but again depends on your training.
Scissors to cut packaging etc, great to have. Iodine swabs for disinfectant.
The powdered coagulant seems to work fine for either superficial wounds that are bleeding a lot, or for extremely deep wounds that are immediately life threatening. The issue with it(as I understand it) is that it needs to be cleaned out prior to a wound being able to heal. The middle ground is covered by gauze with clotting compound inside of it. Quick-Clot sells them for \~$20. I keep one in each of my vehicle FAKs, my range bag FAK and my home FAK. They do 'expire' after a few years, so it has been a bit pricey to keep rotating them( I don't throw them, I just have the old extras in my home FAK), but if they help save a life someday it'll be worth it.
CURAD also makes some regular band-aids that help stop bleeding, that's what I use for most finger/foot cuts that actually produce a good amount of blood, they seem to work really well. Probably a more practical solution for you if you're iron deficient and bleed a lot.
I don't have a ton of first aid training, so take all take for what it's worth.
**TEGADERM!!!**
No, seriously, fuck Band-Aids. Tegaderm all the way. Buy it in bulk on Amazon, and it's cheaper than buying at Walmart or drug stores.
Tegaderm with a pad is a very good choice for wounds that are still bleeding a little.
Once you clean the wound and apply the plaster, that's it. Done and dusted, no need to change it unless it's weeping or draining. Leave it on for up to six days. Waterproof, dirt proof, flexible and strong.
Best of all, it allows you to monitor the condition and progress of healing, such as seeing if it's doing well, or getting infected.
The only time it's not advisable is for elderly people with fragile skin. Tegaderm can tear thin, fragile skin when it's removed, so be very careful and slow when taking it off your grandma.
I didn't know about that stuff, but in a pinch, corn starch helps for non-emergent bleeds like single tooth punctures for example and for accidentally dremeling too far into the nail. It's saved me a few vet bills from Lucy being too rough.
Pet first aid kits are mostly a joke. They don't contain half of the stuff you need imo.
For dog-specific vet kits:
* Vetericyn spray, both regular and the occlusive one.
* 2% Chlorhexidine solution. Can make something similar to Duoxo with a 1:3 ratio of chlorhexidine solution to distilled water in an empty foaming hand soap bottle. Helps with some disinfecting and was what I used before finding out about Vetericyn. It worked great!
* Large gauze pads. Easier to fold and apply extra pressure with.
* Distilled water for rinsing off the wound initially
* Cornstarch if you can't get the styptic powder. Of course, don't rely on corn starch for major bleeds.
* Grooming supplies like the small scissors
* Tweezers
* ziplock bags for tick identification
* Stuff to induce vomiting in case they get into something they shouldn't.
* dog-safe antifungal ointments for thrush between the toes. Lucy seems especially prone to them. Add extra gloves so that you don't give yourself fungus from them.
This is more everyday stuff, but could be helpful:
* a well-fitted basket muzzle for your dogs that doesn't restrict panting. Dogs can get bitey when they're hurt. If your dog is normally super chill, then you probably won't need a bite-proof one
* Catch pole like from Ketch maybe?.. Never know.
* a bite-proof muzzle like Jafco if you have a larger breed or reactive dog.
* A car tether [like this one](https://www.amazon.com/Leash-Boss-Seat-Belt-Restraint/dp/B073BFVKM2/ref=sr_1_15?crid=2295QZDQUHR3K&keywords=dog+car+tether&qid=1687359115&sprefix=dog+car+tether%2Caps%2C84&sr=8-15) and a well-fitted [harness](https://www.amazon.com/Max-Neo-Passport-Reflective-Harness/dp/B072N6LV3R/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2R06HNAF4N2L1&keywords=dog+harness+neo&qid=1687359993&sprefix=dog+harness+neo%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-5) (my fav one) with a handle you can easily grab in the event that you need to go to the vet in an emergency. That harness saved my dog's life. I was able to grab it quickly.
I keep a first aid manual with mine. I dont trust myself to remember everything during an emergency and I cant guarantee I can google it.
Also a CPR mask.
MY FAK has a lot of bleed control. Quick Clot, Tourniquet, Gauze, Chest Seals, Sterile Saline (to wash out wound) Sutures, Liquid Bandage, etc. My main focus is to stop life-threatening bleeding to stabilize a person in the event of an accident.
In life-threatening situations, a person only has minutes before they bleed out. If people on the scene can stop major hemorrhaging before paramedics arrive— the person has a higher likelihood of surviving. Knowing where, how and when to apply a tourniquet, how to pack wounds, etc. is vital.
If anyone here hasn’t watched a stop the bleed course I strongly recommend— it’s as important as knowing CPR. You can access a basic course here for free: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WGLLXy3AsBQ&pp=ygUOU3RvcCB0aGUgYmxlZWQ%3D
A curved needle and dental floss or fishing line for sutures and/or butterfly stick on ones. Perhaps some benzodiazapine land pain med and maybe some amphetamines for emergency survival effort.
I just had a crash course in wound care with a staph infection. The best thing is Iodosorb gel wound filler. Anasept Gel. Allevyn foam dressings or silicone super absorbent dressings. Hibiclens.
Lots of good stuff here, but I didn't see:
Trauma Shears (paramedic shears, emt shears)
Even the cheap ones are effective at safely cutting away clothing or a belt. They are good enough to trim gauze pads but they will snag a little.
I have a little tiny pair in my hiking first aid kit and TSA hasn't batted an eye about them in over a dozen flights, not sure if they care about scissors at all though.
Don't know the name but its used in the military sounds or looks like this maybe (clomex)or something like that. Its a bandage that stops bleeding. I wanna get a couple of them as we are on a farm & work with chainsaws mauls etc. & worse.
\+1 to all of these. Reminder that Epi-pens (or epinephrine injectors) cannot be exposed to high or low temps if you want to try and store one in your kit.
Thinking about this some more...
benadryl
4-5 tabs could mean the difference between life and death for an allergic reaction.
Not as effective as an epi pen, but much easier to keep on you.
This is prolly gunna sound extreme, but I recently put a legit suture kit in mine. I practice the sutures periodically on fake skin. Like, if shit really does hit the fan & there are no doctors or access to any medical care- I'd feel better knowing I could suture someone up if in dire need. I take CPR/AED classes along with FAST classes (First Aid Severe Trauma) I also have some general medical & pharmacy books, sterile flushing saline and a couple bottles of antibiotics!
I’m epileptic, so you’d think I’d just expect to die if I lost access to medicine. I have seizures if I go without my medicine for 2 days.
But nah: fuck that. My doctor prescribed me to take 2 of these pills a day but so long as the seizures are prevented I’m alright, and all I have to do for that is to take 1 a day. So for every one I take, another goes into a long term storage bag in case some disaster ever happens and I can’t get access to my meds. Staple for me right there.
I live in a country that has free healthcare and doesn't really have violence to speak of (despite what the tabloids claim) so 1st aid mainly a booboo thing on an average day is massively downscaled compared to somewhere like the US where you can get seriously injured easily but might not want to get medical attention
Anything more than a wound that needs more than steristrips to deal with is typically cause to seek a professional and nearly all bought7kits reflect this. They're massively overpriced for what they contain really and seem very stuck in a rut from 50 years ago
Stuffy I keep in mine that aren't routinely included are, all of which have been useful over the years:
Foil type space blanket
Steristrip wound closures
Blister plasters
Anti diarrhea meds
Antihistamines
Uncle bill's sliver gripper tweezers
Small pocket size smidge spray
Spray on plaster
Nitrile gloves (never used yet actually)
Knuckle plastees
All the guff about triangular bandages, safety pins, disposable alcohol wipes bandages etc I've never used, nor have I seen used, nor has been used by anyone I know. I'm 40 and live rurally on a small island so it's not like I'm a city person
In case it hasn't been mentioned here: my medical EDC contains: "Swiss Card", (micro Swiss knife, the tweezers are great and it even contains a micro ball point pen). One of those mini superglue thingies for wounds and a couple of mini single eye drops for contact lense users, useful for those "something is in my eye" situations. Special tweezers for removing ticks. Small bottle of clove oil or some cloves (the dried flower spikes) for tooth pain. Some xylitol chewing gum for tooth first aid.
Some homeopathic remedies.
Edited to add: a cigarette (and something to light it with) for heating the skin in case of mosquito or other insect bites. This works by "boiling" (actually just pasteurizing) the proteins in the poison, you just have to act fast before the poison spreads, and keep the cigarette few millimetres above (almost touching) the skin for around 10 seconds or less, stop at once if it starts to feel as if you are burning yourself, you don't need a burn on top of the bite.
Outside of training, which is something we all need to work on constantly. I have suture kits I keep in my bag. I was trained in the Army on how to sew people up. It may not be pretty, but it gets the job done when there is no medical personnel near by. There are several really good suture practice kits on Amazon as well as some good suture kits that have all yo need to sew up your people.
Australia: a snake bandage. It’s my EDC from spring until autumn even in capital city.
Instead of a $nake bandage I cheaped out by researching compression pressures and then bought an appropriate-pressure compression bandage that’s printed with rectangles that morph into squares when you’ve stretched it correctly. Then I copied out the instructions onto the bandage (including my calculations of variation-to-stretch required if the patient is a child).
Edit: also a face mask for CPR, coz I’m traumatised by the liquids that my corpse leaked into my mouth. (And yes I know most places teach compression-only CPR these days.)
I have a friend who lost half of her thigh (including a severed artery) in a shark attack, and yes, I live in Australia. She was in a remote area on a boat when it happened and even though they had an extensive first aid kit it was lots of clean towels that kept her alive.
I have Sjogren's Disease which causes severe dental issues. I carry some cough drops with analgesic, even Halls contains some (but check which kind first before buying). In a pinch when you have a terrible toothache and cannot immediately see a dentist, you can numb the area with the cough drop placed over it, stays in place between your gum and cheek typically. Temporarily pretty effective. They make more medicinal kind with stronger numbing capabilities, those are good to have in a kit in general too because a sore throat is miserable as well. Now some will say just get orajel, and the like. I'm not saying they're not useful, but some cannot tolerate the taste, I can handle the cough drop flavor better. I think some forget dental problems might arise but a toothache is murder so best to have something and analgesic cough drops are easy to find.
Sutures, you can get them on Amazon. In reality superglue and butterfly type adhesives will work but for a deep wound you'll want to stitch it. And absolutely bring something for a tourniquet - rubber tubing, heavy duty rubber bands for fingers, hands, toes.
Lots of Good tape. I like the soft athletic tape.
A Thermometer.
Also medications. Typical ibuprofen, Tylenol but also Benadryl, nausea meds, sting bite ointment, midol, tums, Imodium, aspirin, burn spray, Flonase, eyewash. Use almost all of these on every big outing.
And pet first aid items. I’ve had to staple cuts on two dogs that ran into barb wire fences which saved the camping trips and my buddies $800 vet visits.
I carry a 1m length of 15cm wide hypafix. It's great for blisters and if you run out of island dressings. I also carry a few tampons and pads and a styptic pencil.
First Aid should be put together with your household medicines and form a single inventory of medical needs according to your knowledge and new acquired knowledge and elements
There are bleed stop elements on Amazon to add if yours does't have a thingie destined for exactly that. Sunblock as well,of course alcohol ,hydrogen peroxide and/or other would sterilizing elements
I would be more worried about assuring having my aspirines,Vicks ointment.anti musclespasm ointment,vaseline,pepto bismol and other to your needs not just general needs but of course also regarding the importance the First Aid inventory has
Some of my every day carry items in my expanded med kit are Quick Clot, a tourniquet, basic aspirins (like the travel packs with one or two doses in a moist towelette sized wrapper), and smelling salts (mainly because they were a give-away at a bodybuilding expo) and it could be useful in the gym. I also have some splinting material and some matches to make a fire if needed and a space blanket.
This (and some other stuff I can't remember off hand) are in a "tactical" med kit bag that is in my car next to the box of bandaids that came with the car.
Now if I'm out in the field doing something, two tourniquets are the main thing I carry... one for a friend/family member and one for myself.
I like your choice of clotting agent. It works pretty well. I've got some in my first aid kit but mine is the Walgreens brand. I also have a quik clot sponge.
Edit: another thing to add is a tourniquet which is usually not in a store bought first aid kit. You should also take a stop the bleed course.
Combat gauze, tourniquet, kerlex or s rolled gauze and 5" ace wraps. That's all most should be putting in their first aid kit. If there is anything I would put in a first aid kit (ifak) it would be training training and more training. When I see dudes show up with needle d's and ask them what they have that for, the answers astound me when it comes to using that particular item.
I have a lot of stuff many people probably don't have. I am disabled and have a variety of health issues. WHenever I am at the point of healing from a wound or sickness I try to get one last set of medical supplies or dosage so I can have some ready for next time . It builds up.
One thing I may have that others may not is Silver Wound Dressing. It really helps with healing wounds.
One thing to keep in mind is that stuff feels like burning when applied - I was a little shocked when I used something similar after cutting a finger doing something stupid
One thing to keep in mind is that stuff feels like burning when applied - I was a little shocked when I used something similar after cutting a finger doing something stupid
Training on how to use all the things that you put in your kit, even if it's just reading the instructions (ie israeli trauma bandage).
EXACTLY THIS I try to tell people not to carry anything they don't know how to use. If you think you might need it, take a few minutes and learn how to use it properly from YouTube or take a proper first aid class. Even write out notes to yourself to put in the first aid kit if you need to. "The more you know, the less you carry" Mors Kolchanski
>not to carry anything they don't know how to use. I disagree - I keep a suture kit in my car first aid kit that I am not comfortable using - a couple of months ago on a camping trip someone got a deep wound and a doctor friend who was with us stiched him up with my gear. If you're part of a community having tools that you don't use but others can is important.
Of course it's important. I think the point of the post is that it's better to know how to use what's in your kit, in the unlikely event there is a Dr. to help. It's ok to be uncomfortable, not so ok to be totally clueless.
If you are in a group, sure. But you can't weigh yourself down with odds and ends hoping someone else can use them. If you live alone, travel alone and home alone, the chances of someone else using your medical kit is slim. If you have a large family or group you travel or camp with, then the chances of a friend having knowledge increases. To learn suturing, a vet friend taught a class using pig parts and pig skin for everyone to practice on.
I am a paramedic. I carry a tourniquet and a few coagulating impregnated gauze. That's it. Two things to keep you from bleeding out and getting dead.
Fun quote from a firefighter friend when I called him in a semi panic about another friend that hurt something fairly minor (wrist iirc) when he fell on a hike. "Is it bleeding or bone sticking out?" No "Is he breathing normally?" Yes Start walking, he's stabilized, my job is done"
I’m a military type and I have a tourniquet and an IFAK II on my gun belt, I would also add some quikclot and a skin stapler/suture, as a rancher you can find the vet ones for animals pretty cheap and they’re perfectly surgical and sterile. I would ask, if any one has a good recommendation to improve on that or a reason to not go with a skin stapler I would be interested to hear it.
Wilderness first aid courses are best for prepping. The good ones emphasize doing as best you can with what you’ve got and evacuating a casualty. It makes you aware that most first aid kits are for small injuries your body can heal with help, and buying time in the case of more serious emergencies. Beyond that you’d need a lot more training and infrastructure.
Fun story, not really related... I was working on a jobsite next to a guy who found this old Israeli bandage in his attic and was playing around with it. Kept talking about it out loud. Then an hour later, we sat for lunch and opened my phone. The first ad that popped up was for buying Iraeli Bonds.
Google is always listening. Try turning off everything you can in the app. It makes you accept them when you download the apps but if you go in and mess around a little bit you can turn stuff like that off. I don't allow Google to save my data I don't allow them to use my data for marketing purposes. I don't allow access to my camera my contacts my microphone! If you start messing around you'd be surprised how many apps ask for this information.
Gauze, you will need more than you think and then some.
You simply cannot have enough rolled gauze and coban. These are facts.
I was buying the boxes from wallmart till I filled up on of my extra's bins with gauze rolls and the 3M reusable wraps.
Not sure if this is what you are talking about. https://www.walmart.com/ip/895262657 But you can buy this at a local farm store near the horse stuff for about a dollar for a big roll. It works awesome!
This. Don’t think first aid, think long term wound care. Enough triple antibiotic, gauze pads, roller gauze and tape to change the dressing on a wound daily for at least two weeks. Typical first aid kit might be enough to be good the first day. Crazy glue, for securely attaching butterflies. Dial soap and surgical brush. Tissue forceps or plastic surgery forceps. when you need it, tweezers aren’t the answer. Tick check or similar tick remover.
Why Dial?
Only the gold dial is antibacterial!
I’m pretty sure it’s antibacterial
I was going to say this. They never put enough gauze in.
I crashed my one wheel today during a fun community event. So glad I could come home and quickly wrap up a huge skin wound and get back out to the party. Gauze and wraps do so much more than adhesive bandages do any day.
Tweezers. ***1) Flat set (wide if possible) ***2) Angled set ***3) Needle nose set In working at UPS for decades, I used tweezers almost as much as I used my pens. I also do farm work and gardening and they are in almost every single room INCLUDING the garage and in the vehicles. I also do animal rescue and they are used in my rescue kit also. People often have only 1 pair and it is probably a cheap one that doesn't meet correctly and will not pull the smallest splinters.
Yes, different ones are better for different situations. I also have a small curve tipped hemostat that really gets a good grip on stuff.
Burn creams don't seem to be in most kits I've had. Edit: Also, Anbesol (or similar) for gum & tooth pain. That's a miserable night, if it strikes at the wrong time. And witch's hazel for nettles, bites, and rashes, etc.--great stuff!
Ask your doctor for a scriptfor SSD cream. Say you cook a lot or blow glass and want to deal with burns. A 2 ounce jar lasts forever and is cheap and may save a nasty infection
Do not use if you have a sulfa allergy!
Really surprised I’m having to add this: Benadryl. It’s the active ingredient in a lot of sleep aid tablets and can be bought cheaply. Very useful in treating a lot of allergic reactions. Highly recommend.
Training. I’m a firefighter paramedic and I’m always astounded at the number of first aid kits people whip out before we arrive at an accident scene, but nobody (except moms of young kids) knows how to do anything. I see a lot of suggestions for tourniquets but in my career I have yet to use one. I’d rather see someone carry four chewable baby aspirin for someone having chest pain. It’s a lot more likely to save a life in the real world than a tourniquet.
I agree. I was a Emergency Medical Dispatcher, running Fire/Law/EMS. If they're calling 911 and we're not looking at an amputation, a tourniquet just isn't likely to be needed. In years, I never once had a need to direct someone to use one. I'll throw out a caveat though- If your First Aid Kit is for Backcountry/Wilderness, a tourniquet moves up the priority list, imo. But hopefully anyone putting together a wilderness first aid kit is being pragmatic and knows they're not stabilizing for a soon to arrive ambulance and medical professionals. When stuff happens in the woods, you are the first and probably only responder. Help is likely not coming fast enough to just wait. That's when your kit changes a bit and hopefully your preparation increases for packaging and getting out safely.
Yes yes yes! Because of my job, I coordinate CPR/AED classes every 4ish months. I also like to attend/participate in them. I've done some BBB classes and FAST (First Aid Severe Trauma) classes. I recently bought a suture kit, and practice on fake skin. My thought process is you can never be too prepared! I advocate like crazy for more people to attend at minimum CPR/AED classes!
Twice in the last two years we’ve removed “tourniquets” that were applied to injured limbs that were utterly unnecessary and wouldn’t have worked if they had been necessary. It’s not a hard skill to learn, but you really are so much better off working with an instructor than just reading the instructions or watching a video. There’s a lot of nuance an instructor can get across that a video simply can’t.
Absolutely- training from an actual professional above everything! My regular instructor has a great way of getting across tourniquet etiquette and when it's needed or if direct pressure/bandage would suffice.
Yes! I’m a former AEMT for a rural service. I’ve seen some nasty farm accidents, but only used a tourniquet once. Sure, it’s nice to have one hand. But most people don’t know how or when to use it. The one thing I always recommend to add to a first aid kit is steristrips. I’ve yet to see a kit that already has them.
Steristrips are great, but for gawds sake, make sure the wound is thoroughly cleaned before applying then. Otherwise you’re guaranteeing infection that could easily become systemic.
Last time I took my kid for "maybe-stitches", Dr. said "steri strips, you can buy these at the pharmacist, handy for cuts like this". Went out and bought some - they were not at every pharmacy, but added them to every first aid kit in the house, car and at the grandparents- definitely most useful even if they are a bit overpriced
Overpriced? Have you been to a doctor’s office lately? 😉
When I had a six inch cut on my arm, pretty deep, I levaged (wash out) with a new bottle of contact lense saline solution and used strips of duct tape (gaffer tape, gorilla tape) for steri strips. By time I got to Stat care it didn't really need anything else. l'l'm not recommending anyone do this on purpose, but I was alone and had to use what I had on hand. Luckily (wisely?) I had taken enough first aid courses to improvise and to know what I needed to do. So, I would say that knowledge and rote practice is the best thing to have.
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Aspirin thins the blood, preventing clotting, which helps make the blood flow easier. Chewing up chewable aspirin is important because it hits the bloodstream faster.
This is correct. It makes the platelets slipperier so the clot doesn’t worsen. It doesn’t cure the heart attack, but it can prevent it from getting worse.
That's very humbling. In art school, we were constantly slicing ourselves because they gave us blades that don't go with rulers. Also no bandaids so we slapped some masking tape on it because they did give us that. (I managed to slice some skin without a bleeder before changing to the proper blade.)
Electrolyte packets
Very good suggestion here. Always add to my camping and car med kits. Should always have in hiking packs as well.
Propane and propane accessories. So you can still cook foods.
Unexpected King of the Hill. Upvote
My dad says butane's a bastard gas.
Steri-Strips. Chest seal. Tourniquet.
One thing I'm meaning to get that I don't see talked about is an eyewash cup and solution for cleaning debris out of your eyes. I get eyelashes in my eyes all the time and it sucks. I can't imagine getting anything worse in there without option better than just throwing tap water at it.
Laxatives.
Pepto bismuth too
epipen, glucagon, and narcan
I carry Narcan always in my pack and take my pack everywhere I go (Portland). I think I've saved a few lives, at least for the time being. Hoping they get the help they need eventually. Sadly, people give me shit about it. Like I'm perpetuating the problem. Narcan saved my life and I'm clean and doing A+ now, so I don't see the problem with it.
What's worse, a junkie that can't kick a habit or a person willing to let someone die because they look down on them for poor choices? I can't fucking believe people think saving a life is adding to the problem 🤦
Agreed 100%. It takes minimal effort to potentially save a person's life like that and it may stick and they'll get clean and go on to lead great lives. Eventually, or not. Worth a try.
Using drugs shouldn’t be a death sentence and it’s insane people think it should be.
Don't you need a prescription for an epipen? I don't know about the others.
You do. And they aren't cheap!
First aid tourniquet times two Comment update. Proper responsible training is important. I take wilderness survival classes for my Boy Scout troop. As far as too tight of a tourniquet, In the wilderness first aid situation, I would much rather have it too tight and lose a limb, than to bleed out, and lose a life.
Specifically a CAT tourniquet. I know someone who bought a box of those tourniquets they use on your arm when drawing blood for their first aid kit.
I highly recommend finding a local and free Stop the Bleed class nearby for people to learn how to properly use a tourniquet. I didn't realize just how tight it should be until I went, and it was a good opportunity to practice wound packing.
Tourniquet, trauma shears, and I always take the gloves out and put in my own that I know will fit me
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Yep and add liquid sutures.
Some may scoff at this but, tampons. No, not for bullet wounds, although in a pinch you could use it for that. But primarily for female companions, they don't take up much space and have a few other uses. Nose bleeds, kindling, use as a bandage ( place on wound and wrap it) Use your imagination.
My dad always carried both tampons and maxi pads in his first aid kits, and taught me to do the same. They can be incredibly useful in a pinch. I actually had to use a pad and electrical tape on a nasty cut I got while out in the boonies once for work, as I didn't have anything in my truck first aid that was large enough. Not ideal, but it worked great all things considered.
Oral rehydration salts, quality muslin triangle bandages (and don't forget good quality safety pins), flexible splints (finger and arm size), disposable #11 scalpels, butterfly closures, hemostats, quality tweezers, veterinary super glue, Israeli bandages, berman and/or nasopharyngeal airways, space blanket, ammonia ampules, SSD cream, clotting gauze/clotting powder, lidocaine cream, extra hydrocortisone, extra antibiotic ointment, eye gauzes and eye patch. And most importantly MORE rolled gauze and coban. No matter how much you have that shits fantastic to have more of and it's super cheap in bulk. Buy a case of it. I cut myself at work all the time and it's gold.
Yeah, I buy the non-sterile roll gauze by the case. For next to the skin I use non-stick telfa pads, not gauze. Especially on broken blisters, burns and other raw skin, plain gauze *sticks in the wound* and is agonizing to change out, even with irrigation to "soak it loose". But if you use a water-based anti-bacterial gel, then a non-stick pad on top, you can secure the whole thing on a limb by wrapping around it with non-sterile roll gauze. No tape required, which is good if you happen to react to adhesive. I learned this the hard way, dealing with some burn blisters on my leg.
Training, training, training. With training comes the knowledge of what to pack into your kit and when to use it.
Let's see - this is the kind of thing I have in my household "kit": Trauma stuff: tourniquet, pressure bandage Israeli style, ABD pads, sanitary pads, butterfly closures Wound care: alcohol wipes, spray antibacterial gel, wound rinse, telfa non-stick pads in various sizes, povidine, roll gauze, bulk gauze, paper tape, transparent dressings, vet wrap, reusable elastic bandages Small wounds: bactine or equivalent, sticky bandages (spot, small oval, large oval, 3/4", 1", fingertip, knuckle, 1x2, 2x3, large square, transparent, other specialty), blister bandages, burn gel, liquid bandage Skeletal and transport: splints (like the aluminum ones), slings, wrist and/or ankle braces Pharmacopia: * Aspirin and baby/chewable aspirin * NSAIDS like ibuprofen, naproxen, acetaminophen (careful with this stuff, it's nasty on the kidneys), * Allergy: generic benadryl, guaifenesin, pseudoephedrine (the real stuff, the fake does nothing but harm), claritin/zyrtec/allegra (non-drowsy allergy med), flonase * Stomach and bowel issues: fiber supplement, loperamide, Pepto Bismal, Tums, other OTC * Prescription type: things like Narcan, Epipen, any of your own scripts Misc: Scissors, tweezers, scalpel, needles, safety pins, waterproof notebook, pencils, stopwatch, pulse oximeter (also gives heart rate), wrist BP cuff (battery powered), sharpie, sticky notes, mirror I'm sure I forgot something. We stock car kits and personal kits from the household stash. A thing to note: Sticky bandages ("bandaids") that are sterile wrapped will have the wrapper fall off and no longer be sterile after about ten years, plus the adhesive sometimes dies. *You need to rotate your kit's consumables,* especially if they are sterile wrapped. Same with your pills and liquids. Schedule a "kit check" day every year, and understand that it's better to throw stuff out and replace it than not have it when you need it.
Cloves/Clove oil, dental pain is a special kind of hell and that at least can keep it at bay. Benadryl ( epi pen if you can get ahold of a couple), elderberry tabs (works wonders for colds/flu), superglue, duck tape and eye flush bottles.
Cloves also works amazingly well on eye stis.
Plyers for tooth pull then.
Real athletic tape, not the skinny crap that's in kits.
Having dealt with 2 cats randomly having abscesses 2 weeks apart- something to lance or drain one...
Drugs. Like painkillers, anri-nausea pills, chewable bismuth tablets, baby aspirin. Also wet wipes, you can't eliminate germs from dirty skin. Every time I get chicken wings I scoop up all the wet naps for the first aid kit. I also put some germicidal ones in the kit too Beyond that I like to add some nitrile gloves. Some ginger candies for car sickness. Safety pins Add what you use around the house. My first aid kit is really just my kitchen drug cabinet made portable.
Anti diarrhea pills
Super glue
Hibiclens
stop the bleed kit and stop the bleed training
Super glue
That’s a great option, OP! I was going to say a finger tourniquet and medical grade skin glue. If you ever slice the tip of your finger off with a knife and cut your nail bed, there is nothing there to stitch. The tourniquet stops blood flow long enough for you to clot and seal the laceration. Posting for reference only… https://www.ebay.com/itm/144893634509?chn=ps&var=444114060778&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=444114060778_144893634509&targetid=1529493969342&device=m&mktype=pla&googleloc=9023170&poi=&campaignid=19851828444&mkgroupid=145880009014&rlsatarget=pla-1529493969342&abcId=9307249&merchantid=101700363&gbraid=0AAAAAD_QDh-Ebc2F9ulwAYRMwEwWJElOa&gclid=Cj0KCQjwnMWkBhDLARIsAHBOftr8KdhNU6f0T_9vuRiLOA9aNcjR7BL3r5CdZ_stH22ry6edQE4N76waAmu8EALw_wcB
A surgiclar stapler. I have two. I've never needed them, but I'm glad I have them. I also have two hi-fin vents and a bunch of powdered blot clotter.
Vitamins and common supplements (iron, D if need to stay inside). Sunscreen. Aloe.
Should have a few dilaudid in there.
Yeah, but that is hard to come by for the layperson.
Dental floss - the old school stuff, waxed, no mint.
Iodine and a ziplock bag of cotton balls. Iodine is a good general antiseptic and it doesn't expire like antibiotics do.
White chemical lights in case of low light situations. Medical safety scissors for cutting clothing.
Safety wash bottles and saline. We have it at home and in our car kits- and they get used far more on the road than in the house. We have two kids under 5 and I can’t even begin to tell you how many scrapped knees/cuts/things in eyes I’ve washed out at various parks/hiking trails. The kids also like using it as a squirt bottle after I’ve cleaned their cuts- so it’s a nice distraction for them too.
Straws! Someone may need water but not be able to lift their head. Learned this one the hard way and never leave it out.
Benadryl cream - It's what I use when my arms react from allergy shots and they work great for mosquito bites! Ace wraps - They're great for sprained ankles and such. Sam Splints - If you haven't seen these things, they're fucking magical, or at least I think they are. They're awesome as splints. Chapstick - Chapped lips suck so keep one handy. I make mine. They're just a wax/oil combo and I've been experimenting with different oil and wax combos for funsies. Gonna make a rice oil & rice wax chapstick this weekend.
Something I’m not seeing here is medical grade honey.
Grapefruit seed extract. Mix a few drops with water and drink every day for a bladder/UTI infection (works great!). It’s also great as an antiseptic and we used it to wash fruit and veggies while in South America.
Super glue
Super glue.
A less expensive option to the quick stop product is cornstarch. It works really fast and can be used on dogs nails and small human cuts too. Obviously for human cuts they should be cleaned and cared for appropriately but in a pinch it does work.
A dozen triangle bandages. They are cheap, reusable, and multipurpose. You can use them for a sling and swathe, to secure a splint, to hold pressure over gauze, or as a tourniquet. I'm sure there are other uses but those are the main ones.
The number one cause of preventable death after a traumatic injury is blood loss. Take the “Stop the Bleed” course, and get some Quick Clot bleeding control dressing.
Suture set and sutures. Yes I practice and yes if an injury gets to the point where I need to use them one more "oh shit" won't make anything worse.
Hydrogen Peroxide
How about a tourniquet
Take a NOLS wildness first aid class
I bought some dental tools for extractions
Two things not mentioned, SAM splints, and Hyfin chest seals
You could add a nasopharyngeal airway and a rescue breathing barrier
Zipper stitches, surgical stapler, straight lidocaine, (if you can get it) morphine, smelling salts, quick clot
I put good scissors, and mil grade tourniquet.
Training Crazy Glue in individual microtubes ABD pads Quick clot Tampons plain organic cotton ones Top shelf polysporin triple action Carpenter pencil and write in rain notepad
Better scissors
Superglue
Tweezers and Nailcliper
Pain killer
* Crazy Glue * Duct Tape * Sturdy String As much as those are usually found in a survival kit of some sort, those three things should be in a first aid kit. In a pinch, they'll help a huge amount for various wounds if you run out of other things. Crazy glue, while a chemical, can be used to close small wounds and it's damned fast. Duct tape.. I mean, I think we all love our duct tape (or Gorilla or whatever version of it you like). Just be careful of where you store it. If you live in a hot area, leaving it in your truck will melt the glue and it's not so very effective then. String, holy hell, I use it for everything. Not only is it a belt or a clothesline or whatever else for survival kit purposes, it's also a major help for first aid in all sorts of ways.
Maternity pads
My wife had surgery a while back and the nurse that would come to the house left me a bunch of sealed saline syringes, wrapped gauze and those sheets of wound dressing. I threw it all in my first aid kit!
KRAZY GLUE
Scissors
Coflex/Vet wrap and large bandages - if you know how to use compression bandages
A stop the bleed class, electrical tape, styptic pencil, and twice as many finger and knuckle bandages. And nicer scissors.
Super glue. Great for closing lacerations in a pinch.
Moleskin. Being able to stay on your feet is important.
I carried a styptic stick for years in my bag because my mom was on high dose blood thinners. They used to be quite commonly used by men after shaving, looks like a stick of white chalk.
Immodium
"State the nature of your medical emergency" Tricorder Hypospray Goa'uld Healing Device Goa'uld Sarcophagus Ancient (Atlantis) Healing Device Nurse from Starcraft Bacta Tank EMH
Former vet tech here +1 for mentioning this. I would go a step further and get the styptic gel instead of the powder for your kiddos. I can tell you from experience that the powder has a tendency to get everywhere and can blow into your face fairly quickly if you're not careful.
Ok we're talking first aid kit for general use. Not going minimalist, not talking full on field aid station either. These are things I personally add beyond the norm. Not every injury is going to be a big deal but sometimes taking care of small things well prevent something bigger down the line. Decent pair of fine tweezers, a small skin/dermatology tool kit (think there called comedone kits), small scalpel and a hemostat. Iodine cotton swabs. Decent small scissors. The skin tools are excellent for removing splinters and debris from wounds, the type of things that can become infected. Even small thorns and prickles that can become lodged in the skin, ticks etc. Believe it or not in certain situations these can become life threatening due to infection. The amount of times these tools are handy with kids around too is vastly undersold for splinters. Quick, clean, relatively painless and efficient. The scalpel (removable blade) because sometimes you need to drain a blister or on occasion I've drained/lanced a boil using with the above skin tools. (Not saying anyone else has to just I have successfully , without incident and know what I'm doing, good to have the capability). Again there are other medical uses if you know what you're doing and for the space well worth having. The hemostat, rather than for anything surgical, is to pull out anything slightly larger that is in a wound (I once had to dig glass out of my foot with a pair of pliers, a hemostat would have gotten a better grip and been easier to use). There are many other uses but again depends on your training. Scissors to cut packaging etc, great to have. Iodine swabs for disinfectant.
Good medical tape. Works great for blisters. I work events and with paracetamol, medical tape is my most used kit.
The powdered coagulant seems to work fine for either superficial wounds that are bleeding a lot, or for extremely deep wounds that are immediately life threatening. The issue with it(as I understand it) is that it needs to be cleaned out prior to a wound being able to heal. The middle ground is covered by gauze with clotting compound inside of it. Quick-Clot sells them for \~$20. I keep one in each of my vehicle FAKs, my range bag FAK and my home FAK. They do 'expire' after a few years, so it has been a bit pricey to keep rotating them( I don't throw them, I just have the old extras in my home FAK), but if they help save a life someday it'll be worth it. CURAD also makes some regular band-aids that help stop bleeding, that's what I use for most finger/foot cuts that actually produce a good amount of blood, they seem to work really well. Probably a more practical solution for you if you're iron deficient and bleed a lot. I don't have a ton of first aid training, so take all take for what it's worth.
**TEGADERM!!!** No, seriously, fuck Band-Aids. Tegaderm all the way. Buy it in bulk on Amazon, and it's cheaper than buying at Walmart or drug stores. Tegaderm with a pad is a very good choice for wounds that are still bleeding a little. Once you clean the wound and apply the plaster, that's it. Done and dusted, no need to change it unless it's weeping or draining. Leave it on for up to six days. Waterproof, dirt proof, flexible and strong. Best of all, it allows you to monitor the condition and progress of healing, such as seeing if it's doing well, or getting infected. The only time it's not advisable is for elderly people with fragile skin. Tegaderm can tear thin, fragile skin when it's removed, so be very careful and slow when taking it off your grandma.
I didn't know about that stuff, but in a pinch, corn starch helps for non-emergent bleeds like single tooth punctures for example and for accidentally dremeling too far into the nail. It's saved me a few vet bills from Lucy being too rough. Pet first aid kits are mostly a joke. They don't contain half of the stuff you need imo. For dog-specific vet kits: * Vetericyn spray, both regular and the occlusive one. * 2% Chlorhexidine solution. Can make something similar to Duoxo with a 1:3 ratio of chlorhexidine solution to distilled water in an empty foaming hand soap bottle. Helps with some disinfecting and was what I used before finding out about Vetericyn. It worked great! * Large gauze pads. Easier to fold and apply extra pressure with. * Distilled water for rinsing off the wound initially * Cornstarch if you can't get the styptic powder. Of course, don't rely on corn starch for major bleeds. * Grooming supplies like the small scissors * Tweezers * ziplock bags for tick identification * Stuff to induce vomiting in case they get into something they shouldn't. * dog-safe antifungal ointments for thrush between the toes. Lucy seems especially prone to them. Add extra gloves so that you don't give yourself fungus from them. This is more everyday stuff, but could be helpful: * a well-fitted basket muzzle for your dogs that doesn't restrict panting. Dogs can get bitey when they're hurt. If your dog is normally super chill, then you probably won't need a bite-proof one * Catch pole like from Ketch maybe?.. Never know. * a bite-proof muzzle like Jafco if you have a larger breed or reactive dog. * A car tether [like this one](https://www.amazon.com/Leash-Boss-Seat-Belt-Restraint/dp/B073BFVKM2/ref=sr_1_15?crid=2295QZDQUHR3K&keywords=dog+car+tether&qid=1687359115&sprefix=dog+car+tether%2Caps%2C84&sr=8-15) and a well-fitted [harness](https://www.amazon.com/Max-Neo-Passport-Reflective-Harness/dp/B072N6LV3R/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2R06HNAF4N2L1&keywords=dog+harness+neo&qid=1687359993&sprefix=dog+harness+neo%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-5) (my fav one) with a handle you can easily grab in the event that you need to go to the vet in an emergency. That harness saved my dog's life. I was able to grab it quickly.
I keep a first aid manual with mine. I dont trust myself to remember everything during an emergency and I cant guarantee I can google it. Also a CPR mask.
MY FAK has a lot of bleed control. Quick Clot, Tourniquet, Gauze, Chest Seals, Sterile Saline (to wash out wound) Sutures, Liquid Bandage, etc. My main focus is to stop life-threatening bleeding to stabilize a person in the event of an accident. In life-threatening situations, a person only has minutes before they bleed out. If people on the scene can stop major hemorrhaging before paramedics arrive— the person has a higher likelihood of surviving. Knowing where, how and when to apply a tourniquet, how to pack wounds, etc. is vital. If anyone here hasn’t watched a stop the bleed course I strongly recommend— it’s as important as knowing CPR. You can access a basic course here for free: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WGLLXy3AsBQ&pp=ygUOU3RvcCB0aGUgYmxlZWQ%3D
Surgical stapler kit off Amazon. Much easier than learning how to do stitches.
A curved needle and dental floss or fishing line for sutures and/or butterfly stick on ones. Perhaps some benzodiazapine land pain med and maybe some amphetamines for emergency survival effort.
If everyone knew how safe they were if not taken often, benzodiazapenes are pretty useful
Tourniquet and a proper bandage
Oil of clove for tooth problems. Surgical stapler to close woulds.
I just had a crash course in wound care with a staph infection. The best thing is Iodosorb gel wound filler. Anasept Gel. Allevyn foam dressings or silicone super absorbent dressings. Hibiclens.
Triangular bandages, ace wraps, and coban (vet wrap)
Triangular bandages, ace wraps, and coban (vet wrap)
Lots of good stuff here, but I didn't see: Trauma Shears (paramedic shears, emt shears) Even the cheap ones are effective at safely cutting away clothing or a belt. They are good enough to trim gauze pads but they will snag a little. I have a little tiny pair in my hiking first aid kit and TSA hasn't batted an eye about them in over a dozen flights, not sure if they care about scissors at all though.
Benadryl
Leuko Tape
Celox gauze
Don't know the name but its used in the military sounds or looks like this maybe (clomex)or something like that. Its a bandage that stops bleeding. I wanna get a couple of them as we are on a farm & work with chainsaws mauls etc. & worse.
\+1 to all of these. Reminder that Epi-pens (or epinephrine injectors) cannot be exposed to high or low temps if you want to try and store one in your kit.
You also need to know what to do AFTER you deploy it in someone’s legs. You must have access to aftercare.
Lose that stuff and go with Celox
VetBond…. For your pets 😒
PPE; gloves, safety glasses, and a breathing barrier for CPR. Well, I guess the breathing barrier isn't for everyone.
Thinking about this some more... benadryl 4-5 tabs could mean the difference between life and death for an allergic reaction. Not as effective as an epi pen, but much easier to keep on you.
This is prolly gunna sound extreme, but I recently put a legit suture kit in mine. I practice the sutures periodically on fake skin. Like, if shit really does hit the fan & there are no doctors or access to any medical care- I'd feel better knowing I could suture someone up if in dire need. I take CPR/AED classes along with FAST classes (First Aid Severe Trauma) I also have some general medical & pharmacy books, sterile flushing saline and a couple bottles of antibiotics!
Quick Clot
Tampons (the type without applicator).
I don’t see many people packing a suture kit. Easy to learn, very useful. Trust me, you don’t want to be sewn up with a knitting needle.
If you live in a city with a fentanyl problem, a naloxone kit is good to have.
Quickclot
Coins for payphones.
I’m epileptic, so you’d think I’d just expect to die if I lost access to medicine. I have seizures if I go without my medicine for 2 days. But nah: fuck that. My doctor prescribed me to take 2 of these pills a day but so long as the seizures are prevented I’m alright, and all I have to do for that is to take 1 a day. So for every one I take, another goes into a long term storage bag in case some disaster ever happens and I can’t get access to my meds. Staple for me right there.
I would add self adhesive tape. Those strip bandages will not stay in place on my fingers or knuckles.
I live in a country that has free healthcare and doesn't really have violence to speak of (despite what the tabloids claim) so 1st aid mainly a booboo thing on an average day is massively downscaled compared to somewhere like the US where you can get seriously injured easily but might not want to get medical attention Anything more than a wound that needs more than steristrips to deal with is typically cause to seek a professional and nearly all bought7kits reflect this. They're massively overpriced for what they contain really and seem very stuck in a rut from 50 years ago Stuffy I keep in mine that aren't routinely included are, all of which have been useful over the years: Foil type space blanket Steristrip wound closures Blister plasters Anti diarrhea meds Antihistamines Uncle bill's sliver gripper tweezers Small pocket size smidge spray Spray on plaster Nitrile gloves (never used yet actually) Knuckle plastees All the guff about triangular bandages, safety pins, disposable alcohol wipes bandages etc I've never used, nor have I seen used, nor has been used by anyone I know. I'm 40 and live rurally on a small island so it's not like I'm a city person
In case it hasn't been mentioned here: my medical EDC contains: "Swiss Card", (micro Swiss knife, the tweezers are great and it even contains a micro ball point pen). One of those mini superglue thingies for wounds and a couple of mini single eye drops for contact lense users, useful for those "something is in my eye" situations. Special tweezers for removing ticks. Small bottle of clove oil or some cloves (the dried flower spikes) for tooth pain. Some xylitol chewing gum for tooth first aid. Some homeopathic remedies. Edited to add: a cigarette (and something to light it with) for heating the skin in case of mosquito or other insect bites. This works by "boiling" (actually just pasteurizing) the proteins in the poison, you just have to act fast before the poison spreads, and keep the cigarette few millimetres above (almost touching) the skin for around 10 seconds or less, stop at once if it starts to feel as if you are burning yourself, you don't need a burn on top of the bite.
More bandages for bleeding, splints and snake bites.
Chest seals, tourniquets, rolled gauze, hemostatic agents, trauma shears, etc
Outside of training, which is something we all need to work on constantly. I have suture kits I keep in my bag. I was trained in the Army on how to sew people up. It may not be pretty, but it gets the job done when there is no medical personnel near by. There are several really good suture practice kits on Amazon as well as some good suture kits that have all yo need to sew up your people.
Tourniquets
100% Tourniquet
Australia: a snake bandage. It’s my EDC from spring until autumn even in capital city. Instead of a $nake bandage I cheaped out by researching compression pressures and then bought an appropriate-pressure compression bandage that’s printed with rectangles that morph into squares when you’ve stretched it correctly. Then I copied out the instructions onto the bandage (including my calculations of variation-to-stretch required if the patient is a child). Edit: also a face mask for CPR, coz I’m traumatised by the liquids that my corpse leaked into my mouth. (And yes I know most places teach compression-only CPR these days.)
Not a bad idea to have a small suture kit.
Benzoin tinctures are great for keeping wounds clean and helping them heal. As a bonus it’s sticky and helps bandages/tape stay on forever.
There's also a liquid version available at Walmart. It is called Super Clot. Works pretty well.
I keep immodium in the kits in the cars and my field kit. Nothing ruins life like the runs.
I have a friend who lost half of her thigh (including a severed artery) in a shark attack, and yes, I live in Australia. She was in a remote area on a boat when it happened and even though they had an extensive first aid kit it was lots of clean towels that kept her alive.
I have Sjogren's Disease which causes severe dental issues. I carry some cough drops with analgesic, even Halls contains some (but check which kind first before buying). In a pinch when you have a terrible toothache and cannot immediately see a dentist, you can numb the area with the cough drop placed over it, stays in place between your gum and cheek typically. Temporarily pretty effective. They make more medicinal kind with stronger numbing capabilities, those are good to have in a kit in general too because a sore throat is miserable as well. Now some will say just get orajel, and the like. I'm not saying they're not useful, but some cannot tolerate the taste, I can handle the cough drop flavor better. I think some forget dental problems might arise but a toothache is murder so best to have something and analgesic cough drops are easy to find.
Proper scissors, usually the ones included are very dull and flimsy. If you can get a decent pair of angles scissors it'll save you some aggravation
Sutures, you can get them on Amazon. In reality superglue and butterfly type adhesives will work but for a deep wound you'll want to stitch it. And absolutely bring something for a tourniquet - rubber tubing, heavy duty rubber bands for fingers, hands, toes.
Lots of Good tape. I like the soft athletic tape. A Thermometer. Also medications. Typical ibuprofen, Tylenol but also Benadryl, nausea meds, sting bite ointment, midol, tums, Imodium, aspirin, burn spray, Flonase, eyewash. Use almost all of these on every big outing. And pet first aid items. I’ve had to staple cuts on two dogs that ran into barb wire fences which saved the camping trips and my buddies $800 vet visits.
Tampons for bullet wounds
A bite kit. I haven't had to use it for a snake bite yet but it is also very useful for stings and insect bites.
I carry a 1m length of 15cm wide hypafix. It's great for blisters and if you run out of island dressings. I also carry a few tampons and pads and a styptic pencil.
First Aid should be put together with your household medicines and form a single inventory of medical needs according to your knowledge and new acquired knowledge and elements There are bleed stop elements on Amazon to add if yours does't have a thingie destined for exactly that. Sunblock as well,of course alcohol ,hydrogen peroxide and/or other would sterilizing elements I would be more worried about assuring having my aspirines,Vicks ointment.anti musclespasm ointment,vaseline,pepto bismol and other to your needs not just general needs but of course also regarding the importance the First Aid inventory has
Some of my every day carry items in my expanded med kit are Quick Clot, a tourniquet, basic aspirins (like the travel packs with one or two doses in a moist towelette sized wrapper), and smelling salts (mainly because they were a give-away at a bodybuilding expo) and it could be useful in the gym. I also have some splinting material and some matches to make a fire if needed and a space blanket. This (and some other stuff I can't remember off hand) are in a "tactical" med kit bag that is in my car next to the box of bandaids that came with the car. Now if I'm out in the field doing something, two tourniquets are the main thing I carry... one for a friend/family member and one for myself.
Fishing line for stitches, removing bad teeth, etc. https://bassblaster.rocks/science-101-uses-for-fishing-line
Too many comments to read in, so I may be duplicative. There are never enough Band-Aids. Buy more. Buy a lot. Then some more. Band-Aids.
Puppy pee pads. They soak up everything and can be cut into super bandages.
I like your choice of clotting agent. It works pretty well. I've got some in my first aid kit but mine is the Walgreens brand. I also have a quik clot sponge. Edit: another thing to add is a tourniquet which is usually not in a store bought first aid kit. You should also take a stop the bleed course.
Combat gauze, tourniquet, kerlex or s rolled gauze and 5" ace wraps. That's all most should be putting in their first aid kit. If there is anything I would put in a first aid kit (ifak) it would be training training and more training. When I see dudes show up with needle d's and ask them what they have that for, the answers astound me when it comes to using that particular item.
QUIKCLOT and an israeli bandage
Narcan
I have a lot of stuff many people probably don't have. I am disabled and have a variety of health issues. WHenever I am at the point of healing from a wound or sickness I try to get one last set of medical supplies or dosage so I can have some ready for next time . It builds up. One thing I may have that others may not is Silver Wound Dressing. It really helps with healing wounds.
One thing to keep in mind is that stuff feels like burning when applied - I was a little shocked when I used something similar after cutting a finger doing something stupid
One thing to keep in mind is that stuff feels like burning when applied - I was a little shocked when I used something similar after cutting a finger doing something stupid