first aid kit..what to put in?

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Saw a $11.92 first aid kit on Amazon the other day, thought I would buy 3, 1 for me, 1 for friend (we trade favors), 1 for small church in suburban area I attend. 299? pieces. Saw several reviewers saying "good kit but needs XXX". SO, mission creep engaged, thinking what stuff is needed / desired for non trained personnel. Thoughts? or perhaps a web site where experienced people have been planning this stuff? Not really a prepper planning for DIY heart surgery at end of world day, but what an emt? might keep around house. or what might be kept in offic /security / etc. desk Thanks!
 
Good question.

I have been on the lookout for a local first aid type course to learn about this stuff. I know they have courses for EMTs, but haven't yet found one for the average joe who just wants to be better prepared.

I'd like to learn enough to do minor emergency surgery (stitches, field treatment for broken bones, etc.)
 
You might consider 2 levels of first aid kits, one serious trauma and the other for minor stuff so you can continue on your camp out. Once you've done that, with a little bit of research you can get after the contents and literature, phone numbers and contacts that would be useful for each kit. And don't scrimp on the quality of the box that you put all this stuff into. You don't want someone looking for a band aid messing up your trauma specific stuff. I was a Navy Corpsman and on camping trips it was common for someone with a serious problem to seek me out. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to open a first aid kit and find nothing except an odd collection of band aid wrappers. A properly marked trauma kit might have been spared if that other kit was available.
 
For my businesses, I go to the local St. John Ambulance outfit. They know exactly what type of kit should be at whatever workplace (or home, or car), and will set one up for a very nominal fee, as in $50 versus $500 for a similar commercial one sold by shysters. Obviously, it's a Canadian organization, but if you go to its website, easily found on Google, and browse the products, you will see they give a very detailed list of the components of each kit.
 
Well let's see.... I would like the following in mine.

Bandage scissors, 2 by 2's gauze, 4 by 4's gauze, curlex wraps, Ace bandages, ABD pads, alcohol prep pads, skin prep pads, strong 2 inch wide tape and strong 4 inch wide tape, normal saline spray bottle wound cleanser, Neosporin, silverdene ointment, cortisone ointment, Benadryl tablets, epi pens, absobine Jr, a sterile contained sewing kit, pulse oximeter, blood glucose machine, glucose tablets... That's a start for me
smile.gif
I am sure there's more I will think of later.
 
I think the first question is what you want to accomplish with the kit? Where will it be located? What are the likely situations you will use it in? A kit for boo-boos in the workplace is going to be different than the kit in the trunk of your car which has a higher probability of needing to be used fpr serious trauma.
 
Anything that has batteries is prone to fail just when you want it most for most non professional use. A charged cell phone for a call to 911 and know where your at. Plenty of PPD- gloves etc to keep you from anything nasty. Those basic little kits are great for daily bumps and bruises. I have bought several of the $8 kits from Walmart. While on a fire and rescue for 15 years I came upon or witnessed a handful of accidents and never had to go beyond a 6x6 gauze pad to stop bleeding(compound fracture of the femur, would have bled out in minutes) before heavy rig showed to treat and transport. A good pocket knife probably was the most common item that was needed to cut clothing and seat belts
 
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It will cost, but purchase a high end kit made for offshore marine useage from one of the better retailers. They are made for folks who might have an accident while far offshore where help is many, many hours away at best.
 
Wouldn't it matter to know what you are capable of? For myself, all I can do is splint and/or bandaid an injury. Medical tape, bandaids, gauze and maybe a couple of of those wraps is about all I really "need" as I couldn't use more. Aspirin. Moleskin, for feet that blistering. Perhaps sunblock, can be easy to forgot to apply when headed out the door. Too bad you couldn't add dehydrated water.
 
I just discussed this yesterday with a customer of mine. He said he always has benadryl. Yesterday his son was stung by a yellow jacket and his face swelled up like a balloon. They were out in the country and they had benadryl and all kinds of other things in case they needed it.
 
Originally Posted By: bbhero
Well let's see.... I would like the following in mine.

Bandage scissors, 2 by 2's gauze, 4 by 4's gauze, curlex wraps, Ace bandages, ABD pads, alcohol prep pads, skin prep pads, strong 2 inch wide tape and strong 4 inch wide tape, normal saline spray bottle wound cleanser, Neosporin, silverdene ointment, cortisone ointment, Benadryl tablets, epi pens, absobine Jr, a sterile contained sewing kit, pulse oximeter, blood glucose machine, glucose tablets... That's a start for me
smile.gif
I am sure there's more I will think of later.


what's going on here ? an intelligent question ?

the above kit is good. I would include peroxide, a tourniquet (you can buy one, or make one from a belt, or a nylon strap with Velcro),and celox. you can have 20 kits, but they're all useless, if you cannot stop bleeding. enter celox, and tourniquet.
as well, learn how to apply a field dressing. good posts here.
 
In my opinion, first aid kits are mostly garbage. You got a splinter, or a small cut? So what, you can wait to fix that. You've been in a motorcycle accident, your femur severs your femoral artery, you have seconds to stop the bleeding, or you die.

1) A Combat Application Tourniquet (Cat tourniquet)(to stop heavy bleeding)
2) Israeli bandage or combat gauze (to stop heavy bleeding)
3) Benadryl (diphenhydramine)(for bee stings or anaphylaxis from allergic reactions)
4) latex gloves

These four items should be in every first aid kit, in my opinion. The other stuff, band aids, 4x4 gauze pads, antibiotic cream, are nice too, but it much nicer to save a life with actual life saving equipment, then to watch someone die.

How to use Israeli bandage and combat gauge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNR8rRFgwNk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FbMpMdEqRs
 
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