First aid kit questions

[Jbird5363]

1- new roll of blue shop towels
1- roll of grey duct tape
1- gallon of fresh water
Everything else can be macgyvered

[OldSchool]

Just to note that I included "SelfGrip" athletic tape in my bag rather than bulky rolls of duct tape.

This stuff sticks to itself, wet or dry. And it can stretch. Which can be very important in the field.

Duct tape might stabilize a limb, but it isn't my first choice for my own treatment.

I was referring to medical tape in the earlier post, which is what we always used in the locker room for everything. It's cloth tape (although now maybe all poly weave) that sticks to itself, and only becomes stiff with layering. Duct tape glue goes everywhere, and the tape becomes stiff with use and cracks. The medic tape in the cheap kits is short and narrow, which is why we supplement with 1.5+ inch-wide tape in longer rolls. There is a large variety of ways to stabilize a joint in the field, using medical tape.

[Afff_667]

There are some good suggestions/comments on items and training needed to treat GSW already listed plus some mentions about first aid kits or simply adding Izzy bandages and Quikclot, for example, to augment regular first aid kits.

I strongly recommend that one keep the serious GSW items separate from the boo boo kit items. You don't want the potentially lifesaving items lost, taken, contaminated, etc by someone simply looking for a bandaid or an aspirin. The GSW kit should be used only to treat that level of injury, so don't put anything else in there. Again, only those items needed to treat GSW (or other related major trauma) should be in that kit. This keeps that particular kit smaller and easier to have handy. Keep the boo boo kit behind the firing line.

I also recommend that folks wanting to provide a higher level of trauma care consider and plan how to treat himself/herself. Sure, you want to be able to help someone, but the life you save may very well be your own!! Too often the casual first aid course focuses on helping others. Keep the GSW stuff handy or actually on you and in a place where you can get to it with either hand.

[srothstein]

Just to note that I included "SelfGrip" athletic tape in my bag rather than bulky rolls of duct tape.

I would have both, just in case. But I wanted to point out a much less expensive alternative to Selfgrip. The exact same material is sold under the name Vetrap for use on horses. It costs about 1/3 or less of the human version because it does not have to be approved by the FDA the same way. It will work great as a bandage to hold gauze pads in place, or similar uses.

[Texas Dan Mosby]

IMO a simple bare bones civilian trauma kit would start with the following items:

1. Tourniquet
- Mini cargo straps with a ratchet work well.

2. Kurlix gauze
- I LOVE that stuff!
- Not only can you pack an extremity wound, but you can use it as a wrap as well.
- 2 rolls minimum.

3. Elastic "Ace" bandage
- Can be wrapped over a wound keeping the kurlix in place.
- Can be used to secure thorax dressing in place.
- Can be used for splints / slings for fractures.
- 2 rolls minimum.

4. Nasopharyngeal airway, aka, nose tube
- Easy to insert.
- Small.
- Simple way to restore the airway if needed.
- They don't make people gag as readily as a J-tube.

5. Plastic / asherman type of occlusive dressing
- For the infamous "sucking" chest wound

6. Tape
- Whatever, as long as it sticks.
- Med tape / trainer tape

This simple kit alone can plug up a lot of holes long enough to get them to higher care, and it doesn't take a surgeon to figure out how to use the stuff.

Extremity wounds get the tourniquet if needed, are packed with kurlix, wrapped with kurlix, and finished up with an ace wrap. Thorax / ab wounds don't get packed, but can still be dressed and wrapped in conjunction with the use of an occlusive dressing.

[Keith]

Great ideas here. Ive been in the Fire Service for 19 years and a medic for 15 of them. Im in school now advancing my medic training but MAYBY down the road a class could be put on for the Texas CHLers here. I would be willing to be a part of the teatching. Im no expert either just have training.

Would def recommened getting trained on how to use a tourniquet properly. For the more serious people get( IV how to training). Gun shot wounds dont kill blood loss does. If u can stop the bleeding and keep the victim or yourself from getting hypovolemia (decreased blood volume) by increasing the blood volume with fluids you can by yourself alot of time until help arrives.

One quik easy tip get Iodine or Betadine for cleaning cuts or wounds. Alchohol pushes the germs away doesnt actually kill them. Iodine does kill germs.

[Crossfire]

Keith - that is a great idea! I really think every CHL instructor, NRA instructor, etc, should have some basic training in first aid for gun shot wounds. I have a CPR cert and the most basic of first aid experience. But, anything past that, and it's "dial 911 and pray".

Fortunately, we have never had any wounds on the range more serious than a really nasty slide bite. I hope we never do, but I sure would like to be ready, just in case.

[The Annoyed Man]

Extremity wounds get the tourniquet if needed, are packed with kurlix, wrapped with kurlix, and finished up with an ace wrap. Thorax / ab wounds don't get packed, but can still be dressed and wrapped in conjunction with the use of an occlusive dressing.

I have a whole bunch of experience treating gunshot patients, all though it was many moons past; but there are four things you have to be very careful about when treating a gunshot wound to an extremity.

1. Not all gunshot extremities require a tourniquet.
2. A tourniquet will do more harm than good if it is not needed.
3. Direct pressure to the wound in an extremity can be very effective in controlling bleeding where a tourniquet is not necessary.
4. An ace bandage, applied too tightly, is a tourniquet.

The point of the lesson is that you may have a limb that would be harmed by a tourniquet, and if you apply the ace bandage too tightly in order to effect pressure on the wound, you'll do more harm than good because you have just created a de facto tourniquet. Even an obvious arterial bleed can often be controlled by pressure without cutting off the blood supply to the distal extremity. First, do no harm. Use tourniquets wisely.

[RPB]

After kayaking without a first aid kit ... because of course I'm invincible ... you guys are shaming me into updating the one I used to carry, which I car carried many years in an overnight case type luggage thing.

I recall stopping to help at a roadside accident once while driving between Austin and Houston, it had everything from road flares to those old Kotex pads to use as temporary dressings ... I need to familiarize myself with all these new kwik-clot and other newfangled products.

My mom was in nursing school, saved some lives I was a lifeguard and a "outdoor concert Medic", many many years ago, saved a few myself.

Guess I better clean it out and re-stock it with workable stuff. And start carrying it again.

Last time I opened it was 2007, when a scorpion stung me, and I applied the last drop of a medicine made by a company that went out of business 30 years ago (wish I could find more) Sting Stopper in a red bottle, but they couldn't put up some sort of money for insurance or something)

I threw away the old rubber suction cup+knife "snakebite kit" ... rubber suction cups deteriorated and fell apart.

[Owens]

If anyone has the opportunity to take an ECA (Emergency Care Attendant) class, take it It may be called a first responders course too. It is a very good overall advanced first aid class. You should be able to track one down through the local EMS services.
I sometimes serve in a volunteer capacity as a 3rd on ambulance with this.
As to kits and contents, http://www.mobil-medic.com/ has some good stuff. A kit called a 'cab kit' should get you started.
Other good sources: http://www.thefirestore.com/

[Ameer]

Where is a good online shop to buy individual supplies instead of a one size fits all kit? I want to buy a few IBD and Kerlix for a good delivered price. I will also buy some wrap if they're cheaper than PetsMart vet wrap. A local Houston store is better if they have good prices.

[cbr600]

I had good service from Chinook but shipping is pricey for small orders.

[texjames]

Good stuff here.I carry a simple first ad kit to the range but don't have quick clot.I see it in a lot of kits ya can buy or mentioned a lot.
Question is...don't ya need some training on useing quick clot? It can do bad things too can't it?

[Skydivesnake]

Very interesting thread...

I came across this website while googlin' Olaes vs Israeli bandages - anyone have any experience with them ?

http://www.rescue-essentials.com/

They have alot of pre-prepared kits and all the usual supplies, and what looks like a $4.99 flat-rate shipping fee. I'm probably going to order some bits and pieces; will let you chaps know how it goes.

Cheers - SDS

[OldSchool]

Good stuff here.I carry a simple first ad kit to the range but don't have quick clot.I see it in a lot of kits ya can buy or mentioned a lot.
Question is...don't ya need some training on useing quick clot? It can do bad things too can't it?

The granular kind, which use was recently halted by the military. The sponge type is fine, and should be usable by anyone.

I guess our experiences are different than everyone else's, but we come from the back woods, having to do our own doctoring and vet work (of course, my Mom was an RN). When we started picking up items, we were very disappointed with stuff we bought on the Internet, especially the kits; of course, we had to go online to find Israeli bandages and tourniquets. So we know what we're getting, we prefer to look in town to find everything else necessary (for example, 4" gauze instead of the 1" we received in the kits).