First Aid Kits/Necessities

[Zach]

There was an unfortunate accident at the last Liberty Bell Chapter gathering last year, where a member tripped over a stump that was hidden below some leaves. It could have been REALLY bad, but we were lucky enough to have some professional first-responders with our group for the weekend. Tthey jumped into action and got the person fixed up pretty quickly. Ever since that trip, its been in the back of my mind that I need to put together a good first aid kit, not only for gatherings, but for our other trips too. Having a little boy coming in May has also made me rethink my lack of a first aid kit.

So who has some first aid kit recommendations? Some kits seem to come with a lot of 'filler' stuff that will likely never be used. Maybe just a good list of the general necessities?

alex k ... maybe some suggestions from the pro?

[RatAssassin]

I don't have recommendations, but you can find multiple lists online of what one should carry at a minimum.
I have one in each vehicle, all of my work vehicles and also in both my main hiking packing lumbar pack at all times.


And more importantly, one should always look for expired and updated product and general condition of supplies twice a year. For me, it's my rule that I update and check them at Daylight Savings Time intervals. just makes it easy to remember.

[Nick T]

1. For bee stings or venomous insect bites: A $1.00 bottle of powdered MEAT TENDERIZER. Insect venom is protein-based, and the purpose of MEAT TENDERIZOR POWDER is to break down protein. For best results, mix a small amount of the powder with vinegar. (I just mix it right in the palm of a cupped hand---- in an emergency or first-aid situation there may not be time or any real reason for unnecessary steps like first putting the powder in a cup). If you don't have vinegar, use water or even saliva. Mix into a paste, apply to sting. It's a good idea to apply "more than you think you need" because as the paste dries it will have a tendency to flake off. The bottom layer will stick, so just apply thicker than you think you need to. It does work.

2. For bruises, sprains, muscle strains ,any soft tissue damage: $8 tube of ARNICA GEL. Available at Walmart or any pharmacy. Works FAST & extremely well. The quicker you apply after the injury, the better; its effectiveness is directly related to the amount of time between injury and application.

3. For emergency shelter/ warming in cold weather situation: $20-$25 thicker, multi-use version of the small foil "space blanket". These larger, thicker versions of the EMERGENCY BLANKET are vinyl on one side (usually olive green or orange, though you can also find them in black, blue, red, and camo) with a highly reflective aluminum-covered silver color surface on the other side. Usually 5x7 feet. You can wrap up in them, suspend them overhead like a tarp (close to the body if you're using them for warming), put them over/around you to form a "tent" inside a car or camper, or hang them vertically (like a wall) to reflect the heat from a campfire or portable stove back onto you. You can also use the reflective (or orange) side to signal for help in the case of being lost or injured. Folds down flat into roughly the size of a paperback book.

4. Emergency shelter/ warming situation in cold weather: $2 to $3 ultra-small reflective mylar SPACE BLANKET. Small enough to easily fit in a glove box, backpack, jacket pocket. Similar to the above uses, just not as durable.

5. For cuts, rashes, scrapes, abrasions: $8 small bottle. TEA TREE OIL. Works FAST. (Note: Do Not Ingest, even in tiny amounts. Topical use only!).

6. To stop bleeding: $1.00 bottle of BLACK PEPPER. Pour or pack into wound to slow or stop bleeding.

[swoody126]

this comes up regularly in most of the forums i frequent

a Medic on one of the forums has shared that one should carry what one is familiar with and knows how to use w/ competence for personal use

as mentioned above most of the store boughten FAKs are equipped with items many folks are unfamiliar with or don't feel competent to use

i will add a few items not commonly found in most kits

that green aloe gel found under several labels used for treating burns (available at chain drug stores)

Vet Wrap which is the elastic strip stuff that sticks to itself like used in the lab to wrap cotton over a blood draw point (also availabe at Tractor Supply in a variety of colors in individually sealed pkts)

clean white cotton terry cloth hand towels (i get them at Sams by the bag full) packed in zip locs w/ all the air squeezed out to pack easily (used for compresses and after use get laundered and used for shop rags)

1st responder scissors(available on Amazon)

a small pair of detail scissors(i like the wire handled Chinese ones available most anywhere)

few days of your regular meds in segmented pill boxes for each traveler(change out/refresh every 90 days or at least once/season)

most lists you will find will cover just about everything else you might need and be able to employ

make sure your kit can be EASILY ACCESSED no matter what

an FAK in the trailer(remains in camp) as well as one in the TV(handy for day tripping)

these can be made using canvass packs or sound tool boxes PAINTED RED or in good quaity plastic tubs w/ well fitting lids and conspicuously marked for being shelved in the trailer

they ALWAYS ride on top and in front of everything else

they should always be visible at 20 yards from a galloping horse

sw

[TheresaD]

Good topic Zach. I always have a first aid bag in my vehicle for those just in case moments. It has come in handy on several occasions. Typically it's for small things like band aids for some of the kids that camp with us sometimes or hydrocortizone cream for bug bites. We had one of our younger campers take a nasty spill off his bike and broke his arm at one of our gatherings and I was glad to have my bag nearby in my truck. We were able to clean up his scrapes and get them bandaged up and we were able to immobilize his arm with a makeshift splint and an ace bandage from the bag to make him comfortable until he got to the hospital. I have since added a real splint to my kit.

These are some of the things that I can think of off the top of my head that I have in my bag that I consider must haves in no particular order - Nick T and SWoody126 mentioned some of these as well as a few others that I didn't think of in their posts.

Nitrile gloves - several pair in a ziplock bag
Bandaids - flexible fabric works best - assorted sizes - waterproof ones are handy to have too
Gauze pads - for cleaning wounds etc.
Rolled gauze - several of these
Assorted sized non stick sterile dressings - several of each of these
Medical tape
Mylar emergency blanket - to wrap around injured person in case of shock
Self sticking stretch bandages/vet wrap - a couple different widths
Large triangular bandage - This could be just a large square of cotton fabric that can be folded in half to form a triangle and be used as a sling
Butterfly strips
super glue - multi pack of small single use tubes
Ace bandages - 2 sizes
Instant ice packs - The kind you snap and they activate
Medic shears
Tweezers
Magnifying glass
Sharpie marker
Isopropyl Alcohol
Peroxide
Triple antibiotic ointment
Hydrocortizone cream
Burn spray
Saline solution
Tongue depressors & Popsicle sticks - for splinting fingers
SAM splint
Small Flashlight - in a ziplock with batteries (not installed)
CAT tourniquet
Benadryl tablets
Asprin
Ibuprofen

I store all of these in a large canvas tool bag that I have marked with a big red cross that says 1st Aid. I go through it a couple times a year to swap out anything that might have expired.

A lot of these items can be found at places like the Dollar Tree (You'd be surprised at how much you can find there) and other regular stores as well as on Amazon.

[Zach]

Some great information!!

[Jay p]

That sounds like a great supplied first aid kit 👍 Thank you

[Camper Chris]

1. For bee stings or venomous insect bites: A $1.00 bottle of powdered MEAT TENDERIZER. Insect venom is protein-based, and the purpose of MEAT TENDERIZOR POWDER is to break down protein. For best results, mix a small amount of the powder with vinegar. (I just mix it right in the palm of a cupped hand---- in an emergency or first-aid situation there may not be time or any real reason for unnecessary steps like first putting the powder in a cup). If you don't have vinegar, use water or even saliva. Mix into a paste, apply to sting. It's a good idea to apply "more than you think you need" because as the paste dries it will have a tendency to flake off. The bottom layer will stick, so just apply thicker than you think you need to. It does work.

2. For bruises, sprains, muscle strains ,any soft tissue damage: $8 tube of ARNICA GEL. Available at Walmart or any pharmacy. Works FAST & extremely well. The quicker you apply after the injury, the better; its effectiveness is directly related to the amount of time between injury and application.

3. For emergency shelter/ warming in cold weather situation: $20-$25 thicker, multi-use version of the small foil "space blanket". These larger, thicker versions of the EMERGENCY BLANKET are vinyl on one side (usually olive green or orange, though you can also find them in black, blue, red, and camo) with a highly reflective aluminum-covered silver color surface on the other side. Usually 5x7 feet. You can wrap up in them, suspend them overhead like a tarp (close to the body if you're using them for warming), put them over/around you to form a "tent" inside a car or camper, or hang them vertically (like a wall) to reflect the heat from a campfire or portable stove back onto you. You can also use the reflective (or orange) side to signal for help in the case of being lost or injured. Folds down flat into roughly the size of a paperback book.

4. Emergency shelter/ warming situation in cold weather: $2 to $3 ultra-small reflective mylar SPACE BLANKET. Small enough to easily fit in a glove box, backpack, jacket pocket. Similar to the above uses, just not as durable.

5. For cuts, rashes, scrapes, abrasions: $8 small bottle. TEA TREE OIL. Works FAST. (Note: Do Not Ingest, even in tiny amounts. Topical use only!).

6. To stop bleeding: $1.00 bottle of BLACK PEPPER. Pour or pack into wound to slow or stop bleeding.

I read somewhere a few years back the good old plain, yellow mustard was excellent for relieving the pain caused by a burn. It works!!! squirt it on liberally and after the pain goes away you can use it on your hot dog!

[Wildcat]

I just have a little first aid kit plus some burn stuff. And i keep a dog first aid kit which i hope i never use, but i also keep dog nail clippers in there and some Benedryl.

[Will S]

I worked with a fellow who had been a Navy corpsman attached to Marines in Vietnam.
His kits ALWAYS contained a ziplock of flour.
He stated that it was good for stopping major bleeding, was somewhat sterile and easy to wash out back at the hospital.

[alex k]

Tampons for bad nose bleeding. I remember the strange looks I got when asking for one

[swoody126]

1. For bee stings or venomous insect bites: A $1.00 bottle of powdered MEAT TENDERIZER. Insect venom is protein-based, and the purpose of MEAT TENDERIZOR POWDER is to break down protein. For best results, mix a small amount of the powder with vinegar. (I just mix it right in the palm of a cupped hand---- in an emergency or first-aid situation there may not be time or any real reason for unnecessary steps like first putting the powder in a cup). If you don't have vinegar, use water or even saliva. Mix into a paste, apply to sting. It's a good idea to apply "more than you think you need" because as the paste dries it will have a tendency to flake off. The bottom layer will stick, so just apply thicker than you think you need to. It does work.
.....

as i re-visit some of these (important) threads my remembery kicks in bringing back the memories of issues long passed

short story ... 3 in our party were stung by a Portuguese Man-O-War at the coast one evening

there was/still is NO HOSPITAL in the small community butt there was a EMERGENCY AID CENTER

the 3 of us got strip'd of all clothing and lay'd on stainless steel tables in the treatment room

a huge bowl of Adolph's was mixed w/ alcohol forming a paste which the Doc/Tech/Nurse ± ¿? slathered us with wherever there were red dots/stings

the immediate cooling effect was AMAZING and other than a bunch of little red dots on our skin for a few days we were cured

Nick T, THANKS FOR THE REMINDER

sw