First Aid, what to carry, when does it expire?

[EdoHart]

In addition to a basic first aid kit which includes the following:
1) Various sizes of self adhesive bandages
2) Antispetic swabs
3) A few OTC medications like asprine, ibuprofin, hydrocortisone, etc,
4) Hot and Cold chemical packets.

I have added the following:
1) 4 pair of Nitrile gloves
2) Snake bite kit
3) Several ace bandages of various widths and lengths. i.e. non-sterile 2"x48" and 3"X 36"
4) Several sterile gauze bandanges in 2x2, 3X3 and 4X4 inch sizes
5) Several rolls of sterile guaze 2" tape.
6) A few rolls of non-sterile, 2" wide self stick, "crinkle" tape
7) 2-oz Epsom salt

Questions:
1) I haven't found an expiration date on any of the above items. Should items in a first aid kit be replaced at some interval?
2) What do you carry?

 

[billharr]

Add some butterfly band aids and instant ice packs.

Bill

 

[leadsled9]

Carry some Celox. It stop bleeding....even from a severed femoral artery.

http://www.celoxmedical.com/

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004NG8V1M/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0032UY9BQ&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0BWJJT2BRWY1XP9HSZ9C

 

[UglyScout]

I carry just a simple kit with some added in medicines that we might need. Nothing fancy. One in the camper and one in the truck, so in reality I have a ton of basic supplies.


I replace the bandaids and bandages when the packaging starts to look old. If it is sealed, dry and not heat/sun cooked it should last a long time.

The medicine/medication gets rotated out/thrown away pretty often.

I have an EMT friend who takes an entire hospital with him everywhere - but he is trained and ready to use it. I am not, so packing extra stuff wouldn't do me much good.

 

[SunMan]

Carry some Celox. It stop bleeding....even from a severed femoral artery.

http://www.celoxmedical.com/

http://www.amazon.co...T2BRWY1XP9HSZ9C


This looks like a good thing to have. Thanks for posting this.

 

[dsrtrat]

Good question,sounds like you have it pretty well covered. I replace gloves every year. I seal a meal large bandages to protect the packaging and replace them every 2-3 years.

You might want to rethink the snake bite kit. Rather than me opening a debate on an injury that is subject to a lot of folklore you might want to check out what the medical community has to say on the subject.

The best thing anyone can do is take at least an advanced First Aid course and if possible Wilderness First Responder training. None of the stuff in the first aid kit is going to do any good if you can't remember how to use it. In WFR you learn to improvise and most importantly what not to do.

Dsrtrat


In addition to a basic first aid kit which includes the following:
1) Various sizes of self adhesive bandages
2) Antispetic swabs
3) A few OTC medications like asprine, ibuprofin, hydrocortisone, etc,
4) Hot and Cold chemical packets.

I have added the following:
1) 4 pair of Nitrile gloves
2) Snake bite kit
3) Several ace bandages of various widths and lengths. i.e. non-sterile 2"x48" and 3"X 36"
4) Several sterile gauze bandanges in 2x2, 3X3 and 4X4 inch sizes
5) Several rolls of sterile guaze 2" tape.
6) A few rolls of non-sterile, 2" wide self stick, "crinkle" tape
7) 2-oz Epsom salt

Questions:
1) I haven't found an expiration date on any of the above items. Should items in a first aid kit be replaced at some interval?
2) What do you carry?

 

[UglyScout]

You might want to rethink the snake bite kit. Rather than me opening a debate on an injury that is subject to a lot of folklore you might want to check out what the medical community has to say on the subject.



I let that one slide when I read it-- but thanks for bringing that up. The recommended treatment repsonse to a snake bite has changed in my lifetime and I'm not that old....

And x10 on taking a class or two. I take Basic 1st Aid/CPR at work every two years - but would really like to get into a Wilderness First Responder class.

 

[Smokecreek1]

I let that one slide when I read it-- but thanks for bringing that up. The recommended treatment repsonse to a snake bite has changed in my lifetime and I'm not that old....

And x10 on taking a class or two. I take Basic 1st Aid/CPR at work every two years - but would really like to get into a Wilderness First Responder class.


You know the snake thing keeps coming up-things have changed allot over the years on what to do and even though I still carry a snake bite kit, the best thing to do is not get bit in the first place, but if you do common sense reactions like not running back to the truck or not taking an knife and cutting an "X' over the bite and not panicking are the right thing to do. Sit down, think and follow what you learned in your latest first aid classes (good for any injury really), send for help and stay put. Just before I retired, we started getting sightings of what are called "Mojave Green" Rattle Snakes into the southern part of the Northern Great Basin-from what they say, these critters are more potent than your regular RS and require quicker and different type of first aid treatment do the than normal RS (above ?) first aid. This thread sort of dovetails with one we had several months ago on what to do when bad things happen to you out there and you are in a dead cell phone area-and one of the conclusions was get a "Spot 2" (which I did) GPS, join that network, push the magic emergency button when bad things happen and try to keep alive untill help arrives. Oh yeah, even though I always carry a Swiss army knife with me, one in the First aid kit a a must along with some "sting Ez for the no-see-ems and some type of eye wash!

Smoke

 

[craig333]

As a former EMT I carry a small trauma kit in the truck, sometimes I grab my larger box for other trips. I was on a jeep run and the guy behind me rolled five times. All these people run up with these tiny little first aid kits. Not one (but me) had anything that would have been useful for a serious injury. Fortunately the value of a good roll cage was proven that day and the driver had nothing more than a bump on the head (good time for the ice pack).

Medicines are a lot harder to keep up to date. Not having a doctor friend I keep it to the basics. In addition to whats already been mentioned I'll add benadryl, imodium and some kind of antacid. Stomach upsets, while sometimes not enough to end a trip can really put a damper on one.

I really wish I could could get a hold of an epi pen but thats about as far as I'd go into meds I'm not qualified to administer.

 

[Smokecreek1]

Carry some Celox. It stop bleeding....even from a severed femoral artery.

http://www.celoxmedical.com/

http://www.amazon.co...T2BRWY1XP9HSZ9C


Maybe more people than we think read this site, just tried to order some Celox fom Amazon and they were out of stock!

Smoke

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

As a former EMT I carry a small trauma kit in the truck, sometimes I grab my larger box for other trips. I was on a jeep run and the guy behind me rolled five times. All these people run up with these tiny little first aid kits. Not one (but me) had anything that would have been useful for a serious injury. Fortunately the value of a good roll cage was proven that day and the driver had nothing more than a bump on the head (good time for the ice pack).

Medicines are a lot harder to keep up to date. Not having a doctor friend I keep it to the basics. In addition to whats already been mentioned I'll add benadryl, imodium and some kind of antacid. Stomach upsets, while sometimes not enough to end a trip can really put a damper on one.

I really wish I could could get a hold of an epi pen but thats about as far as I'd go into meds I'm not qualified to administer.



Great info about the ,benadryl,imodium and antacid. We just started to carry them in the chewable style.Also some chewable aspirin may be.On the snake bite kit. I still have around some place the one I purchased 35 years ago.I am sure it's long expired.I remember reading somewhere that the kits have a short shelf life. I agree the best thing is to send for help and stay as calm as possible. If you can.
Remember the story of the two best friends and the snake bite.One gets bitten while he is taking a leak and asks the other to suck the poison out and the other replies "sucker you gonna die". Just a thought.
Good thread about first aid kits. thanks for sharing.
Frank

 

[UglyScout]

Great info about the ,benadryl,imodium and antacid. We just started to carry them in the chewable style.

You can chew regular benadryl -- your mouth will go numb, but it gets in you a lot faster. I have a large supply of it in my camper.

 

[craig333]

If focus on trauma because thats something any of us can deal with. No reason to die just because you missed a log and hit your leg. Heart attacks in the outback? Well thats another story.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

IMO a lot of common sense and being prepared goes a long way.
Frank

 

[highz]

Carry some Celox. It stop bleeding....even from a severed femoral artery.

http://www.celoxmedical.com/

http://www.amazon.co...T2BRWY1XP9HSZ9C


Any recommendations about which is more versatile - the granules or the gauze roll or pad?

 

[leadsled9]

Any recommendations about which is more versatile - the granules or the gauze roll or pad?


I carry the granules since you can simply pour it in the wound and apply pressure.

 

[EdoHart]

Carry some Celox. It stop bleeding....even from a severed femoral artery.

http://www.celoxmedical.com/

http://www.amazon.co...T2BRWY1XP9HSZ9C


Thanks for that information. I think I'll order a couple of the z-fold packets.

Good question,sounds like you have it pretty well covered. I replace gloves every year. I seal a meal large bandages to protect the packaging and replace them every 2-3 years.

You might want to rethink the snake bite kit. Rather than me opening a debate on an injury that is subject to a lot of folklore you might want to check out what the medical community has to say on the subject.

The best thing anyone can do is take at least an advanced First Aid course and if possible Wilderness First Responder training. None of the stuff in the first aid kit is going to do any good if you can't remember how to use it. In WFR you learn to improvise and most importantly what not to do.

Dsrtrat





I'm glad I asked this question. I've never had, nor known anyone whom had a snake bite, but I did some research and learned that what I was taught years ago is all wrong.

I take a Basic First Responder and CPR course every 2 years. I've recently learned about CERT classes and I'm hoping to find one nearby soon. I'll have to look into Wilderness First Responder training as that sounds like the kind of training that I will hopefully never use, but given my remote travels, would provide good information.

 

[highz]

I'm thinking of adding a SAM splint to the first aid kit. Does anyone have experience with them?

 

[leadsled9]

I'm thinking of adding a SAM splint to the first aid kit. Does anyone have experience with them?


Thank you for this information. Two years ago while hunting on a steep mountainside....my son slipped and broke his leg. We were able to fashion a splint out of natural materials and get him off the mountain....but this SAM splint would have filled the bill nicely. I will pick one up.

 

[dsrtrat]

I carry one in my pack,and have used it several times. I unroll it, fold it in half and put it in the hydration sleeve of the pack. With a SAM splint and duct tape you can splint just about anything but a broken femur. I wrap 5 yards duct tape around a water bottle that I always have it with me. Read the instructions that come with it to see examples of it's use. We used to carry air splints on extended river trips but have found the SAM splint to be more versatile.

Dsrtrat


I'm thinking of adding a SAM splint to the first aid kit. Does anyone have experience with them?