First Aid Kits

[Punisher84]

I agree ERMT!

very rarely do we need stuff for serious trauma..but when you need it and you don't have it...it's serious trouble. I carry 2 packs. One is a trauma pack with supplies for serious injuries. the other is the "fluff" pack for non-critical injuries. Since my wife is a Nurse and I have had some small training in combat lifesaving..I'm pretty sure that between us we can stabilize a family member long enough for the EMT's to get there for transport.

Notice I said "family member". no I will not administer any sort of antibiotics or anything else...my view is strictly to stabilize and give them a half assed chance to make it to the hospital. I have a limited knowledge of how to do that..and like Punisher said..I will do what I've been taught. not what I "saw on TV"...and I definitely will be happy when the guys who have more skill get there!

+1 Unless it's a person I rely on to help get me out of where I am, I'm only saving family and VERY close friends

[Kegger]

A good trauma bag is gonna have to key things.

1. Stop the Bleeding. i.e. Kerlix and ace wraps, Israeli Dressing, tourniquet, the NEW quikclot.

2. Airway. i.e. Rescue mask, Mouth to Mouth barriers.

Everything else in a trauma bag is purely fluff.

Tampons are actually a bad idea. I've seen them used and watched people die from it. Tampons just swell in the entrance wound, they won't tamponade major arteries or vessels.

Kerlix stuffed into a wound is better, stuff as much as possible then wrap tightly with an ace wrap. Instant compression dressing. And no worries about getting germs and other crap in the wound, get them to an ER and they will give IV antibiotics based on the indication.

Tourniquets are great, the new life saving protocols for Pre-Hospital care have changed to include them. If they are hemorrhaging, put a tourniquet on, tighten til the bleeding stops. Good ones don't have velcro, blood plus sand or dirt or whatever make velcro ineffective. I use 1 inch ratchet straps. Yeah they hurt like hell, but they are effective and don't slip, just stick a roll of kerlix under the ratchet.

They major key to all of this is good pre-hospital care and quick transport to a hospital.

[towerclimber37]

I would say that a good trauma bag will have everything you need to help control or help stabilize for airway,breathing, bleeding,circulation(i.e. is the heart pumping), burns, broken bones and shock.

these things are paramount to me.

Edited November 24, 2008 by towerclimber37

[EMTRN]

Tourniquets are great, the new life saving protocols for Pre-Hospital care have changed to include them. If they are hemorrhaging, put a tourniquet on, tighten til the bleeding stops. Good ones don't have velcro, blood plus sand or dirt or whatever make velcro ineffective. I use 1 inch ratchet straps. Yeah they hurt like hell, but they are effective and don't slip, just stick a roll of kerlix under the ratchet.

Yeah, then you get to tell them why they are septic and have to have their leg amputated. If you are going to advocate the use of tourniquets, at least give indications and tell people that they are a last resort.

[Punisher84]

Tampons are actually a bad idea. I've seen them used and watched people die from it. Tampons just swell in the entrance wound, they won't tamponade major arteries or vessels.

.

Tell that to some of my buddies that saw it firsthand in Iraq. They aren't the end all be all, but they can help stop bleed out.

[towerclimber37]

Yeah, then you get to tell them why they are septic and have to have their leg amputated. If you are going to advocate the use of tourniquets, at least give indications and tell people that they are a last resort.

I learned this also..

My wife, who is an RN said you don't need a tourniquet to stop the bleeding..go to a pulse point and mash down on that sucker..you'll stop the bleeding. She also scoffed at the idea of a tourniquet unless it was a last ditch effort to stop the bleeding. while I agree this can't be done for a long time it CAN be done long enough to get a pressure bandage on the wound if you have another person helping you.

I once sliced into the meat of my hand with a razor knife....all the way to the bottom of the blade which, admittedly isn't that deep, but it still required a pressure dressing (it was in the heel of the hand, towards the thumb). I had to explain to my buddy that I didn't need him to fold the bandage, but wad it up so that it would exert pressure when we wrapped the wound.

I think everyone's pack will end up being different...because we all have different levels of competency..i.e I know my bag won't have NEAR the amount of stuff in it that EMTRN's will have.

[Magiccarpetrides]

All that stuff is useless if you don't know how to use it. I don't know near as much as i should. I have wanted to take some of Red Cross's classes and such, but I've been lazy. Hey:shrug: no need to lie about it.

If you can't use half that stuff properly, what good is it?

I agree with this completely. One of my lesser intelligent friends accidently stuck themselves in the leg with a pocket knife the other day (dont ask) and I broke open my little $9.99 wal-mart first aid kit and found the only thing I knew how to do was butterfly bandaid and antiseptic lol. All the other gear I had no idea of its proper use or if it was even applicable. Luckily a week later and their leg healed and didnt fall off or turn green...at the time I wanted to take them to a doctor.

[Guest Jason F.]

I have a serious question on how to improve my kit. I have one for a very specific purpose i.e. motorcycle riding. I ride a motorcycle more often that I drive a car. I carry a basic kit that is little more than fluff as some have put it on all of my motorcycles. Mostly some gauze, bandage wrap, alcohol wipes, bandaids, and tape. I added some bee sting relief after having a bee go up a jacket sleeve. I also added some scissors after a specific event.

That event was rolling up on a trike that had flipped and rolled down an embankment. The group I was in was first on the scene and we were 10 minutes from any communication and another 40 to 45 minutes from any emergency services arriving. The rider was in fair shape other than a forearm and hand that had been trapped under the bike for part of the slide. The guy had on leather gloves and a rubber like glove liner (cold day) and he had some sort of wound to the hand. The liner glove was filling with blood quickly and the hand was swelling. I had no scissors in my kit at the time and they would have made getting the glove off a quick and simple affair. We made due with scissors from a swiss army knife. We got the glove off and were able to get pads with direct pressure on the puncture wound in the hand.

So the injuries I can and have seen with motorcycle accidents are broken extremities (ankle, wrist, forearm, lower leg) as well as the obvious abrasions i.e. road rash. There is also the real chance of neck and head injuries but beyond restricting any movement I do not think that is something a non trained person should treat or stabilize. Road rash is another item that is not going to be handled via first aid beyond covering and applying pressure to any heavily bleeding abrasions.

Do the EMT/ER folks on here recommend any sort of splint items to stabilize broken extremities? Any recommendations on the best scissors to handle leather? I added some scissors that are great for bandages and tape but I am not sure how well they would work on heavier leather such as what is found in motorcycle gear.

[Kegger]

Trauma shears will cut through just about anything.

As for the splinting, SAM splints are amazing. Good support, but flexible enough to mold to an extremity. Plus they are radiolucent, so they don't have to take it off to shoot x-rays.

[Guest Traumaslave]

Trauma shears will cut through just about anything.

There is nothing better than cutting off brand new Harley leathers!!

[Punisher84]

I have a serious question on how to improve my kit. I have one for a very specific purpose i.e. motorcycle riding. I ride a motorcycle more often that I drive a car. I carry a basic kit that is little more than fluff as some have put it on all of my motorcycles. Mostly some gauze, bandage wrap, alcohol wipes, bandaids, and tape. I added some bee sting relief after having a bee go up a jacket sleeve. I also added some scissors after a specific event.

That event was rolling up on a trike that had flipped and rolled down an embankment. The group I was in was first on the scene and we were 10 minutes from any communication and another 40 to 45 minutes from any emergency services arriving. The rider was in fair shape other than a forearm and hand that had been trapped under the bike for part of the slide. The guy had on leather gloves and a rubber like glove liner (cold day) and he had some sort of wound to the hand. The liner glove was filling with blood quickly and the hand was swelling. I had no scissors in my kit at the time and they would have made getting the glove off a quick and simple affair. We made due with scissors from a swiss army knife. We got the glove off and were able to get pads with direct pressure on the puncture wound in the hand.

So the injuries I can and have seen with motorcycle accidents are broken extremities (ankle, wrist, forearm, lower leg) as well as the obvious abrasions i.e. road rash. There is also the real chance of neck and head injuries but beyond restricting any movement I do not think that is something a non trained person should treat or stabilize. Road rash is another item that is not going to be handled via first aid beyond covering and applying pressure to any heavily bleeding abrasions.

Do the EMT/ER folks on here recommend any sort of splint items to stabilize broken extremities? Any recommendations on the best scissors to handle leather? I added some scissors that are great for bandages and tape but I am not sure how well they would work on heavier leather such as what is found in motorcycle gear.

I have a kit in my saddlebags. Same deal carry what you know how to use. A splint can be made out anything though. Bandages and gauze would be key in a bike accident.

[EMTRN]

Trauma shears will cut through just about anything.

As for the splinting, SAM splints are amazing. Good support, but flexible enough to mold to an extremity. Plus they are radiolucent, so they don't have to take it off to shoot x-rays.

Exactly what I was about to post.

[Guest Grout]

What about super glue for cuts?

[Guest canynracer]

I would think these are good.

http://www.afmo.com/Professional_Medical_Kits_s/541.htm

Edited November 30, 2008 by canynracer

[Punisher84]

I would think these are good.

http://www.afmo.com/Professional_Medical_Kits_s/541.htm

Those are some nice kits...