Expo First Aid Kits-- What to Carry?

[Stan the Man]

I did a search yesterday and came up with a relatively dated thread about first aid kits. The gist of that thread was that you can't get much for $40; you're better off piecing one together. Thats all fine and dandy for me, but I'm looking for a more complete package and have a bigger budget than the OP of the other thread.

I'd like to get a pretty extensive kit that would be able to treat a couple of injured people for a few days. In expo fashion, we tend to get far away from the general population; it could be hours or days away from medical treatment. I'd like to have a kit that could help people in my expedition or strangers I come upon, patch them up and keep them stable enough to get to proper medical care. I'm thinking more in the lines of a roll over, animal attacks, etc.

I'd be willing to spend ~$125 for a kit and also a few more bucks modifying it to have stuff that was not included. So far, I'm really liking the looks of the Adventure Medical Kits. They match the budget and offer several variations to accommodate # people and # days.

My purpose for this thread is not so much for you to direct me towards a built kit, but rather list things that are necessary (quantity, etc.) and I'll find a kit that matches.

The AM "Guide I" is pretty packed IMO, but a little spendy for me. I was thinking the AM "Fundamentals" would be better suited for me.

http://www.expeditionexchange.com/adventuremedicalkits/
http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/products.php?catname=Mountain&cat=1

 

[SunTzuNephew]

What level of training do you have?

And every pre-packed kit I've ever seen was sorely lacking on the sheer quantity of bandaging materials that are necessary. From bandaids to big ones, they are too light, while filling up the kit with useless crap.

A couple boxes (say, 50) 4x4 sponges (packed 2 per envelope), two rolls of 1" athletic trainers tape, two SAM splints, a pair of medic shears, a pair of tweezers for prickly things, some Coban and kerlix and a bunch of bandaids. A small (hotel) bar of soap, a ziplock bag full of nitrile gloves, and that should do it.

Meds? You don't need any otc meds in an emergency kit. Thermometer? You can tell if someone is warm by feeling them. How warm is rather immaterial in the field. Eye patches? Use a 4x4. CPR mask? For family, do you really need it? For a stranger, unless you witness them go down, odds are VERY long against you bringing them back: Even if you did, CPR works maybe 8-12% of the time.
Flashlight, whistle, sunscreen, moleskin, etc? You already have that stuff, right?

Stethoscope? Do you know what your listening to (assuming you can hear anything through that plastic POS)?
Scalpel? OMG, no If you don't know what you are cutting, then don't cut!
Needle holder? ******? Aside from the ones in these kits being really bad quality, what exactly are you going to sew up? Don't close wounds in the field.
20cc syringe? Fill a ziplock bag with irrigation fluid (clean water with a teaspoon of table salt - if you have it, it's optional) and punch a tiny hole in a corner of the bag. Irrigate away, refilling as needed. A 20cc syringe is just silly for irrigation, even a 60 (which is rather large) is a lot of work.

Want some ORS? Take that irrigation fluid recipe, throw in a couple tablespoons of sugar and mix. drink in sips. Eye wash? use the irrigation fluid recipe.

 

[Stan the Man]

I have no training, which should be a dead give-a-way with this thread. I'm looking for classes to take in my area to cpr/aed cert and first aid.
I suppose my best option is to get everything myself and make my own kit.

 

[fooman]

I have quite a few AM Kits and yeah, they can be short on quantities, but you can always stock more.

This kit looks interesting
http://www.aeromedix.com/product-exec/parent_id/1/category_id/10/product_id/1171/nm/Doc_Blue_s_Emergency_Medical_Kit

The cost is beyond your stated budget, but you can download the list and use it as a basis for your own.

 

[Purple People Eater]

With no training, you should be careful with what you bring. Typical bandages, aspirin, gauze and the likes are cool, but the more complex your kit is, be careful. Don't carry anything you're not supposed to have, otherwise you could be slapped with a "practicing medicine without a license" type of situation. A basic kit is better than no kit.

That being said, get some training. An EMT course is one semester at a community college. I'm looking to up my game even and do the Wilderness First Responder...

 

[SunTzuNephew]

I have no training, which should be a dead give-a-way with this thread. I'm looking for classes to take in my area to cpr/aed cert and first aid.
I suppose my best option is to get everything myself and make my own kit.

Thats what I do...And lots of inexperienced people (even those with EMT certs) ask the same question...

I'd recommend getting a first responder (or even better, Wilderness First Responder) class...

 

[Stan the Man]

Thats what I do...And lots of inexperienced people (even those with EMT certs) ask the same question...

I'd recommend getting a first responder (or even better, Wilderness First Responder) class...

Working on it. Going to get CPR cert this January and look for classes at a JC over the summer. Its always nice to have the experience.

 

[sargeek]

Good topic

Building a med kit for expo travel is a good topic. Most Trauma Kits are good to patch people up for sever accidents, but what about a kit for long term/short term travel? OTC medications might be well worth the room.

 

[SunTzuNephew]

Building a med kit for expo travel is a good topic. Most Trauma Kits are good to patch people up for sever accidents, but what about a kit for long term/short term travel? OTC medications might be well worth the room.

There are a couple of planning considerations that have to be made:

• What are the levels of training of the people on the trip? I carry stuff that you probably shouldn't.
• How long is the trip going to be? A day? A year?
• Where will it be? If you're going to be on a (say) boat crossing the southern oceans the needs are different than a weekend on 4x4 trails.
• Does anyone on the trip have special medical needs, including common allergies?
• What sort of accidents are likely?
• What sort of accidents aren't likely, but are manageable with the skill level available?
• What sort of illnesses are likely?
• What sort of illnesses aren't likely, but manageable with the skill level available?
• Any special environmental considerations?

Several factors go into how much needs to be carried:

• How many people can need help before resupply?
• How long before higher-level help can reach you or you it?

Several different kits may be necessary

Then, a suitable case needs to be found: I've tried Pelican cases, fishing tackle boxes, tupperware boxes, military hard and soft cases, packaged kits (from NOLS, AM, and a few other places) and this is what works best for me, right now at least. Soft cases (bags), hard cases (pelican type cases), whatever.... In general, I favor soft cases or backpacks. My go-to kit is a Kifaru Navigator pack with E&E and pouches, that might be too much for some. However, each of our vehicles also has a Conterra Responder II kit with some things in it.

Specific problems I have with commercial kits are they lack sufficent quantities of anything, have things that aren't useful (or are downright useless/dangerous), durable equipment (scissors, etc) is of very poor quality, the cases are usually of poor quality and small in size. And the general way they are marketed is borderline fraudulent: A 1,000 piece kit doesn't mean much when there are three 4x4's, a roll of tape and 996 little round bandaids that dried out last century.

I also carry O2, and some rescue gear on a regular basis... And a good assortment of Rx and OTC drugs (mostly in a refrigerator). But then, thats me...

 

[Dave Bennett]

What level of training do you have?

And every pre-packed kit I've ever seen was sorely lacking on the sheer quantity of bandaging materials that are necessary. From bandaids to big ones, they are too light, while filling up the kit with useless crap.

A couple boxes (say, 50) 4x4 sponges (packed 2 per envelope), two rolls of 1" athletic trainers tape, two SAM splints, a pair of medic shears, a pair of tweezers for prickly things, some Coban and kerlix and a bunch of bandaids. A small (hotel) bar of soap, a ziplock bag full of nitrile gloves, and that should do it.

Meds? You don't need any otc meds in an emergency kit. Thermometer? You can tell if someone is warm by feeling them. How warm is rather immaterial in the field. Eye patches? Use a 4x4. CPR mask? For family, do you really need it? For a stranger, unless you witness them go down, odds are VERY long against you bringing them back: Even if you did, CPR works maybe 8-12% of the time.
Flashlight, whistle, sunscreen, moleskin, etc? You already have that stuff, right?

Stethoscope? Do you know what your listening to (assuming you can hear anything through that plastic POS)?
Scalpel? OMG, no If you don't know what you are cutting, then don't cut!
Needle holder? ******? Aside from the ones in these kits being really bad quality, what exactly are you going to sew up? Don't close wounds in the field.
20cc syringe? Fill a ziplock bag with irrigation fluid (clean water with a teaspoon of table salt - if you have it, it's optional) and punch a tiny hole in a corner of the bag. Irrigate away, refilling as needed. A 20cc syringe is just silly for irrigation, even a 60 (which is rather large) is a lot of work.

Want some ORS? Take that irrigation fluid recipe, throw in a couple tablespoons of sugar and mix. drink in sips. Eye wash? use the irrigation fluid recipe.

Great advice and I'm still laughing LOL style! :coffeedrink:

 

[Fish]

Stethoscope? Do you know what your listening to (assuming you can hear anything through that plastic POS)?

I can't even pronounce rales, no less hear them anymore...

 

[SunTzuNephew]

I can't even pronounce rales, no less hear them anymore...

Me either. Thats why I have an electronic, amplified scope.....it's also an .mp3 player!

 

[1leglance]

Great topic and one that is on my mind every time I leave the house...
I have 2 kits...
An Adventure Medical Kit that I have added and taken away things from...
An EMT Trauma bag I got from Scott Brady and then added and took things away from...

But like Sun said it all depends on on who is with me, where we are going, how long we are staying and so much more...
Sometimes I take the Adventure only, and sometimes I add the trauma bag.

And I should reference that I am an ICU RN & Wilderness EMT (did the WUMP class).

Completely agree that no one should have kit they aren't practiced with unless there is someone of higher training along or you expect to hand those supplies to some Dr in a clinic in a 3rd world country.

I will say you will never have everything so it is better to understand the basics and the principles so you can improvise.

 

[roamingaz]

I have quite a few AM Kits and yeah, they can be short on quantities, but you can always stock more.

This kit looks interesting
http://www.aeromedix.com/product-exec/parent_id/1/category_id/10/product_id/1171/nm/Doc_Blue_s_Emergency_Medical_Kit

The cost is beyond your stated budget, but you can download the list and use it as a basis for your own.

I actually have this kit and have added stuff and taken away some, I really like the Thomas Areomed style bag. I will be selling it and putting together a new BLS kit now that I have my EMT-B cert.
PM me if your interested in the Areomedix kit

 

[njsjeep]

Here are some links to reliable places for wilderness first aid training.
Most of these places also sell high quality preassembled kits.

http://www.nols.edu/wmi/

http://www.remotemedical.com/

http://www.wildmed.com/

http://www.soloschools.com/

http://www.aeriemed.com/

http://www.wildernessmedicine.com/

Here are some places that sell quality supplies and kits:

http://www.chinookmed.com/

http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/

Here are some other interesting pages:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/FirstAidIndex/FirstAidIndex

http://www.healthy.net/scr/MainLinks.aspx?Id=170

http://www.backpacker.com/november-09-the-ultimate-first-aid-manual/skills/13607

A very good book:

http://www.amazon.com/Wilderness-911-Step-Step-Emergencies/dp/0898865972

While working as a mountaineering guide I've had EMT-B, 1, 2, I and W as well as WFR and National Ski Patrol fist aid training. It isn't difficult to put together a basic kit based on the level of training you have. In most cases supplies to handle simple cuts, scrapes etc are all you'll need but if other stuff is needed some training is a good idea.