Vehicle 1st Aid Kit, what am I missing?

[Rocket-scientist]

Sitting around my house in a self quarantine hoping whatever cold bug I got doesn't get named after me and decided to do some shopping. Time to upgrade my 1st aid kit! I was going to add to some threads on this section but they were pretty old. My scenarios are:

1st responder on vehicle collision (ABC's, stabilize until EMS)
Rollover off road (broken limbs, head trauma, burns)
Burns from stove fire or vehicle fire
Minor or major cuts (camping, hiking, working on vehicle)
Non-life threatening illness (cold, flu, diarrhea, headache, general wussiness
Ankle, leg, foot injuries from hiking or falls (sprain, fracture, blister)

Right now I carry a collection of stuff I took from IFAKs in my truck. Right now my truck kit consists of:

2-large gauze battle dressings (bleeding)
Combat tourniquet
2-rolls curlex
2-triangle bandages
Quick clot
2 medium sterile gauze pads
Collection of band aid strips
Sam splint
Iodine

I just ordered the following:

1) -- 011036 - Assorted Band Aids from J&J $7.35/ea. -- $7.35
(3) -- 0141N - Individually wrapped Nitrile exam gloves, 1/pair bag. $1.10/ea. -- $3.30
(1) -- 023143 - 1/2" x 180" Waterproof *Adhesive Tape $1.66/ea. -- $1.66
(1) -- 062171 - Vaseline Petrolatum Gauze Dressing $2.90/ea. -- $2.90
(1) -- 067444 - 4" x 4" Sterile Gauze Pads 10/box $3.02/ea. -- $3.02
(1) -- 105020 - 2" x *5' *Ace Type Elastic Bandage $1.42/ea. -- $1.42
(1) -- 1383691 - Moleskin, 2" X 3" 6/bag $3.50/ea. -- $3.50
(1) -- 154818 - Alcohol Wipes 50/box $2.63/ea. -- $2.63
(1) -- 200808 - Cool Blaze *Burn Dressing, 8" x 8" $6.75/ea. -- $6.75
(1) -- 215581 - Cetafen Cough & Cold, 100/box $9.25/ea. -- $9.25
(1) -- 232124 - Triple Antibiotic Ointment, 25/box $3.95/ea. -- $3.95
(1) -- 233020 - Anti-Itch 1% Hydrocortisone Cream 25box $3.89/ea. -- $3.89
(2) -- 30100K - Instant Ice Pack, Large $1.99/ea. -- $3.98
(1) -- 32301070 - Paramedic Shears $2.89/ea. -- $2.89
(1) -- 3249319 - Steel Kit Tweezers $0.84/ea. -- $0.84
(1) -- 550228 - Purell Sanitizer Hand Towels $6.25/ea. -- $6.25
(2) -- 991600 - Replacement Pain Reliever Kit. $1.85/ea. -- $3.70

I am CPR certified, trained in combat lifesaver and basic first aid (some experience at both) so I know how to use everything on the list. I am not an EMT and don't want to bring a fully stocked trauma center with me, just to cover likely scenarios.

So: what am I missing?

[ssssnake529]

J&J blister dressings. (much better than moleskin)

aspirin

electrolyte replacement drink mix

Sunburn cream

serious pain meds (if you can get a prescription for them from a friendly doctor.)

Mouth shield for CPR

heavy duty Ziplock bags

Wound closure strips

Dermabond

[ssssnake529]

Vetbond is less expensive than Dermabond, and is pretty much the same thing.

[John E]

a couple of 6" wide elastic bandages, some BZK wipes for cleaning wounds without causing more pain and with more effectiveness than the alcohol wipes, and some wider tape, something like some 1" Durapore and even some duct tape isn't a bad thing to have onhand.

If you use a cooler with ice when traveling, a couple of ziplocs will make nice refillable ice packs, if you use a fridge with a freezer, a couple of reusable cold packs will last longer and work better than any of the instant type. There's a great product called "sting-eze" that I use at work, it's great for insect bites and stings, come in boxes of 10 wipes, you can get em on Amazon.com pretty cheap and they work very well.

An emergency blanket is great for treating shock and the initial stages of hypothermia.

Vet wrap or Coban will help with the ice packs and they can also be used to hold bandages in place, easier to use than tape too. Sticks to itself instead of to the patient's skin.

[Rocket-scientist]

J&J blister dressings. (much better than moleskin)

aspirin -actually have it in my kit, fever reducer and heart attacks

electrolyte replacement drink mix. -I keep Gatorade on hand, may toss a pack in my aid bag

Sunburn cream. -is this an aloe cream or sunscreen?

serious pain meds (if you can get a prescription for them from a friendly doctor.).

Mouth shield for CPR -good call, on the list

heavy duty Ziplock bags. -what for? I keep trash bags in my truck and ziplocks in my cooking gear.

Wound closure strips -I hate these, every time I need a band aid I grab one by mistake!

Derma-bond -I'm getting vetbond for the dog anyway, thanks!

Thanks for the input!

[Rocket-scientist]

a couple of 6" wide elastic bandages, some BZK wipes for cleaning wounds without causing more pain and with more effectiveness than the alcohol wipes, and some wider tape, something like some 1" Durapore and even some duct tape isn't a bad thing to have onhand.

- I keep duct tape in the truck. Never heard of BZK wipes, but they look good. I will order them next and use the alcohol wipes for cleaning maps.

If you use a cooler with ice when traveling, a couple of ziplocs will make nice refillable ice packs, if you use a fridge with a freezer, a couple of reusable cold packs will last longer and work better than any of the instant type. There's a great product called "sting-eze" that I use at work, it's great for insect bites and stings, come in boxes of 10 wipes, you can get em on Amazon.com pretty cheap and they work very well.

- never thought about cold packs in the ARB, thanks. I went hiking with a friend who said she was allergic to bees when we saw some. No epi pen on hand. Do you need a prescription for one and would it be worthwhile?

An emergency blanket is great for treating shock and the initial stages of hypothermia.

- I keep one of those and a snug pack in my tool box.

Vet wrap or Coban will help with the ice packs and they can also be used to hold bandages in place, easier to use than tape too. Sticks to itself instead of to the patient's skin.

Thanks for the reply!

[grizzlyj]

What are you missing???? Jeez, reread your own post will you!!! Wussiness is not covered at all, and I wish you had so I can persuade the Missus that more time in remote places is the best time you can spend!

Not relevant to most here, but I read somewhere iodene is no longer publically available in Europe/UK?

Seperate container of spare, clean water for rinsing eyes and wounds, or just drinking if your main can is holed? Eye pads? For a recent long trip in our camper we took a correctly sized neck brace, if driving yourself out after injury was required, but you could maybe improvise that?

"Where there is no Doctor" is a fabulous book for the truck.

# Paperback: 508 pages
# Publisher: Macmillan Education; Updated Edition (2009) edition (16 Oct 2004)
# Language English
# ISBN-10: 0333516524
# ISBN-13: 978-0333516522

Also available as a free download http://weblife.org/pdf/where_there_is_no_doctor.pdf

I believe not all Quikclot type stuff is the same, some gives 3rd degree burns and some doesn't?

http://www.spservices.co.uk/ is the daddy in the UK, I've no idea what half their stuff is for! (And don't want too!)

Jason

[John E]

benzalkonium chloride. It's an antiseptic that usually comes in the form of a individually sealed wipe, like the alcohol ones but actually better for wound cleaning. Alcohol is good for cleaning unbroken skin, ie, before an injection or for wiping off instruments. It stings and burns open wounds and is actually non-beneficial as it is cyto-toxic. Kills the good skin cells along with the dirty ones. BZK doesn't sting when applied to broken skin. Use gauze or what have you to stop the initial bleeding, clean it up with a BZK and then apply a bandage.

BZK's are cheap, couple of bucks for a box of 100 from any number of sources on Amazon.

I forgot eye wash, get a couple of 1 oz squeeze bottles of eye wash or normal saline and some eye pads. Cheap hint, I've heard it's possible to buy 1 or 2 oz bottles of saline nasal spray for less than a buck at the 99 cents only store and it contains the same ingredients as eye wash.

Epinephrine is a prescription only drug, anyone with a known allergy should get an Epi pen prescribed by their doctor and more importantly, BRING IT WITH THEM! I can't tell you how many times I've had people tell me that they're allergic to bee stings etc. and they don't have their Epi pen with them... Same thing with Albuterol and other inhalers for asthmatic patients, they're useless if they're sitting in the medicine cabinet at home while you're in the field. Children are especially susceptible to stings and asthma attacks, make sure that you have any prescriptions for them with you.

All of the modern hemostatic agents sold are safe to use, ie, no burning. Quikclot is sold in a single use sponge form that is very handy and easy to pack, not cheap but could be useful. I would avoid the use of both Dermabond as well as Vetbond unless you know that you've cleaned out the wound very, very thoroughly. Having said that, either one is useful for those small cuts you get on your fingers, seals them up right quick and usually without any problems and it will save your bandaids.

I agree with the assessment of the "Where there is no doctor" book but I feel it's not nearly as useful in a first aid situation as some other texts. I'd recommend the following. "Wilderness and Travel Medicine" by Eric Weiss MD, available thru Adventure Medical Kits. "Wilderness Medicine; Beyond first aid" by William Forgey, MD available thru Amazon, and "NOLS Wilderness Medicine" by Tod Schimelpfenig also available thru Amazon.

[tsconver]

Glucose or instant jello to give to a diabetic, sugar can save them if they are low and won't do any damage if they are too high.

First aid blanket

I also carry a ambu bag, stethescope and blood pressure cuff. the later can be used to control bleeding on a limb as well.

Sterile eye wash

[jayshapiro]

You already have an excellent list going, but I thought I'd share mine as well if anyone's looking for a fast / easy way to assemble your kit.

I went through the (excellent) Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course from Remote Medical in 2010. Based on that experience, I assembled a shopping list on Amazon for all of the items I carry in our emergency kit for our round-the-world expedition in the EcoRoamer.

You can view the entire list here:
http://amzn.com/lm/R34FYOAXBDQ88Y

To be clear it's a medical emergency only bag, and separate from the Survival / Ditch Bag that we keep in the truck.

Also note, that since you can buy any of these items on Amazon, it doesn't include any of the medications we carry.

Hope that helps!

Cheers,
Jay.