First Aid kit requirements

[GregS]

Visit your local Volunteer Fire Station. https://harfordvolunteer.com/

If you join, you can take the full EMT class- for free.

Stick around for a while (one night per week, after training) and earn a $7,000 tax credit every year.

Maryland Fire and Rescue institute / University of Maryland

The Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute is a premier institution for training in emergency services, government and industry.

www.mfri.org

I had no idea that was an option, but I doubt that they would want my out of shape help. Maybe I'll see if there's auxiliary roles.

 

[BurkeM]

I had no idea that was an option, but I doubt that they would want my out of shape help. Maybe I'll see if there's auxiliary roles.

All need administrative support. EMT's don't have to climb 100' ladders with 100 lbs of gear.
(maybe 3 flights of stairs with a 30 lb bag.)

 

[outrider58]

My inclusion of the face mask wasn't to appease Fauci but rather imagine this scenario:

You roll up on someone with with a bleeding wound and you have no idea their HIV or tuberculous status. Gloves and face mask would allow you to at least touch the person with reduced risk of transmission.

Sorry I missed your bolding. I don't usually expand my own posts and this is how it was shown to me:


View attachment 461606

I see your new to the forum. Welcome and we look forward to meeting you at our next meet up.

It was kinda a joke.

He is not new to MDS(hard to explain)

 

[JPG]

Pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others)
Anti-diarrhea medication
Antacids
Antihistamine (Benadryl)
Motion sickness pills

 

[outrider58]

I have nitrile gloves in there, forgot to mention. Good points on the facemask and light. I'll add them.

If your tourniquet is the wide windless type, rubber band a sharpie to it to write the application time on it.

 

[4g64loser]

Couple notes:

I get orange TQs (cat type) for vehicle kit and home medical/normal use stuff because they are easy to write on. For some.reason, the "label" area on the black ones always ends up bloody. Murphy, I guess. Sharpies (2) are attached to whatev3r bag contains that particular medical load externally. Don't have to contaminate the load with body fluids to retrieve it. I typically keep at least one cyalume stick externally affixed as well. Emergency light source for illuminating your workspace, basic attention grabbing signal, etc. Pre tie a loop of cordage to it that will allow you to carry it around your neck. You can also use that cordage to spin the cyalume to attract attention of others.

Buy gloves that are light in color. Pale blue, pink, etc. You want to be able to see blood on your gloves as a contrast (darker) during tactile inspection of a subject. You can't see it well on black gloves, especially in the dark.

 

[lazarus]

So a lot of us carry a first aid kit in our cars. Some of us just want to be prepared for possible problems. Some of us want to be ready for a SHTF event. Some of us (like me) are somewhere in the middle.

So I'm curious what you consider to be essential for a car first aid kit. Most of us know that we need things like bandaids, gauze, tape and antibiotic ointment. But what do you feel is required to be in your first aid kit?

Besides the Band-aids, tape and gauze, my camper first aid kit has an "Israeli" bandage, tourniquet and additional wound wraps. But what do you guys think is required in a vehicle first aid kit?

I have one of those blue and clear $8 walmart first aid kits in my car, and a nicer $20 first aid kit in my minivan. Added to both are 10x2 pack ibuprofen tablet packets and a rehydration salt packet and the minivan kit has a 100 pack of different sized bandaids added in. Separate from the first aid kits I also carry a tourniquet, Israeli bandage, and a couple of quickclot (well, generic) packets (the medium sized ones). Oh, and bandage scissors.

I have other survival type stuff including a couple of knives in my cars and multitool that I guess can fall into first aid stuff.

The nicer kit is in the minivan because that is what I am more often driving my kids around. At least to things like sporting, hiking stuff where they get injured more often.

My hunting pack has one of those backpacker first aid kids with the similar stuff mentioned above added, plus a pack of chest seals. Same as my range bag. I figure hunting and range is a bit more likely to have a penetrating chest wound. Not that it can't happen in a car accident, but I figure if it gets to that level in a car accident, I likely can't help.

Oh, and all of them have a box of matches tucked in.

All of them have the various things mentioned like nitrile gloves, I keep a light in my car, etc.

 

[outrider58]

Couple notes:

I get orange TQs (cat type) for vehicle kit and home medical/normal use stuff because they are easy to write on. For some.reason, the "label" area on the black ones always ends up bloody. Murphy, I guess. Sharpies (2) are attached to whatev3r bag contains that particular medical load externally. Don't have to contaminate the load with body fluids to retrieve it. I typically keep at least one cyalume stick externally affixed as well. Emergency light source for illuminating your workspace, basic attention grabbing signal, etc. Pre tie a loop of cordage to it that will allow you to carry it around your neck. You can also use that cordage to spin the cyalume to attract attention of others.

Buy gloves that are light in color. Pale blue, pink, etc. You want to be able to see blood on your gloves as a contrast (darker) during tactile inspection of a subject. You can't see it well on black gloves, especially in the dark.

Definitely do not use black gloves in your kit("blood, in the moonlight appears quite black").

The only tourniquets I carry are CATs and SOF-TS. You write on the white Velcro keeper of CATs and the SOF-Ts have a label near the very tail of the strap to write on.

I find the CATs easier to apply to myself but the SOF-Ts are nice for leg bleeds because you can unbuckle them to get around your upper leg rather than trying to start at the foot and work the tourniquet all the way up your leg or unthread strap from the buckle and rethreading once it is around your upper leg.

If you have the room, a small head lamp like a Petzl is invaluable. Hang it around your neck(upside down with the on switch on the bottom).

 

[4g64loser]

Definitely do not use black gloves in your kit("blood, in the moonlight appears quite black").

The only tourniquets I carry are CATs and SOF-TS. You write on the white Velcro keeper of CATs and the SOF-Ts have a label near the very tail of the strap to write on.

I find the CATs easier to apply to myself but the SOF-Ts are nice for leg bleeds because you can unbuckle them to get around your upper leg rather than trying to start at the foot and work the tourniquet all the way up your leg or unthread strap from the buckle and rethreading once it is around your upper leg.

If you have the room, a small head lamp like a Petzl is invaluable. Hang it around your neck(upside down with the on switch on the bottom).

I keep a sof t trainer and a couple of "live" ones around but my bags have cat. Applying to actual bloody mess, I found that I managed to get blood on the places I was supposed to write. Orange tq and black sharpie means I can write anywhere. Or alcohol wipe the forehead and write it there.

Last time I did a med class, I pulled the cat out flat for the upper leg applications (both self and other) rather than try to work it up. A couple weeks ago, we played with Applying self tq to a leg and shooting a course of.fire. I stuck with full pull and refeed and it worked.

 

[outrider58]

Last time I did a med class, I pulled the cat out flat for the upper leg applications (both self and other) rather than try to work it up. A couple weeks ago, we played with Applying self tq to a leg and shooting a course of.fire. I stuck with full pull and refeed and it worked.

No very much fun, was it. Lol

Another good exercise is applying a tourniquet to your leg, walking 30 or so yards to your vehicle and drive around an empty parking lot.

 

[4g64loser]

No very much fun, was it. Lol

Another good exercise is applying a tourniquet to your leg, walking 30 or so yards to your vehicle and drive around an empty parking lot.

It sucks. Especially when you do it properly. I've done it with a leg and then with my gun hand (also my gearshift hand). Steering and shifting left handed while trying to figure out a way to get blood flow to stop is something I never want to do live.

We simulated an ambulatory casualty evac last year. Had to draw straws for.thr casualty. Nobody wanted to get a tq and be tossed in a vehicle that was going to tear down dirt roads. Fortunately I wasn't "it".

 

[GregS]

What do you guys think of the copycat CAT tourniquets? I've read a lot of "never buy a cheap Chinese tourniquet" articles. Are they really as bad as some of the articles say? If they fail regularly, I will certainly keep away from them. But if there's 1 fail per 100k uses, it may be worth taking the chance and putting 2 in the kit instead of 1 genuine tourniquet.

The only tourniquets I carry are CATs and SOF-TS.

What's a SOF-TS? Have a link? Google takes me to a bunch of language related sites.

 

[outrider58]

What do you guys think of the copycat CAT tourniquets? I've read a lot of "never buy a cheap Chinese tourniquet" articles. Are they really as bad as some of the articles say? If they fail regularly, I will certainly keep away from them. But if there's 1 fail per 100k uses, it may be worth taking the chance and putting 2 in the kit instead of 1 genuine tourniquet.

What's a SOF-TS? Have a link? Google takes me to a bunch of language related sites.

It's SOF-T

Don't ever buy emergency medical devices off of Amazon. Lots of Chinese crap that will break or not work.

SOF Tactical Tourniquet | Red Cross Store

Get product information, pictures, and reviews on the American Red Cross SOF Tactical Tourniquet by Tactical Medical Solutions SOFTT-W-RC.

www.redcross.org

 

[GregS]

It's SOF-T

So how does the SOF-T compare to the CAT? Took a Stop The Bleed class yesterday and they use CAT tourniquets. A brief look at the Red Cross link, it looks like there's a fairly significant difference in how they would be applied.

 

[4g64loser]

What do you guys think of the copycat CAT tourniquets? I've read a lot of "never buy a cheap Chinese tourniquet" articles. Are they really as bad as some of the articles say? If they fail regularly, I will certainly keep away from them. But if there's 1 fail per 100k uses, it may be worth taking the chance and putting 2 in the kit instead of 1 genuine tourniquet.

What's a SOF-TS? Have a link? Google takes me to a bunch of language related sites.

NEVER buy knockoff med or weapon stuff. I don't use Amazon at all but even if I did I have heard too many stories of fakes. I buy my TQs from North American Rescue. Good people. All kit they sell has (so.far) been legit. I'm not a medic, just know a little about stopping leaks. The medics I know recommend NAR, among other companies, as known-source vendors or good repute. I heed their advice. 35 bucks is not unreasonably expensive. Even my trainer is a real CAT. My trainer SOF-T is pretty worn but it still works. Hundreds of applications later.

So how does the SOF-T compare to the CAT? Took a Stop The Bleed class yesterday and they use CAT tourniquets. A brief look at the Red Cross link, it looks like there's a fairly significant difference in how they would be applied.

Gonna get a LOT of different opinions here.

I prefer CAT if I am going carry one. The sof-t has a few advantages, laid out by Outrider in posts above, that some prefer. I have both and can use both. I prefer the cat. The last hemorrhage control class I took, the instructor was a paramedic and ex flight medic. He highlighted a few things with the cat (his preferred as well) that are mainly relevant to self application. I find the cat to be faster when I time several applications and.average them. Especially on self application. With one hand. Applying to another, they are closer to even.

 

[paperwork351]

So how does the SOF-T compare to the CAT? Took a Stop The Bleed class yesterday and they use CAT tourniquets. A brief look at the Red Cross link, it looks like there's a fairly significant difference in how they would be applied.

The SOF-T has a buckle that can be disconnected if you can't slide it up the affected limb. I had forgotten this and
wouldn't have time to show someone else. I carry the CAT-7 since most people are familar with this one. I like the SOF-T Wide since it folds flatter.

 

[outrider58]

So how does the SOF-T compare to the CAT? Took a Stop The Bleed class yesterday and they use CAT tourniquets. A brief look at the Red Cross link, it looks like there's a fairly significant difference in how they would be applied.

There isn't a huge difference once you have the straps cinched down. This guy explains the differences and I train on both and agree with his opinions on both the SOF and the CAT.

 

[outrider58]

NEVER buy knockoff med or weapon stuff. I don't use Amazon at all but even if I did I have heard too many stories of fakes. I buy my TQs from North American Rescue. Good people. All kit they sell has (so.far) been legit. I'm not a medic, just know a little about stopping leaks. The medics I know recommend NAR, among other companies, as known-source vendors or good repute. I heed their advice. 35 bucks is not unreasonably expensive. Even my trainer is a real CAT. My trainer SOF-T is pretty worn but it still works. Hundreds of applications later.

Gonna get a LOT of different opinions here.

I prefer CAT if I am going carry one. The sof-t has a few advantages, laid out by Outrider in posts above, that some prefer. I have both and can use both. I prefer the cat. The last hemorrhage control class I took, the instructor was a paramedic and ex flight medic. He highlighted a few things with the cat (his preferred as well) that are mainly relevant to self application. I find the cat to be faster when I time several applications and.average them. Especially on self application. With one hand. Applying to another, they are closer to even.

I agree with 'loser. I carry both, but prefer the CATs when it comes to self application. One thing to note; in self application, you will want the strap to pull towards the center of your body whereas, when applying to someone else, it's usually easier orient the strap so it pulls(tightens) away from the patient. Remember, when checking for pulse(you don't want to feel one), use only your first and second fingers. Do not use your thumb, as it has a pulse and will give you a false read.

 

[BurkeM]

What do you guys think of the copycat CAT tourniquets? I've read a lot of "never buy a cheap Chinese tourniquet" articles.

They will fail predictably under the stress of an actual emergency. Better to use a belt and tree branch.

the counterfeit makers don't care how many people they may kill.

 

[dgapilot]

A good pair of shears to remove clothing if necessary. The new wound closures (forget the name), some super glue, magnifying glass and mirror for if you are alone.