Small first aid kit

[Sheeve]

I think the kit that the OP has in mind needs to be defined a little better. Is he wanted a "Boo Boo kit" or a "Blow out Kit/IFAK". In the opinion of many far more experienced than me band aids and Neosporin have no place in the same kit as pressure dressings, tourniquets and clotting agents. If you have seconds to act to gain access to life saving materials you don't want to be tripping over trivial items to treat minor wounds. Both kits have a place, just not in the same place. You have a good lead on some "Boo Boo kit" materials with what you mentioned earlier. A solid "Blow out Kit"should at least contain the following.

As with all kit, there are many options on some of these, some suck for certain applications, others shine in some situations, some suck and don't work well at all in the real world, and unfortunately for most of us, cost plays a roll as well, as you learn more you will build more kits to keep in each car, in your range bag, in your chest rig, in your chainsaw case etc.

Tourniquet - CAT, RATS, SOFT-T, SWAT, TK4,
Pressure Dressing - Israeli, OLAES, H Compression bandage, sock and duct tape,

14 guage x 2.5" Needle
Nasal Airway
KY Jelly- for the airway you perverts
Shears,
at least gauze, at most the gauze impregnated with a clotting agent -Quikclot or Celox
Duct tape

The above items are the making of a pretty solid kit, as always the devil is in the details and the onus is on you to study yourself approved on the application of these tools on yourself and those you love. The best kit is of limited use when you don't have the skills to use them as someone mentioned above.

 

[Jestik]

I was always taught pressure pressure pressure. And have the person lay down so that gravity helps you.

 

[gfercaks33]

Sheeve has it right I'm just wanted something like a kit you find in an office building or the work truck, I may just buy a kit from Walmart and disassemble it into my bag.

Keep up the pointers though because it never hurts to learn more.

 

[Norman]

The tourniquet still isn't first choice to stop a bleed, unless it's just obvious that nothing else is going to, which is where the training comes in.

Nope.
Hemorrhage control is one area that civilian EMS is FAR behind the military. A few years ago, tourniquets were black magic as far as EMS was concerned. That has pretty much changed now. Arterial/ venous bleeds get a TQ immediately. Fast, high and tight. Tourniquets are placed on limbs for hours during surgeries, so why be afraid of them? The thought that tourniquets are a last resort that will cause limb loss is quickly becoming as archaic as blood letting.

With that said, training is king. Someone with sound training can do more with some duct tape, a couple of cravats, a roll of kerlix and a 14 gauge angiocath than the average Joe could do with a stocked hospital.

 

[Norman]

Sheeve has it right I'm just wanted something like a kit you find in an office building or the work truck, I may just buy a kit from Walmart and disassemble it into my bag.

Keep up the pointers though because it never hurts to learn more.

I'd have:
A CAT or SOFTT tourniquet (I like the SOF)
An Olaes bandage
Celox or quikclot combat gauze
When these three things are needed, they're NEEDED

A hand full of nitrile gloves
Bandaid's, regular and knuckle
A hand full of 4x4's
Some Kerlix
3 or so Triangle bandages/ cravat's
3M transpire tape
Flat roll of gorilla brand duct tape
Sports tape
Neosporin
Aleve/NSAID
benadryl, topical and pill
Hydrocortisone cream
Maybe a SAM splint
Small tube of vaseline
Alcohol prep pads
Antiseptic spray
Knife and trauma shears
Vet wrap (off brand 3 pack from tractor supply)
TRAINING


I'm sure I forgot stuff, but it's a start

 

[Okie4570]

We're not afraid of them, have used them, and they are in our protocols to use them, yet I don't walk up to the scene with a tq in each hand. You'd be surprised with the number of EMS providers who don't have protocols to use them, especially rural ones.

 

[firefighterguy]

I'd also add to tourniquets that they are rarely ever needed. The worst bleeding I have ever seen (blood squirting 4-5 feet) was able to be stopped by direct pressure. Sorry I took this off topic for you op. I was thinking more of an ifak kit for life threatening stuff.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[NightShade]

I am the odd man out, a lot of good suggestions but I skip the bandaids when space is limited and go for the liquid bandage. It burns like hell but does good till you can get home. Plus it's a one fits all type of deal, works on a little blister to a long scratch that no bandaid will cover and takes less than half the space assorted bandaids would require. It will leave more room for other things that may be needed or at the very least will cut down on the number of bandaids you will need to carry.

 

[KOPBET]

Meh, everyone knows all you need is a stapler and a bottle of red merthiolate.

 

[twoguns?]

Dont forget the hand sanitizer...its a dual purpose add in...(good for starting fires.... )