First Aid Kits and Supplies

[NHmitch]

Hi,

Sorry for the late response. Thank you, the one thing that I really like about kit is that it folds down towards the ground, and there is one feature that I did not mention. It is connected by a large velcro backing, and you can pull the entire kit off, and it has the option to attach it with straps and clips if you are worried about it tearing off on a branch.

The whistle issue is a very good point that you raised, and I actually have the fox40 on mine. I am going to buy one for my wife's key chain as well. The reason I chose that whistle, was because of the sound distance it can be heard, and it produces 125db sound rating from their website: "It will be heard above ambient noise, the roar of engines, breaking waves and thundering gale-force winds"

The knife that I have is a Gerber Bear Grylls Compact Fixed Blade It is somewhat similar to the ASEK knifes that we had in the military, Air Crew Survival Egress Knife, but less expensive, and I wanted something with a brighter handle so if I drop it in the woods, I will be able to locate it. It serves several purposes. I have been stuck in my seat belt on the tractor before, when my buckle broke, and I would hate to have that happen in a roll over, so I tried to put it within reach if I needed it. It also is a good companion to the First Aid Kit, because you can use it to cut bandages, sticks for a splint, or what ever else you may need it for. I have had this knife there for about two years, and it has not rusted one bit, and works great when I need it.

One item that I forgot to mention that I have in my kit, and everyone over 30 should have is small container of Aspirin. If you ever are extremely unfortunate enough to have a heart attack, it is critical that you chew, not swallow, a few aspirin. Chewing asprin has been found to be effective as soon as 5 minutes, while swallowing it, can take up to 12 minutes. This is from Harvard University Medical School:

Most heart attacks develop when a cholesterol-laden plaque in a coronary artery ruptures. Relatively small plaques, which produce only partial blockages, are the ones most likely to rupture. When they do, they attract platelets to their surface. Platelets are the tiny blood cells that trigger blood clotting. A clot, or thrombus, builds up on the ruptured plaque. As the clot grows, it blocks the artery. If the blockage is complete, it deprives a portion of the heart muscle of oxygen. As a result, muscle cells die — and it’s a heart attack.

Aspirin helps by inhibiting platelets. Only a tiny amount is needed to inhibit all the platelets in the bloodstream; in fact, small amounts are better than high doses. But since the clot grows minute by minute, time is of the essence.
Reference

This is my homemade pill container:




I found a simple solution to keep them dry, and ready if you need them. I paid about $2 for several contact lens cases, and cut them in half, and they make perfect small medication cases. You can use one on your tractor, and one in you vehicle.

The most important factor is ensuring that you get proper medical attention quickly, and being able to get that help when you need it. Tractors are dangerous machines, and as much as I love them, you are wearing a soft pink suit on top of cold steel, so ensuring that you live late in life to enjoy your family, tractors, and your life should be your number one priority. You can put together a similar kit, for under $50, and I know that my life, is well worth tiny expense.

Warning/Disclaimer: These videos are for basic instruction, and should not replace medical training, however they give you an overview of what I have in my kit, and why:

Great post Mitch. I'll get back to your kit in a sec, but wanted to comment on 2 really good general points you raise.

Modern tractors have a major safety item already, a ROPS - leverage off of that to provide a readily accessible, but still stable AND readily detachable kit system. Big :thumbsup: , esp. on this forum.

It naturally comes up in Survival training, but your point about a whistle in First Aid is important, and not just when you are alone. I have a Fox40 on my wife's car keys; I need to buy a few more....

Thanks for taking the time to share your experience, and putting together lots of linked info.... esp. for adding your personal pictures, you know how popular they are on TBN :thumbsup:

Discussions like this help a lot, as just looking at something like the Smittybilt ebay ad doesn't really clue you in to how flexible the mounting system is for that black kit bag. I'll stop by the Smittybilt site later, for a better look at the straps....

On your kit, is there anything particular about what I think is a knife clipped to the outside of your pack ?

I don't presently have the training to use all of the items in that kit properly, but I do understand their place in treating severe trauma - like you said, $50 spent can save a life - even if I don't presently have the right level of training, somebody else at the scene may have the level of training needed.

Rgds, D.

 

[NHmitch]

Warning/Disclaimer: These videos are for basic instruction, and should not replace medical training, however they give you an overview of what I have in my kit, and why:

Combat Application Tourniquet:

 

[NHmitch]

Hi,

The pack is mostly waterproof. It is rubber lined, however it does have a zipper, so not entirely. I have had mine out in rain, snow, and the outside has been soaking wet, and the inside has remained dry. It is an impressive bag for the price.

We do have to have license plates in New Hampshire to travel down the road, but the good news is they are inexpensive. About $12 a year. They have not raised the price the same for about 30 years. They make you sign this waiver to receive your plates:


I, the undersigned, fully understand the limitations concerning the use of trucks, tractor-trucks, or tractors registered under RSA 261:82, and hereby certify that my vehicle will be used only for agricultural and farming purposes and uses incidental thereto, within a 20 mile radius of the main entrance of the farm upon which the vehicle is to be driven.

Very neat kit, compact and versatile. I really like the addition of the knife. The roll bar is a good mounting place, for fire extinguisher also. I would have to mount it on the inside of the bar--I would rip it off on the first object I went past Two questions- Is the pack waterproof? Do tractors have license plates in NH?

 

[NHmitch]

No matter what you decide to use, just make sure that you are familiar with how to use the items in the kit, and where they are located, and that you will be able to access them if you need them, and open them one handed. The smittybilt kit surprised me when I bought it, and its similarities to what I had used in the military, and the fact that it is well constructed. There are lots of great ideas in this thread, and use what works well for your situation. My grandfather who spent 35 years in the military, and survived three wars, always simply carried a ziplock bag full of basic supplies in his jacket pocket, and he lived to be 92. Admittedly they were a tough generation! Good luck with your kits!

Great point Wag, about the feminine pads.

I took my recent course at the local St. John office. Good course, and I like the Standard reference book I received. They do have various kits in stock, and I may pick one up there.

I started this thread for a few reasons, but one was to solicit real-world feedback on the kit/case/bag itself. 411 on things like the small Pelican cases, and this Smittybilt bag don't leap to mind at first, but if the case itself has real-world limitations, that will affect the quick access and physical integrity of the kit.

As bad as the commercial listings are (info/pic wise) for that Smittybilt bag, what I gained from Mitch's post is a strong appreciation for the access and mounting flexiblity of that bag (further described in Amazon feedback too). In a mobile application, one of my issues with a kit is having one place to reliably mount and access the kit - many times you don't want to start drilling holes in personal vehicles....

Rgds, D.

 

[NHmitch]

One last video:

 

[3930dave]

No need to apologize Mitch.... you dropped back in and just added 2/3 of a First Aid course worth of reference material !

"Soft pink suit"..... I like that one, and with your permission may re-use it later !

I haven't had training on the Israeli bandage yet. Any bandage needs to have the patient's circulation continually checked afterwards, but I have the impression that with the Israeli bandage it is easy to exert too much pressure (as in restricting circulation) with it.

Aspirin is beneficial as you described, but you need to be clear that the person is NOT having a Stroke when you give them aspirin. You want the blood thinning performance of aspirin during a Heart Attack, but NOT during a Stroke.

I know that you know those 2 points Mitch, just wanted to touch on those issues for anybody reading along who has NOT had basic First Aid training - first, Do No Harm....

The mounting system for the Smittybilt pack really needs to be factory marketed/pictured better..... you get no sense of how flexible it is from the factory or Ebay pictures. It seems to be a very good pack, at an attractive price.

Thanks for the link/feedback on the Gerber knife. I tend to favour folding blades myself, but a fixed blade does have certain advantages, and suits that kit well.

Some tips are very low cost, and work well..... really liking the Contact Lens pillbox, and I'm already a fan of true Ziplock bags - they are thick/durable and close/re-close well - great for a tiny first aid kit as Grandpa practiced !

Thanks again Mitch.

Rgds, D.

 

[tcartwri]

Aspirin is beneficial as you described, but you need to be clear that the person is NOT having a Stroke when you give them aspirin. You want the blood thinning performance of aspirin during a Heart Attack, but NOT during a Stroke.

This is counter to what I have been instructed. If a person is already showing signs of a stroke, the damage has already been done and you can limit the further damage by giving aspirin.

 

[GManBart]

Great thread, great info, and lots of great resources! I keep a decent trauma kit in my work vehicle (actually two/three combined), and my personal vehicle, but now I'm going to put one together for my tractor. I've been very impressed with the kits I got from these folks:

North American Rescue - Home

 

[3930dave]

This is counter to what I have been instructed. If a person is already showing signs of a stroke, the damage has already been done and you can limit the further damage by giving aspirin.

The instructor of my course had been teaching first aid for over 20 years. Some students were newbies like me, some had prior first aid training, and were there for cert. renewal reasons. At different times, the instructor discussed how techniques and recommendations had changed over the years - for instance they no longer teach re-setting disclocated joints in Standard (ie. non-Wilderness) First Aid.

ASA (aspirin) is obviously not suitable in general for someone who is allegic, or has stomach ulcers.

Based on what I heard in the course, I don't know enough to adminster ASA to someone having a Stroke. The majority of strokes are the other type, but the concern is hemorrhagic stroke - if there is bleeding into the brain, you definitely don't want to administer ASA.

Stroke Treatments

Not trying to argue Tim (exchanging data is my preference), just saying that given my present level of (limited) knowledge I personally would not be comfortable making that call on using ASA for Stroke.

My main take away from that course was how much more I need to learn.... :thumbsup:

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Great thread, great info, and lots of great resources! I keep a decent trauma kit in my work vehicle (actually two/three combined), and my personal vehicle, but now I'm going to put one together for my tractor. I've been very impressed with the kits I got from these folks:

North American Rescue - Home

Thanks for the pro-level link GMan.

Rgds, D.