I'll throw in another addition to a first aid kit. Eye wash, or as a suitable substitute sterile saline contact lens solution. It can be used to help clear an irritated eyes from dust, chemicals and such. But it also works to irrigate and clean a wound. You can find them in all sizes for a relatively cheap price.
First Aid Kits and Supplies
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Nobody in this household wears contacts..... Even so, I had an avatar appropriate "Doohhh" moment, reading your post.
Excellent suggestion. One thing I'm finding looking for options to peroxide is that some don't have a very long expiry date..... I'm guessing a sterile saline solution should be shelf-stable for quite a while.
Rgds, D.
The store brands (Kroger, Wal-Mart, etc.) are in the 18-24 month mark expiration. But I think that is mainly just because of labeling requirements. None of them will necessarily kill all the germs, but will give you an option for a rapid cleanup in a first aid situation and then later move to a more well equipped situation for followup. A skinned knee on the playground or the cut when hiking in the woods or running a tractor. Rinse it down, slap a bandage on and then when you get home you use the peroxide or alcohol.
WM75Guy
Elite Member
The feminine napkins work great for trauma dressings as well as some 4X4s for smaller wounds. Some 4" roller bandages are great to start the wrap for pressure, then use VetWrap to keep it in place. In the hospital we use 3M Coban on patients, at home and on the ambulance we use VetWrap, same stuff at 1/6 the price plus you get cool colors like purple and pink. Dermabond is for people, Surgi-Lock for animals, they are the same and both are different from regular superglue. They do not irritate the tissue like regular superglue will. You can get Surgi-Lock off Amazon.
Bandaids of assorted sizes and shapes, some antiseptic wipes to clean small wounds. Soap and water is still the best to clean a wound rather than Betadine or hydrogen peroxide. Both cause tissue damage and can impede healing, we have to rinse all off before we dress a wound. I also like some triangular bandages for applying splints and making arm slings. A small pair of utility scissors from Walmart, at the hospital we call them bandage scissors at twice the cost, is helpful to cut bandages and clothes.
Most people have too many items in their first aid kit. Just remember it's called a first aid kit for a reason. Anything major and it's all going into the trash at the Emergency Department.
Bandaids of assorted sizes and shapes, some antiseptic wipes to clean small wounds. Soap and water is still the best to clean a wound rather than Betadine or hydrogen peroxide. Both cause tissue damage and can impede healing, we have to rinse all off before we dress a wound. I also like some triangular bandages for applying splints and making arm slings. A small pair of utility scissors from Walmart, at the hospital we call them bandage scissors at twice the cost, is helpful to cut bandages and clothes.
Most people have too many items in their first aid kit. Just remember it's called a first aid kit for a reason. Anything major and it's all going into the trash at the Emergency Department.
Another suggestion that I gleaned from reading Jerri FitzGerald's Icebound was a side note in the book.
She found that pretty much all of the surgical tapes and bandage glue material was pretty much totally worthless at the South Pole temperatures. She resorted to making band aids and bandages using duct tape.
So building a first aid kit for Florida may not work in Alaska and vice-verse.
And if you don't open and examine the items in your first aid kits every six months, you need to put that on your calendar. Just like changing your smoke detector batteries, make sure everything is good.
She found that pretty much all of the surgical tapes and bandage glue material was pretty much totally worthless at the South Pole temperatures. She resorted to making band aids and bandages using duct tape.
So building a first aid kit for Florida may not work in Alaska and vice-verse.
And if you don't open and examine the items in your first aid kits every six months, you need to put that on your calendar. Just like changing your smoke detector batteries, make sure everything is good.
Nice to have some of that "tribal knowledge" listed, that you often only get working inside an industry - thanks guys.
Even before RedGreen came along, I was a duct tape fan. The one comment I came across recently is that duct tape often has an adhesive that is petroleum based.... an 'ole gearhead like me might tolerate that for a bit, but some people (I know my wife would) may react to it on skin - best keeping duct tape on top of bandages and away from skin if possible.
Rgds, D.
Even before RedGreen came along, I was a duct tape fan. The one comment I came across recently is that duct tape often has an adhesive that is petroleum based.... an 'ole gearhead like me might tolerate that for a bit, but some people (I know my wife would) may react to it on skin - best keeping duct tape on top of bandages and away from skin if possible.
Rgds, D.
GManBart
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For minor burns and road rash, Tegaderm is awesome stuff....
Products Tegaderm
I've been told by a number of EMT/first aid pros that tampons are also a great thing to keep handy...they can go right into a puncture wound, and then cover with a larger bandage and/or field dressing.
Products Tegaderm
I've been told by a number of EMT/first aid pros that tampons are also a great thing to keep handy...they can go right into a puncture wound, and then cover with a larger bandage and/or field dressing.
You had me at 3M.... I'll definitely pick up some Tegaderm. I'll believe a 3M when they say Waterproof and oxygen permeable.
Ladies products getting lots of votes.... working well and available in most stores at reasonable cost...helps on the kit budget, or if you need something FAST from the nearest retail store.
Rgds, D.
GManBart
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I can vouch for the Tegaderm! Last year my wife got road rash on her shoulders, and I had recently heard about Tegaderm. I ran to the local drug store to get some, and I'm glad I did....the results were really impressive. After about four days one of the areas started to get itchy, so we removed the bandage, cleaned/dried it, and put a fresh bandage on...worked like a champ. You can't tell she ever had road rash there, so I guess that's good enough!
Scrapes like that are annoying at best, and given the large area, easy to get infected. If you've been doing some Road Testing
of your body, then Tegaderm sounds like the Cat's PJ's.Years ago, a friend's Sister-in-law has some pretty bad RRash on her shoulder.... just a low speed dump on of all things a moped.... but it was in Bermuda, on gravel (coral ?), and she was wearing a halter top....
Even back then, I didn't need much convincing, but those scars helped turn me into an ATGATT guy on 2 wheels....
Rgds, D.
