What do you have for a first aid/trauma kit?

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Ning- "I've also got some older (officially expired) tylenol with codeine in there. It may not be 100% as effective as when fresh, but it may be better than nothing..." Yup.... We call them "nukes." And you never use a Nuke unless it is absolutely necessary. I carry the O2 Air canisters also. Band-aids and superglue. Epi-pens are expensive, so I ask if someone has allergies to bee stings.. Eye wash, a bottle of 91% alcohol: Duck tape, tampons, Cold packs and a good and sharp set of scissors.

Superglue. I was going to mention that. Is there such a thing as medical grade? That would be good to stop bleeding I'm thinking.

 

[JasperFrank]

Tramadol is pretty much the same thing, for a Nuke. And if you have a dog, vets will give it to you $$$...... for the dog... dosage is just scaled up from the dog's body weight.

 

[tacticalturnip]

I don't keep one on the tractor, which I ought to rectify, yet I have 3 in my truck. One is my old issued kit, two are wound care kits I picked up through work, and I keep a roll of tourniquet in my center console.

I could put together a good kit to keep on the tractor at almost no cost to me, I have just never thought to.

 

[mjonesnh]

Superglue. I was going to mention that. Is there such a thing as medical grade? That would be good to stop bleeding I'm thinking.

There is a medical grade super glue. Believe you can get it on Amazon and other retailers. Actually, had it used around 5 years ago on a cut from a bandsaw. On ball of thumb so doc just super glued it closed. Much better than stitches.

 

[ArlyA]

In the field and doing trail work, we carry a sawyers 1st aid kit and epi pens. My spouse works in wound care and has lots of out-dated stuff from work in there. We did the Solo back country 1st aid course.

 

[JasperFrank]

Only had one instance were an epi-pen made sense. And that was someone that was highly allergic to bee stings, but didn't tell me that. She had one in her car, 1/2 mile away. We had walked in to an entire field of wildflowers, full of bees. She didn't tell me she was allergic, till we were the most furthest out. She had a pen, in her car 1/2 mile away. 20 years later, I'm still mad about this. We did walk back, and no bee stings. But she had a pen, and for some reason didn't take it with her.

 

[ning]

91% alcohol

Just a note - 70% is a more effective disinfectant than higher, or lower, solutions. They don't dilute it to 70% just to make it cheaper, this is a case there it's actually better.

91% is better for cleaning (and makes a better flame!).

 

[ArlyA]

Only had one instance were an epi-pen made sense. And that was someone that was highly allergic to bee stings, but didn't tell me that. She had one in her car, 1/2 mile away. We had walked in to an entire field of wildflowers, full of bees. She didn't tell me she was allergic, till we were the most furthest out. She had a pen, in her car 1/2 mile away. 20 years later, I'm still mad about this. We did walk back, and no bee stings. But she had a pen, and for some reason didn't take it with her.

We get stung every year while in the field. The next one or 3, might be the last of your breathing. We carry them because you don't what the next stings will do.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

We get stung every year while in the field. The next one or 3, might be the last of your breathing. We carry them because you don't what the next stings will do.

That's why my Dr. recommended Valium (Diazepam) because it stops a person's overreaction to something (bee sting or other trauma). Certainly check with your own physician first. They're inexpensive, easy to carry. That's why rescue people even if the victim cuts their leg off tells you to remain calm, everything will be ok.
I wonder about nitro glycerine tablet if someone is having a heart attack?
Another easy thing to carry would be Gatorade powder for dehydration...mix with water. I had to go to ER years ago from dehydration. I had six glasses of iced tea and they said water would have been better since tea is a diuretic.

 

[Streetcar]

When we started beekeeping, we got the doc to write for an epi-pen which we keep in our bee bag. Neither of us are allergic, but a small number of people do seemingly randomly become allergic after not showing reactions previously, and there's also a chance that a visitor could get stung. IMO it's a good thing for a trauma kit and if you've got insurance they're really cheap (and if you don't, CVS has a generic version 2-pack for $110).

I've also got some older (officially expired) tylenol with codeine in there. It may not be 100% as effective as when fresh, but it may be better than nothing...

I'm with you on the typical first aid kit being kinda pathetic. To me a band-aid isn't really first aid - I mean technically it is, but the truth is that the only reason I use band-aids is to keep a wound clean as I don't bleed much and after a bit of pressure bleeding isn't a concern - contact with the wound is; while it would be convenient not to have to stop work to go home to slap a bandaid on a little cut it's not a big deal - I'm more concerned about the trauma part of the trauma kit, where you may want to stabilize the problem right then and *then* go home.

I also have sports tape (white cloth, not slick) that's good for stabilizing; medical tape (white, heavy, slick) works very well as a blister protector or prevention (if you regularly get blisters in a spot, or feel irritated in a spot, put some tape on it).

If you think there may be someone else to help (help you, or you help them), you could consider adding an "onsite defibrillator"... $1-1.5k pretty pricey, but could be a lifesaver. Don't know if they "go bad" over time (other than presumed batteries).

I know person who’s had bee hive on their property from a friend. The beekeeper developed sudden allergy to stings. Lady I know no longer has the hive on her property