First Aid Kits and Supplies

[3930dave]

For many years I carried the "standard" first aide stuff on my tractor. Gave me a good feeling. Then it finally hit me - I seldom get hurt - the supplies get "dirty" and eventually must be discarded. About 100% of anything serious that has ever happened to me involves me getting "cut" with or on something. I've reduced my first aide supplies to - - a clean roll of paper towels - a few clean (never used Terry cloth) shop rags - a roll of "McGuiver" duck tape. I apply the paper towel to soak up the blood - I add the clean shop towel to restrict blood flow - I bind it all up with duck tape. I go like the wind - get in my pickup and head to the local fire station or medical clinic.

If the situation is so serious that I'm unable to accomplish the above tasks - - then all the First Aide supplies in the entire world will make no difference.

I just hope that somebody friendly finds me before the coyotes do.

Most first aid courses will remind the students at some point about the "first" aspect...... use whatever you have readily at hand, to mitigate the situation.... MacGyver as needed :thumbsup: For lighter cuts, I find many forms of industrial tape work almost as good as bandaids, and usually stay put longer.

I wanted a compact rugged waterproof case to use in my MC tank bag, ended up with Plano Guide Series locking clamshell - not big $ (Wally World, fishing section) and very strong.

Search results for: 'guide series'

Something like their current 3400 model.....

Rgds, D.

 

[ArlyA]

When packing into the field, we used gallon sized, or some large zip lock type bags to keep kits clean and dry. In UTV's, we use the plastic watertight boxes, like D suggests. They are golden.

Most first aid courses will remind the students at some point about the "first" aspect...... use whatever you have readily at hand, to mitigate the situation.... MacGyver as needed :thumbsup: For lighter cuts, I find many forms of industrial tape work almost as good as bandaids, and usually stay put longer.

I wanted a compact rugged waterproof case to use in my MC tank bag, ended up with Plano Guide Series locking clamshell - not big $ (Wally World, fishing section) and very strong.

Search results for: 'guide series'

Something like their current 3400 model.....

Rgds, D.

 

[ArlyA]

We carry styptic bandages in all our kits. Plus lots and lots of bandages and tape. This is for saw cuts. While in the SOLO back country course, we decided the most serious risk for us was saw cuts and wasp stings which I get some each season. Do note, I'm not allergic to them, but if you get stung enough, then you are.... We subsequently got epi pens and also carry Benadryl gel caps to bring with us. The instructor said you can get these into someone, even if there unconscious.

I carry one of these, First-Aid-Product.com: QuikClot Advanced Clotting Sponge 5g - Blood Stoppers - Bandages & Dressings - Bandaging & First Aid Supplies and a few- very few- other things. I'm often a mile or more from the truck, so if something major goes wrong it's hasta muerte anyways. I've been thinking about getting an Inreach Garmin, but haven't pulled the trigger yet. It would be a lot easier if it tracked good enough to replace my 64.

 

[oosik]

When I was a junior & senior in high school - I worked for the Forest Service in the summer. We would occasionally even get to fight wildfires if they were out in the open sagebrush country. They would not allow us to do any type of suppression if the fire was in forested lands.

Anyhow - we mainly cut/split firewood for federal camp sites and brushed existing trails. I remember we had this weed-whacker type tool with a mini-chainsaw down on the business end. The guy using it got over ambitious and ended up with a couple very nasty chain saw "bites" on the front of his left leg.

All we had that would even begin to stem the flow of blood was adhesive tape and the paper from out lunch sacks. So we tore the lunch sacks into appropriate sized rectangles - applied over the gashing wounds - bound it all down with adhesive tape. We all agreed that our nasty, dirty, sweaty clothing would probably lead to some form of toxic blood infection.

We were three and a half miles down a forrest trail from our work truck. I can still remember taking turns with the three other guys - carrying this wounded guy back to the truck. I think the only thing that save the guy from bleeding to death was the adrenalin that the four of us had - carrying him back. He lost a LOT of blood - turned white as a sheet(probably shock) - but we got him to the hospital and he was up and around in four/five days.

 

[ArlyA]

On a side bar to your excellent FA story. When I went through the Forest Service sawyer training mucky, muck, they said that the FS does not allow anyone to operate saws when by themselves because you'll bleed out, before you can make a phone call, or add a bandage to themself. So I no longer operate saws when alone.

When I was a junior & senior in high school - I worked for the Forest Service in the summer. We would occasionally even get to fight wildfires if they were out in the open sagebrush country. They would not allow us to do any type of suppression if the fire was in forested lands.

Anyhow - we mainly cut/split firewood for federal camp sites and brushed existing trails. I remember we had this weed-whacker type tool with a mini-chainsaw down on the business end. The guy using it got over ambitious and ended up with a couple very nasty chain saw "bites" on the front of his left leg.

All we had that would even begin to stem the flow of blood was adhesive tape and the paper from out lunch sacks. So we tore the lunch sacks into appropriate sized rectangles - applied over the gashing wounds - bound it all down with adhesive tape. We all agreed that our nasty, dirty, sweaty clothing would probably lead to some form of toxic blood infection.

We were three and a half miles down a forrest trail from our work truck. I can still remember taking turns with the three other guys - carrying this wounded guy back to the truck. I think the only thing that save the guy from bleeding to death was the adrenalin that the four of us had - carrying him back. He lost a LOT of blood - turned white as a sheet(probably shock) - but we got him to the hospital and he was up and around in four/five days.

 

[3930dave]

Good points and examples raised.

Having a few basic supplies with you can make a difference; I too like the original Ziploc (r) bags - reasonably tough and waterproof + easy to slip into just about any spot.

If anybody hasn't seen it, checkout Mitch's pics/info in post # 24. That's what lead me to buy this Smittybilt bag

Amazon.com: Smittybilt 769541 First Aid Storage Bag: Automotive

I like the overall design of the bag, and its flexibility for mounting and release. I bought several, and gifted one.

Rgds, D.

 

[ArlyA]

This Smittybilt bag might not be a deluxe choice for us. Everything gets so stinkn dirty and dust covered in the fall when its in our work UTV. Even wet when we wash the machine off and forget it in there. That's why we like those little plastic boxes which are waterproof.. For backpacks we like the zip bags since they are so flexible, they fit in anywhere.

Good points and examples raised.

Having a few basic supplies with you can make a difference; I too like the original Ziploc (r) bags - reasonably tough and waterproof + easy to slip into just about any spot.

If anybody hasn't seen it, checkout Mitch's pics/info in post # 24. That's what lead me to buy this Smittybilt bag

Amazon.com: Smittybilt 769541 First Aid Storage Bag: Automotive

I like the overall design of the bag, and its flexibility for mounting and release. I bought several, and gifted one.

Rgds, D.