First aid kits

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What's in yours?

I realized I don't have one anymore, and I really should. Sure, I could buy a ready-made one, but I don't want to end up with one that has useless stuff, or worse, is missing essential stuff.

Thoughts?
 
Band aids, alcohol, neosporine, gauze, ace bandages, Tylenol, gas x,Imodium,. More band aids.
 
According to the NWT Safety Act a first kit should contain, at a minimum, the following items:

An N.W.T. No. 1 first aid kit shall contain
(a) a current edition of the "First Aid Safety Oriented" manual published by the St. John
Ambulance Society;
(b) a first aid treatment record book;
(c) five pairs of disposable surgical latex gloves;
(d) two CPR pocket valve masks;
(e) the following bandages and dressings, each item of which is individually wrapped:
(i) 100 fabric adhesive bandages, assorted sizes,
(ii) six sterile pads, 7.6 cm square,
(iii) one sterile bandage compress, 10.2 cm square,
(iv) one sterile gauze bandage, 91.4 cm square,
(v) one 7.5 cm by 15 cm elastic pressure bandage (absorbent gauze pad sewn onto
elastic crepe bandage),
(vi) two sterile gauze eye pads, with tape,
(vii) two roller bandages, 5.1 cm by 5.5 m,
(viii) one roll of adhesive tape, 2.5 cm by 2.3 m,
(ix) two triangular bandages,
(x) four roller bandages, 5.1 cm by 5.5 m,
(xi) one elastic crepe bandage, 7.6 cm long;
(f) 12 large safety pins;
(g) one box of six antiseptic towelettes;
(h) one pair of stainless steel tweezers (splinter forceps); and
(i) one pair of stainless steel scissors (10.2 cm) with blunt bandage tip.
 
It may be just as easy to buy one of those big plastic tool box First Aid kits and use it as a foundation, liberally restocking as required
Otherwise I would just recommend making a basic kit up to have on hand at home, and a smaller kit to have in the car (if you regularly drive)

Basic kit really just needs: Band Aids, Bandages, antiseptic cream/spray (eg Savalon), antiseptic lotion (eg Detol) tweezers, bandages.

Keep a supply of Panadol and Imodium tablets in the house, whether its in the kit or a cupboard.These days a Rapid Antigen Kit or two may be added.
In Australia we also have mosquito repellant and bug sprays in the cupboard, but not necessarily in a First Aid kit, but often kept in the same place.

That's about all you need

(I'm a health care clinician, and I would not worry about a resus mask, as without regular training it is close to useless. I would familarise yourself with basic CPR compression techniques however, even if only via YouTube, as effective compressions is mainly what it is all about)
 
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Cold loaded
It may be just as easy to buy one of those big plastic tool box First Aid kits and use it as a foundation, liberally restocking as required

Otherwise I would just recommend making a basic kit up to have on hand at home, and a smaller kit to have in the car (if you regularly drive)

Basic kit really just needs: Band Aids, Bandages, antiseptic cream/spray (eg Savalon), antiseptic lotion (eg Detol) tweezers, bandages.

These days a Rapid Antigen Kit or two may be added.

Keep a supply of Panadol and Imodium tablets in the house, whether its in the kit or a cupboard.

In Australia we also have mosquito repellant and bug sprays in the cupboard, but not necessarily in a First Aid kit, but often kept in the same place.

That's about all you need

(I'm a health care clinician, and I would not worry about a resus mask, as without regular training it is close to useless. I would familarise yourself with basic CPR compression techniques however, even if only via YouTube, as effective compressions is mainly what it is all about)
Yeah I gather CPR has moved towards compression being the most important part and breathing being much more secondary than when I was in highschool. Last CPR class I had was 10 years ago for infants. That made a big point about don't blow too hard for those little lungs.
 
Not for the first aid kid per se but I learned from my sister to keep aloe gel in fridge. The next person to get a sunburn will appreciate it.

I do this, too! It's great!
 
The only time I ever really needed a first aid kit the patient would have needed a tracheal tube. And, of course, somebody who knew how to insert it.
 
Band aids, alcohol, neosporine, gauze, ace bandages, Tylenol, gas x,Imodium,. More band aids.

That is basically my shop first aid kit except for the tummy stuff, if I need that I won't be hanging out in the shop. I do keep a couple of bottles of drinking water handy as well, both for drinking and flushing an injury. I mostly focused on the minor injury stuff, band aids to 4x4 pads as those are the injuries I can treat on my own. I do have a couple of 6x9 trauma dressings and a large 11x17 abdominal dressing, but if I'm using those 911 is getting called because I probably cut something off. Speaking of that I did throw some sandwich bags in the kit as well.

Commercial first aid kits have a lot of unnecessary fluff. Maybe useful in a work environment, but not so much in a personal kit. I just went to a local drug store and spent about $30 on bandages, neosporin etc. I added a small bottle of Tylenol mostly for convinence, nice not to have to walk upstairs if I'm getting a headache. I bought a plastic ammo can at Tractor Supply to store everything and keep it clean.


Bleeding control is the primary concern for most, unless you are out a ways from help. Even then you need to know how to use the other stuff for it to be useful. Bleeding control is pretty obvious in application and can be an immediate need.
 
I always buy mine from the same org that I get my first aid training from and they're pretty good. Will have to take a look at what is in it.
 
I define a first aid kit, is for minor things. So band aids, salve, Tylenol, anti diarrhea, and things of that nature. A trauma kit is for major injuries. It has a tourniquet, bandages, chest seals and the like. First ais kits are to treat small things so they don't become big things. Trauma kit are to take care of serious/immediate things. On my wilderness "adventures" I carry both. I have a pouch that holds a water bottle/thermos, and a first aid kit. Then I have an ifac/trauma kit attached to that with molle webbing. Usually a couple other small things depending on what I'm doing. I want to be ready. If something happens out in the wilderness, it's not like the ambulance is going to pull up in five minutes.
I'm a big believer in being ready for whatever. I think that most of us should get some medical training. There is a great chance of coming across, some sort of accident, or situation that requires medical knowledge/equipment in our daily lives. We should be ready for it. Be your own first responder.
 
My first aid kit is just one from walmart, with a few things added. (Tylenol and stuff like that.) My Trauma kit consists of the following,

Major Trauma

  • 1 x C-A-T® (Combat Application Tourniquet®) ORG
  • 1 x 6 in. Responder ETD (Emergency Trauma Dressing)
  • 1 x Compressed Gauze (4.5 in. X 4.1 yd)
  • 1 x QuikClot Bleeding Control Dressing
  • 1 x Emergency Survival Blanket- 52 in. x 84 in.

BANDAGES

  • 1 x Burntec® Burn Dressing, 4 in. x 4 in. (10 cm x 10 cm)
  • 10 x Flexible Fabric Bandage - 0.75 in. x 3 in.
  • 1 x Wound Closure Strip (Pack of 10)
  • 2 x Gauze Pads - 4 in. x 4 in. (Pack of 2)
  • 2 x Gauze Pads - 2 in. x 2 in. (Pack of 2)
  • 1 x Clear Adhesive Dressing - 4 in. x 4.75 in.
  • 1 x Clear Adhesive Dressing - 2.375 in x X 2.75 in.
  • 1 x Silver Bandage - 2 in. x 2 in.
  • 1 x Silver Bandage - 4 in. x 4.5 in.
  • 2 x Petrolatum Gauze 3 in. x 18 in.
  • 1 x Flat Fold Surgical Tape – (4 strips, 2 in. x 12 in.)

WOUND CARE

  • 1 x Irrigation Syringe, 10 cc

SPLINTING

  • 1 x Triangular Bandage - 40 in. x 40 in. x 56 in.

EYE CARE

  • 2 x Polycarbonate Eye Shield (PES)

PERSONAL PROTECTION AND ACCESSORIES

  • 1 x Bear Claw Nitrile Trauma Gloves–LG (1 pair)
  • 1 x Trauma Shears, Small
  • 1 x Permanent Marker- Blk, Small
  • 1 x Penlight
  • 1 x CPR Microshield Mask
  • 1 x Splinter Forceps - 4.5 in.
  • 1 x Mini Duct Tape- 2 in. x 100 in.
Solo IFAK from North American Response
 
Here's the list from the kit I have, it is a workplace-level kit.

Blanket (1)
14 cm x 19 cm wound cleansing towelettes (24)
Sterile adhesive dressings (50)
10 cm x 10 cm sterile gauze dressings (10)
10 cm x 16.5 cm sterile pressure dressings with crepe ties (4)
7.5 cm x 4.5 m crepe roller bandages (2)
7.5 cm conforming gauze bandages (2)
2.5 cm x 4.5 m adhesive tape (1)
Cotton triangular bandages (2)
Quick straps (a.k.a. fracture straps or zap straps) (2)
Windlass style tourniquet (1)
14 cm stainless steel bandage scissors (1)
11.5 cm stainless steel silver forceps Pocket mask with a one-way valve and oxygen inlet (1)
Pairs of vinyl gloves (6)
Waterproof waste bag (1)
First aid records Face shield (2)
Earloop masks (6)
 
I know it's overkill for home use but I got a kit from Costco for like 80 bucks because I am too lazy to curate my own selection. Better to have it and not need it etc. etc

I am not a doomsday prepper by any means but I do maintain a small store of essentials like water, fire extinguisher, flashlights, dry/canned food, etc. so my spouse and I are not completely fucked in a disaster.
 
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Last week at work, we had a training where some Chicago EMTs came and talked to us about various safety topics. They gave us each a kit. It's specifically a "stop the bleed" kit, so it's very good for that, but lacks some of the more general-purpose stuff.
 
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