Based on comments from a previous post, here is some discussion of basic first aid kits.
FWIW, I like to build my basic kits and my much more capable ‘car kits’ around a makeup organizer or a toiletries organizer. I find them often in thrift stores and yard sales for only a buck or two.
New comments, or additions are in [square brackets]
nick
Dave says:
22 August 2015 at 15:18 (Edit)
Here are the contents of my under $10 first aid kit:
30 clear adhesive bandages
0.33 oz triple antibiotic ointment
50 extra strength acetaminophen tablets
50 alcohol prep pads
5 2×2 gauze pads
5 3×3 gauze pads
5 yards of 1/2″ adhesive tape
Everything listed above fits in a one quart zip top bag.
[I think you are a bit heavy on bandaids, and could use more styles. I like the fabric ones as they stick well. Consider having a couple of sizes of traditional shapes, plus finger tip and knuckle, and at least one big one for a skinned knee.]
nick says:
22 August 2015 at 20:15 (Edit)
Hey Dave, some things to think about adding,
tube of crazy glue (to glue skin, stings like fire but works)
wet naps (get some at chick fil a)
packets of sunscreen (like a condiment pack at fast food, might be in the sample size section of your store)
sunblock chapstick
fewer tablets,
gloves- vinyl if you are worried about latex allergies.
moleskin
scissors
flashlight
knife
[trauma shears are great, but a good sharp ‘kitchen’ style scissor works well. Any scissor is better than none, as long as it is sharp. For a knife, even a ‘wallpaper’ style disposable box cutter works- the kind with snap off blades. It’s cheap, sharp, and small.]
OR just buy one of these kits. I have several versions and like the quality and what’s included.
http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/medical-kits/adventure-first-aid-0-5.html
http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/medical-kits/adventure-first-aid-1-0.html
http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/medical-kits/adventure-first-aid-2-0.html
The 1.0 kit is a good balance of price and performance.
In general, you are right that you can put together a better kit for the money, but the Adventure Medical kits do a good job of proving that wrong (or LESS right.)
nick
BTW- great job taking that step! Keep adding to your preps!
[I still like the AdvMed kit as a starting point.]
Dave says:
23 August 2015 at 14:06 (Edit)
@nick
The first aid kit is intended to go in a vehicle emergency kit, which will be a little stripped down to start with. I’m betting that I’ll be there with a knife and a flash light that I’ll remember to grab the flash light out of the car. The other suggestions look like things I will want to add when I expand the kit.
The things I think are missing:
1. Oral rehydration salts.
2. A splint and a more effective pain reliever than acetaminophen.
3. A weeks supply of my prescription meds.
4. Some loratadine tablets.
The last item is for my wife, and the other things are things I actually could have used at one point or another. On our last vacation, my wife and I both could have used the oral rehydration salts. Would have made the vacation a little less memorable.
[the anti-diarrhea meds are a staple of my kit, and in my briefcase, and my boo boo kit. I don’t think you need anything stronger than Tylenol but you might want to consider fewer Tylenol tabs, and adding a few anti-inflammatory tabs, like Motrin, and a few anti-histamines, like Benadryl. I carry electrolyte salt tablets, for dehydration and hangover relief. Splints are likely overkill, and are pretty easy to improvise. ]
[I also think, due to the changing nature of the threat, that you need to consider gunshot or other trauma, even in a basic kit. I’d add 2 rolls of Kerlix and a couple of 4×4 gauze pads.
A penlight, a Sharpie marker, and a large safety pin would be good adds too. An instant cold pack is nice if you have the space.
You can still fit this into a pretty compact package, and it adds a great deal of capability.]
[Medical prep in general is a big topic and deserves more in depth coverage, but I’m gonna limit this post to the basic first aid kit.]
nick
ADDED_____________ 2pm
Finally found a couple of the others, so I’ll make this even more of a mega post!
-
[OFD asked if that all fit in the Samsonite toiletries bag]
yep all that fits in the little Samsonite bag. The bag goes into my range bag most of the time. Since I don’t travel with the range bag, the blowout kit goes into my carryon. I checked the TSA rules, and trauma shears meet the rules for allowed scissors, and they didn’t steal them on my last trip.
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says:
Ok, ‘boo boo kit’ in an altoids tin, goes in pocket whenever I go anywhere with the kids.
Loose, or in top half
6x assorted shapes and sizes fabric bandaids, incl one big enough for a scraped knee
3x sheets of rite-n-rain notepad paper.
3x imodium anti-diarrhea medtucked firmly and completely into the bottom half
6x alcohol wipes
1x single use triple antibiotic cream
1x small tube crazy glue
4x fabric knuckle bandaids
1x One third of a paper book of matches
1x wooden golf pencil
1x prethreaded sewing needle, 18 inch black thread, wrapped around pencil
1x lens cleaner wipe
2x stick of caffinated chewing gum (BlackBlack, from asia)
1x safety pinIt is a little puffy, and won’t quite stay closed by itself, so I have a rubber bracelet around the outside (like the ‘live strong’ bracelets)
I also wrote “med only” on it to remind myself not to put anything with a blade in it so I can take it on the plane.
If I had a small tweezer, I’d include that too. and since I carry a credit card sized magnifier in my wallet, I don’t need one in my kit.
I like toiletries organizers or cosmetics organizers for medical bags. They fold open flat, sometimes with a pouch that folds out again for a tri fold, they have zippered mesh pouches and elastic loops. They are super cheap at yard sales and thrift stores, and some of them are better quality than the chinese import tactical bags. No external molle, but that’s not a problem. I like them about 8 x 9 x 3 inches for truck bags. Big enough to hold a lot of supplies, small enough to fit under a seat. I wouldn’t recommend the classic ‘dopp’ bag, or any other that just zips open on the top (shaving bag). You want it to fold open and lay flat so you can see everything.
[nick]
Ok, I’ll bite, since I’m in serious work avoidance mode.
And I’ve got my ‘blowout kit’ right here in my range bag.
Small samsonite toiletries bag, about 2.5x4x7 inches, that unzips in a clamshell and lays flat.
Loose in the middle,
israeli bandage
trauma shears
medical tape
maglite (if you use led, it must have good color rendering)
3 pr gloves
in the loops on one side
4x sterile pad, 3×3 folded in half
1x roll kerlix
1x roll gauze
4x sterile pad, 3×3 folded in half
extra shears
in the zippered mesh pouch on the other side
8x assorted size and shape fabric bandaids
4x alcohol prep pads
2x single use Povidone-iodine ointment
4x kleenhanz antimicrobial moist towelettes
1x envelope of wound closure strips (steri-strips) 8 @3 inches
2x maxi-pads, full size, generic, no fragrance
1x package, 2 @4×4 topper dressing sponges
1x 4×4 Exuderm OdorShield (what I had handy as a chest seal)
1x black sharpie marker
1x sheet of paper, folded for notes
So there is some stuff in there that is not strictly gun shot treatment, but then I don’t have to carry another ‘boo boo’ kit (although I carry my altoids tin one whenever I’m with the kids.)
The bags in my vehicles are scaled up versions of the blowout kit, and include gorilla tape, more of everything, ice packs, etc. I’d have to get one out to go thru and list it all.
nick