OK, here are the contents of the first-aid kits we keep in the cars and house. Note that these are way too much for a simple accident; they are intended to support several people over several days and deal with a wide range of injuries and conditions. I have a reduced ‘accident kit’ that I carry on my motorcycle, and a much smaller one I carry in a pocket in my riding suit.
Things to wipe, clean, and disinfect with:
Qty Item
6 Povidone-Iodine Prep
4 Benzalkonium Chloride Wipe
10 Povidone-Iodine Ointment (in zip lock)
5 Neosporin
1 Eyewash/cleaner (Benzalkonium Chloride)
1 Tincture of Benzoin or Mastisol
15 Instant tears
1 Sheet Moleskin
1 Sheet NuSkin
Bandages, splints, wraps
Qty Item
10 Band-Aids
10 Telfa Non-Stick Sterile Pad
5 Shur-Strip Skin Closures
2 rolls Tape, Adhesive, Surgical, Camo. (cloth)
1 roll Tape, Transpore
4 x 4 Gauze Pads
2 Eye Pad
4 Bandage, Muslin, Compressed, Camo. (Gauze Bandage)
1 Splint, (SAM)
6 Dressing, First-Aid, Field, Individual. (Battle Dressing)
1 Bandage, Elastic (ACE Wrap) 2″
1 Bandage, Elastic (ACE Wrap) 4″
3 Bandage, Cohesive, Flexible (Co-ban, Co-flex, Vet. Wrap)
1 ACS Chest Seal
1 12″ x 24″ 3/8 wet suit material
5′ Gaffer Tape (not duct tape)
Tools
Qty Item
1 Penlight, Exam
1 CPR Shield
1 CPR Mask
10 pair Gloves, Nitrile, Examination (in zip lock)
6 Zip lock bags
1 EMT Shears/scissors/tweezers/penlight in pouch
1 Pocket Medic Book
1 Recovery Blanket
3 Instant Cold Pack
5 paper thermometers
1 Metal mirror
1 box Waterproof matches
1 stick Wax firestarter
4 Batteries for penlight
1 Bulb for penlight
Medicines
Qty Item
2 packs Tums
2 tubes Tylenol
20 Motrin
10 Imodium
10 Benadryl
1 vial Ipecac Syrup
6 Burn Gel
plus misc family prescriptions (things we take chronically or that might be useful)
The base kits were designed by John Holschen of Insights Training, Inc., and have proved to be extremely useful over the last several years.
People do look at you a bit askance when you pull it out of the back of the car…it fits into a standard military-surplus field medical pouch…but I wouldn’t be without it.
Obviously, the tools are relatively useless without a fair amount of training, and I thank John and my various First Responder instructors for all of that.
I’ve gotten useful additions and comments from folks more experienced than I in the past, and welcome comments and suggestions from readers.
Most of the products here are available from Gall’s or Emergency Medical Products.
JK Note: Insn’taPundit thinks this little kit could have real Homeland Security implications, as part of a “swarm, not herd” defense strategy.
For the uninitiated, might you please explain the difference between duct tape and gaffer’s tape? And why it makes a difference? I’m sure a great many people would be interested.
Sorry…gaffer tape is widely used by professional photographers and the movie industry; it sticks about 90% as well as duct tape (which was originally used to permanently seal air conditioning ducts), but comes off with no residue.
It’s non-cheap…
A.L.
Surprised there’s no Tetracycline or other antibiotics in the kit. These days, Cipro might be a good addition too – especially if you’re an Israeli.
I’m not sure an antibiotic would be a good thing to have in a first aid kit. There’s a surprisingly large portion of the population that tends to be allergic to some AB’s, and unless you’ve got the proper meds to fight that allergic reaction, those anti-biotics might do more harm than good. I’m not an expert by any means though.
You can get triple-antibiotic neosporin…works great for abrasions.
Antibiotics in general, though, aren’t very useful in a field environment; if you’re the kind of person who has this kit, your primary job is to stabilize a life-threatening injury. Antibiotics and other second/third line meds can be given at a hospital. An epi kit, on the other hand…:)
Of course I’m paranoid, but am I paranoid enough?
I’ve got a small med kit and a CPR kit on my motorcycle. I’ve been trained on CPR, and bought the kit from Gall’s. Just a microshield, gloves, bio-hazard bag and asprin. Med kit is iodine, gauze, bandages, tweezers, ibuprofen, neosporin. Also, some bungee cords for luggage, splinting or a turniquet in a pinch.
I’ve found that most of the time this covers any problems I have. Luckily, I haven’t needed the CPR kit, but it’s better to have it and not need it, ya know?
People should carry a card listing:
– physician(s)
– medical conditions
– medications currently taking
– allergies
I you’re unconscious, we can’t ask you.
I actually have some antibiotics and painkillers as a part of “our prescription drugs” part of the kit, but would only give them to the people they were prescribed to (i.e. I know they aren’t allergic, plus I’m not breaking the law). Have though about adding some iodine tablets, though.
Yeah, good point on the card. My SO and I made up little biz card size papers with medical, personal, insurance, and contact information, and laminated them. I think I have 4 in various pockets on my Aerostich riding suit, plus one in my wallet, plus one in the registration/papers envelope on the bikes, along with a $100 bill.
A.L.
Ipecac is not used anymore in most places. It was thought that emesis would bring up the offending item and so decrease the potential for contamination, but that hasn’t proven true, and you lose significant fluid in the vomitus. Eye patchs likewise are not much in use. A cup to put over an injured globe would be more useful – it keeps the eye protected and doesn’t allow anything to get to the globe until medical personnel can assess it. More gauze 4×4’s would always be useful. EMT scissors are worth their weight in gold, as are tweezers, but they must be really good quality. Much out there just doesn’t work well. Imodium might make someone think he’s better but really isn’t terribly useful, while a good anti-emetic WOULD be useful. Consider adding a magnesium stick match as firestarter (you scrape the mag stick and get sparks) — we carried them on our flight suits as an all-weather match. Pretty good, overall.
A number of my riding buddies have taped basic medical information (blood type, major medical allergies, “DO NOT REMOVE HELMET!!!”) across the chinbar of their full-face helmets. Seems like a pretty good plan to me.
Care to expand upon the medikit you carry on your bike? I’ve been needing to put one together, but am waffling on the amount of stuff I can carry under my seat.
Immodium isn’t going to help when it comes to digestive problems but it does help make you able to travel if necessary. (It’s hard to get far when you double up with cramps every ten or fifteen minutes.)
Duct tape was originallt developed by the US armed forces to seal bullet holes in WW2 aircraft.
I think it’s use for ducts came later. I could be wron about all this.
The Navy version is called HP tape. HP beng high pressure. It can be used to seal air, water, and steam lines up to 15 psi.
Some tags with string ties and a pencil are a good idea if you carry meds, to write down and attach to patient any meds given.
Especially important in the case of pain meds.
May I suggest hydrogen peroxide? You have to keep renewing it because light degrades it (to water), but it is terrific in open wounds.
I would add some HEPA masks (formerly known as TB masks); in a situation with dust, including the most likely types of dirty bombs, it would keep toxins out of your lungs.
We export cohesive elastic bandage and medical dressings.Our website is http://www.ruipucn.com,welcome to browse it and contact us.Thank you.
For bug out kits:
Don’t forget
Sanitary pads for the women in your group
A list worked out in advance of the things you want to take say if you have 30′ ot evacuate:
Legal documents
Photo albums
Camping gear
Comfort items for kids age 2-7
Can opener
In times of high stress, you won’t think clearly and its good to have a check list.
Also, for the get home kits :
a map of the area you may have to navigate
It’s been years since the last post here. I would say things have changed in this time. Nonetheless here’s my $ worth of input.
Build your own 72-Hour Kit.
Keep in mind that the list below is suggested requirements for two (2) persons.
Ideally you would want a one (1) person kits for each family member. My family
keeps a four (4) person deluxe survival kit at home that we’ve added other essentials
to, and each of us keeps a one (1) person kit in our automobiles. Use your best
judgment.
*Warmth & Shelter Items*
• 1 Deluxe 2-Person 8′ Tube Tents
• 1 Wool Emergency Blanket
• 2 Survival Sleeping Bags
• 1 Emergency Rescue Blanket (yellow)
• 2 Emergency Solar Blankets
• 2 Emergency Ponchos
*Cooking, Heating, & Light Items*
• 1 36 Hour Emergency Candle
• 1 Deluxe Quality Flashlight
• 2 Flashlight Batteries
• 2 12 Hour Instant Light Sticks
• 1 Adjustable Heat/Cooking Stove
• 1 Stove Heat-Gel Fuel
• 2 Metal Cups for Drinking & Heating Water
• 48 Waterproof Matches
• 4 Emergency 18hr Body Heat-Packs
*Water & Hygiene Items*
• 12 5yr Shelf-life Drinking Water Pouches (4.2 oz. each)
• 1 2.5 Gallon Water Carrier (pre-fill prior to evacuation)
• 10 Water Purification Tablets
• 1 Small Roll Tissue Packet
• 3 Sanitary Disposable Toilet Bags
• 1 Soft Toilet Tissue Roll
• 4 Clothes Wrap Bags
• 1 Bar of Soap
• 2 Toothbrushes
• 1 Tube of Toothpaste
• 1 Hair Combs
• 18 Wet Wipes
*First-Aid*
• 1 Deluxe First-Aid Kit with 60 Essential First Aid Items
• 1 First Aid Book
• 4 Surgical Latex Gloves
• 5 Sanitary Napkins
• 2 Oral Re-hydration Electrolyte Drink
*Food Items*
• 6 Complete Meal Units
• 2 3600 Calorie Emergency Food Bar
• 1 Bag of High Energy Candy
• 6 Emergency Energy Drink Packets
*Miscellaneous Survival Items*
• 1 Premium Heavy-Duty Nylon 3-Way Carrying Storage Bag
• 1 Solar Dynamo AM/FM Radio w/ Four Way Power
• 1 Tri-Folding Emergency Shovel
• 1 50′ Nylon Utility Cord
• 14 Potassium Iodide Tablets (for Radiation Emergencies)
• 1 Emergency Survival Whistle
• 1 Deluxe Sewing Kit with Needle, Thread, & Buttons
• 1 Swiss Type 15 Function Pocket Knife
• 1 Pair of Leather Gloves
• 2 Hospital Grade Folding Surgical Masks
• 1 Notepad
• 1 Writing Pen
• 1 Pencil
• 1 Deck of Playing Cards
*recently added to this list is and evac escape hood.*
You can visit our website http://www.firstaidkits-direct.con
or contact us anytime. We have resources for emergency preparedness.
Thanks for the list of items for these kits. Next month I start interstate traveling on my motorcycle and would like a list of the items of the motorcycle first aid kit and the motorcycle jacket first aid kit. My longest trip will be next May and will be approximately three months, 7-8 thousand miles, two Canadian states and 10 US states. Thank you.
dont forget, for people that may be deathly allergic to many many things out there (bee stings, medicines, foods), benadryl isnt going to act fast enough. talk to your doctor and get epinephrine auto injectors, called epi-pens, prescribed to you and learn how to use them on yourself and others in case of anaphylaxis.