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

[ArlyA]

So, I'm assuming personal and/or family use, or your specific crew if work...

I'll share what our first aid teacher (a paramedic and trained first aid teacher), at work said; "this is for yourself and immediate family, or as required by work; I would Not recommend stopping and offer aid outside of those situations, to the general public"

We would offer 1st aid.

 

[ACfixer]

Along with your basics, and by that I stripped down about half of the stupid lotions and Band-Aids that were in there to make room, I have a surgical skin patch, two dermabond pens, and a surgical stapler. And a tourniquet of course. To get real dermabond is kind of expensive, I happen to know somebody in the medical field most namely a doctor that got me a couple cases of the pens. I keep them in every vehicle and every pack. It's like flexible super glue and it's awesome for stopping bleeding. Get some if you can. This is not to be construed as medical advice, just my opinion.

 

[D&D]

I might see if I can find a place to take this course.

Try the county EMS and/or health dept. County volunteers get free training

 

[D&D]

We would offer 1st aid and do.

Great, most states have decent "good Samaritan " laws in place. Some states have laws that can be held against you if you don't offer help/aid.

 

[ArlyA]

Try the county EMS and/or health dept. County volunteers get free training

We found the basic 1st aid course to be 90% worthless and when you ask "there is no cell service where we do trail work" the educator would then get a confused look on there face. In contrast with the solo back country course we found 150% worth it.

 

[Mike0616]

That blood clotting gauze is fantastic stuff. I hadda use it for the first time when I sliced a 1/8 thick chunk off of my finger. There was no replacing the sliced of skin so the clinic put that clotting gauze on the prolifically wound and the bleeding stopped. I now have some at home. Blood Stop is the brand name but there are others.
Eric

Also available is the blood stop powder that you can use to stop bleeding of cuts. Haven't ever had to use mine but is really needed for anyone on blood thinners who gets more than just a scratch, IMO. (I am on blood thinners and a shaving cut requires a special styptic fluid to stop bleeding.).

 

[D&D]

We found the basic 1st aid course to be 90% worthless and when you ask "there is no cell service where we do trail work" the educator would then get a confused look on there face. In contrast with the solo back country course we found 150% worth it.

Ummm, that was in response to a Stop the Bleed course. Basic first aid usually doesn't cover trauma like tourniquets would require, nor does it touch on triage for mass casualty incidents. Different training for different levels, needs. Different geographic areas have different hazards too, ie; mountain trail riding on east coast vs. Grand Canyon south rim

 

[Fxfymn413]

As 32 year EMT I'd say the most important aid you can carry is your common sense to keep from getting hurt and a cell phone to call 911, providing you have cell service. Of equal importance is knowing where you are so the responders can find you.

We travel with an RV and I always post the address we are at in the trailer at each stop. Believe me, nothing sucks like trying to find a critical patient when the reporting party doesn't have a clue of where they are.

Uncontrolled bleeding is the most probable critical injury and the first aid for that doesn't require anything more than direct pressure on the wound and maybe a tourniquet in very rare cases.

Take a CPR course and keep certified as well.

 

[ismilelots]

I've always made it a point to be prepared. This also includes fire extinguishers and first aid/trauma kits. In my truck, I carry a self made first aid/trauma kit. Most first aid kits are loaded with bandaids, lotions and aspirin. I wanted a kit that was better suited for job site or outdoor injuries. Like injuries from livestock, chainsaws, job site tools, gunshot or knife injuries. So, I put together a hybrid kit that has bleeding care supplies (clotting gauze etc.), tourniquet, sucking chest wound, splint, eyewash as well as a reasonable set of band aids.

I need to go through it and see if anything is outdated and needs replaced. I also need to see what I might want to add, like a blood pressure cuff and maybe some light surgical stuff.

Years ago, when I used to dove hunt, one of the members was a DR and he even packed plasma for the group hunting weekend. Lots of folks joked about it, but being prepared really isn't a joke. That same hunter/Dr is on my deerlease and I had him put together a good trauma kit for the deer camp. I also made every member provide an emergency contact number.

What does everyone else do for first aid/trauma kits?

My dad always had a hammer, duct tape and vicegrips. Said you could fix anything with those. But I have found a working fire extinguisher is also VERY helpful.

 

[marinusdees]

I've always made it a point to be prepared. This also includes fire extinguishers and first aid/trauma kits. In my truck, I carry a self made first aid/trauma kit. Most first aid kits are loaded with bandaids, lotions and aspirin. I wanted a kit that was better suited for job site or outdoor injuries. Like injuries from livestock, chainsaws, job site tools, gunshot or knife injuries. So, I put together a hybrid kit that has bleeding care supplies (clotting gauze etc.), tourniquet, sucking chest wound, splint, eyewash as well as a reasonable set of band aids.

I need to go through it and see if anything is outdated and needs replaced. I also need to see what I might want to add, like a blood pressure cuff and maybe some light surgical stuff.

Years ago, when I used to dove hunt, one of the members was a DR and he even packed plasma for the group hunting weekend. Lots of folks joked about it, but being prepared really isn't a joke. That same hunter/Dr is on my deerlease and I had him put together a good trauma kit for the deer camp. I also made every member provide an emergency contact number.

What does everyone else do for first aid/trauma kits?

A breech loading syringe, some disposable needles, some carpules of a local anesthetic (think, xylocaine??).

 

[Fields_mj]

I put together trauma kits for our house and vehicles a few years ago. I do some part time work as a firearms instructor, hunt a lot, and run chainsaws quite a bit. My wife is a RN. Over the course of about 12 months, she was first on scene to 3 different car wrecks, 2 with fatalities, and a guy in our hunting group lost one of his golf buddies to an inadvertent self inflicted knife wound to the groin. It made me realize that it would REALLY suck not to have a couple of basic tools available to save someone's life, especially if it was a mine, a friend, or family member. Statistically, you are a LOT more likely to need a torniquet than a firearm, so I made made it a priority to have those tools accessible.

My kits contain at least one torniquet, a 4" Israeli bandage, at least 2 rolls of gauze (ROLLS not squares), trauma shears, one role of quick clot gauze, some tubes of quick clot powder, 2 packages of 4x4 gauze squares, a roll of cloth athletic tape, and some super glue. In the ones in my car, truck, and range bag there are also a pair of baggies and some rolled up duct tape to make chest seals with. I need to add something for glucose. The athletic tape, 4x4 gauze, and super glue are replacements for band aids. I've intentionally limited everything else to things that will hurt when you use them, but will keep blood in your body until you get to the hospital. When the adrenaline hits and someone is likely to blead out in the next 20 sec, I don't want to have to sort through a bunch of creams, stents, lotions, and cleansers to find the tools I need. Even the gauze, 4x4s, tape, and quick clot powder are segregated into their own area to keep them out of the way. Trauma kits are not first aid kits.

A couple of notes. 1. Its not a good idea to pack a wound with gauze squares. It's very easy for the ER team to miss one when they are trying to put you back together, and that's a very common source for serious infection. Use gauze rolls because its all in one piece. Even if you have to use more than one roll, the ER team is less likely to miss a strip of gauze that's 3 feet long than they are a 4" square tucked back into the corner of a wound somewhere. 1B Its called wound packing for a reason. Its not possible to pack a wound with too much gauze, but its entirely possible not to pack the wound with enough gauze. Pack it tight! 2. Cheap torniquets are better than no torniquets, but not by a whole lot. We buy cheap ones to use for training, and they often break. Because I needed several, I started out with cheap ones off Amazon, and then replaced them one by one with good ones (CAT or SOF-T). Also be aware of where you buy them from. Just because the Amazon seller says that its a CAT torniquet doesn't mean that its not a cheap Chinese knock off. This is something worth buying from a reputable supplier. 3. Medical tape doesn't stick to something that's covered in blood, sweat and dirt but duct tape does. I've had several people swear that their surgical tape will stick to anything. I'll take them out on the range in the middle of august, and after a few hours worth of drills, I'll have them try their wonder tape on my arm. None of it ever sticks, but duct tape will still pull the hair off my arm every time.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

I bought two Rotopax, first aid boxes, (Amazon.com: RotopaX RX-FA -EMPTY First Aid Kits , Orange : Health & Household), and had a few friends who are EMTs, and taught my advanced first aid class, fill them up and show me how to use the contents. A couple of torniquets, Israeli battle dressings, several finger splints, bunch of band-aids, bandage scissors, Leatherman Raptor Rescue tool, and a few eye wash bottles.

 

[JasperFrank]

Great, most states have decent "good Samaritan " laws in place. Some states have laws that can be held against you if you don't offer help/aid.

I know of no such laws that requires anyone to render aid. I'm not being snippy here, just say'en my understanding is entirely different. And of course if aid is needed, I'd try my best and damn the lawyers for later. My understanding is that willful non-involvement is protected.

 

[WM75Guy]

Lots of misinformation about "stop and render aid" laws. The only requirement in Texas to stop and render aid is if you are the operator of a vehicle involved in a collision. I have been a Texas paramedic for 45 years, an RN for 17 years, and was a peace officer for 15 years. Would hear in classes that I needed to stop, as it was the law. When pressed for details it was always anecdotal information not supported by fact, i.e. "I heard it in another class". If others have stopped, I continue on my way. No need to add to the congestion to the scene.

 

[Tinhack]

I know of no such laws that requires anyone to render aid. I'm not being snippy here, just say'en my understanding is entirely different. And of course if aid is needed, I'd try my best and damn the lawyers for later. My understanding is that willful non-involvement is protected.

I believe California does. Other laws apply to doctors, nurses, EMTs and firemen only. I don't know how much Grit you possess but I sure couldn't stand by and watch someone die if I knew I could help somehow.

 

[ArlyA]

All states have different good Good Samaritan laws and most will protect those who are trying to help.

 

[ruffdog]

A person should keep up on what clinics and hospitals are still open as some are shut down, especially in rural areas. I just learned from a friend that his clinic and hospital are being shut down. That was a known place for me to get medical service when working in that area too. If you need emergency help, you need to know if they are open!

 

[D&D]

I know of no such laws that requires anyone to render aid. I'm not being snippy here, just say'en my understanding is entirely different. And of course if aid is needed, I'd try my best and damn the lawyers for later. My understanding is that willful non-involvement is protected.

Doesn't mean nothing exists. Not up to me to figure it out for you either.

 

[JasperFrank]

Lahtos Law did a piece on this. And I was somewhat shocked by it. I guess it was later taken down as some states have enacted laws of personal response to offer aid. These are new laws. There are professional qualifications one might have to re-think having. Such as a Captain's 6 pak license qualification. I passed that test, but refused the qualification. Why, cause if anything goes wrong on a boat that I'm not even the captain of, I can be litigated, if something goes wrong, because I was the only person certified as a Cert Captain, and should have taken over and controlled the situation.
Its become very weird. As said earlier, I would never hesitate to assist. Its just better these days to have the training, but you don't have the Cert. Cause then if it all goes bad, you are just a regular Joe, and can't be later called incompetent or some form of malpractice in the aid you rendered.

 

[sunandsand]

Out of curiosity, asked ChatGPT for a summary of the Florida Good Samaritan laws. (ChatGPT has become reasonably good, but it is not a lawyer - so take this with a grain of salt - or several.)


------- start ---------

Florida Good Samaritan Act (F.S. § 768.13)
Who’s Protected:

Medical professionals (e.g., doctors, nurses, EMTs), Ordinary citizens, Licensed practitioners rendering care in emergencies (even outside their normal workplace)

(I note that I have a friend who is a Veterinary Surgeon - she says she could lose her license for working on people, even to save their lives.)


When It Applies:

During emergencies (accidents, injuries, medical crises, disasters, etc.), If the person acts in good faith, If the assistance is voluntary and not in exchange for compensation

Legal Protection:

You are not liable for civil damages for injuries or death caused while providing emergency care—as long as gross negligence or willful misconduct are not involved.

Florida Overdose Good Samaritan Law (F.S. § 893.21)

This statute is aimed at encouraging people to seek help in overdose situations.

Who’s Protected:

Anyone calling 911 or seeking help for a person experiencing a drug overdose, The overdose victim themselves

Legal Protection:

Protection from arrest, charge, prosecution, or penalty for possession of a controlled substance if the evidence was obtained as a result of seeking medical help.

Important Limits

The protection does not apply if:

You are grossly negligent or intentionally cause harm, You expect compensation, You are acting outside the scope of reasonable emergency aid.

--------- end ---------

(I guess part of that means if you try to help someone with a scalp wound by putting a tourniquet around their neck and you send them a bill, you'll be in trouble.)

I'll still stop and help, if I can.

Best Regards,
Mike/Florida