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

[paulsharvey]

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.

Some trained medical professionals are required. There is a catch; that i discussed with my mom, an RN (my wife is as well); your an RN in Florida, you stop in Ga, are you a nurse, a good Samaritan, or an unlicensed provider? I do think they are Legally required, but as a condition of the license?

Anyways; that is why they tell nurses (and paramedics) dont put that crap on your car, your shirt, ect.

 

[paulsharvey]

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

Yes and No. They still can generally go after you for injuries resulting from the help, negligence, ect; and none of that protects from blood born pathogens, combative "patients", or the stress of them dying.

Our class, they pointed out, once you start rendering aid, you Are obligated to continue aid until relieved, or you physically are no longer able to render aid.

Edit: Just cause the instructor told us that, does not make it fact...

 

[paulsharvey]

Im no lawyer, but that good faith, gross negligence, ect seems to include enough grey to some lawyers that you very well could get punished for trying to do the "right" thing. They dont have to win to disrupt your life. He'll, if nothing else, you could Easily be called to multiple depositions, and waste days of your life.

 

[sunandsand]

Sad state of affairs when someone who can render aid is afraid to do it because of some obscure laws.

"Our pilot just died, can anyone here fly an airplane?"
"I can, but I won't because I'm not multi-engine rated."
Boom.

(Actually, the FAA is slightly smarter than that. You can break ANY FAA rule or regulation to save lives.)

Back on topic, I have a couple of halfway decent first aid kits from Humana. They're free, but fairly basic and for home use, but they are a start, and the tough plastic case would survive living somewhere on my tractor.

Best Regards,
Mike/Florida

 

[paulsharvey]

So, on the topic, not on to treat or not;
You kinda need to look at it as, really minor, you really dont need much or anything; really major, you're calling 911, although you might need to slow a bleed for 20 minutes. I look at a first aid kit for the, needs something, but not going to hospital; stuff like nails though the hand/foot; heavy bleeding cut, ect. Tape and gause do that well. Eye flush, ect. Gloves, although, in the field, they Often rip. Most come with alcohol wipes, but a 4 oz squeeze bottle is better to flush the trash out...

The odds of a general civilian treat a GSW is as close to zero as possible; you're not going to sow up wounds, diagnose a heart attack vs stroke, treat a snake bite, ect. Dig out a fish hook, yep, machete cut in the hand, yep, nail through hand, sure. 80-20 rule

All of that changes depending on distance to ER. Around here, it's hard to be more than 30 mins to some emergency room; Wyoming, or something, that might be 1h30m

 

[paulsharvey]

At work, (generally sub contractors, not our own guys); nailing though skull, cut off finger, machete cut on leg, concrete saw blade broken and in jaw bone; a wodded up tee shirt works better than most kits. Falls, car hits, ect; your just not able to see the damage to do anything about

 

[Shenandoah MF1760]

My most recent addition to my kit is Dramamine.

Never Have I thought of it as something I'd need, but after a bout of nystagmus, where I stood up and the world fell over, I've been told by my ENT to keep some around. As a former sailor it kind of chaffs me to have it.

Duct tape is good stuff. I was replacing a broken window and sliced my wrist open. I bent my wrist to close the wound and then wrapped it in duct tape and drove to the emergency room. Got 6 stiches for my trouble.

 

[paulsharvey]

My most recent addition to my kit is Dramamine.

Never Have I thought of it as something I'd need, but after a bout of nystagmus, where I stood up and the world fell over, I've been told by my ENT to keep some around. As a former sailor it kind of chaffs me to have it.

Duct tape is good stuff. I was replacing a broken window and sliced my wrist open. I bent my wrist to close the wound and then wrapped it in duct tape and drove to the emergency room. Got 6 stiches for my trouble.

Most pre-made kits include scissors; but if making your own kit, consider you are likely working 1 handed; so simple stuff like pulling the tape apart becomes harder.

Most pre-made kits do Not include a knife of any sort, and a cheap, sharp one can come in handy.

Finger nail clippers are good at removing large splinters

I dont know that its "first aid" but some liquid IV, pedalite; or similar; heat stroke is deadly.

A lighter might be good, as now days few people carry one;

Edit; in my experience, actually first aid is mostly, either tape and gause, or 911.

 

[Jams AB]

Responder shears for cutting clothing or bandages.

 

[Topzide]

Electrical tape and paper towels are my go to for first aid.

 

[JasperFrank]

"Our class, they pointed out, once you start rendering aid, you Are obligated to continue aid until relieved, or you physically are no longer able to render aid."
I got that also in the CPR classes, and for some stupid reason I always volunteered to be the CPR person. Nope... not anymore. and at the last placed worked at, the question was asked, who wanted to be the CPR person. Full day with pay for two hours training! No one else... also... volunteered. The one co-worker that was of concern, had denture breath that could remove paint. So management had to take the classes.

 

[Balazar]

When I'm running my chainsaw, I have chaps on and there is an IFAK on them with a tourniquet, Israeli bandage, clotting gauze, sucking chest wound patch, scissors, nitrile gloves, a sharpie, nasal nasopharyngeal airway, elastic bandage, and a cap for my water bottle and salt packet to to use my water bottle as eyewash. All of that fits into a small IFAK pouch with molly loops. the tourniquet is in a velco pocket on the outside for quick deployment. I keep IFAK's like this in each vehicle, the tractor, on my hunting saddle, my chainsaw chaps/suspenders, next to my workbench and in the kitchen next to the fire extinguisher. If there is an emergency, band aids and antiseptic are useless. Everyone should have some basic emergency response training. That first aid kit that came in your Audi is useless in a car accident. It's for scraped knees and period cramps.

 

[paulsharvey]

"Our class, they pointed out, once you start rendering aid, you Are obligated to continue aid until relieved, or you physically are no longer able to render aid."
I got that also in the CPR classes, and for some stupid reason I always volunteered to be the CPR person. Nope... not anymore. and at the last placed worked at, the question was asked, who wanted to be the CPR person. Full day with pay for two hours training! No one else... also... volunteered. So management had to take the classes.

They also no longer recommend breaths, just chest compressions, if its solo. I guess they have found 1 person can't keep up more than just a couple minutes of compressions and breaths.

 

[Torvy]

Some of these ideas are great. Be sure you know how to use/dispense the stuff in your kit.

Getting caught with distributing prescription drugs isn't good either.

Prevention is the best first aid.

 

[CalG]

4x4 gauze
a couple triangular cravats
a couple rolls of cling
Good tweezers and a small hand glass.

Always in the truck,
Lots more in my work vest ;-)
(ski patrol)

 

[JasperFrank]

Some of these ideas are great. Be sure you know how to use/dispense the stuff in your kit.

Getting caught with distributing prescription drugs isn't good either.

Prevention is the best first aid.

I think practice is the best first aid. And I don't how exactly how you do this, but I sometimes, I just practice, in a fake sort of way. On just me to see if I have every thing and if I can do it. It feels silly some times.
But I do find that my kit is out dated. So that gets changed out.

 

[D&D]

Here’s an interesting local incident, wrap with guaze or?

Man Flown to Trauma Center After Shooting in Waldorf, Police Investigating As Self-Inflicted

On Sunday, August 11, 2025, at approximately 7:51 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the parking lot of Bunker Hill Liquor Store and Tavern located at 9800 Bunker Hill Road in Waldorf, for the reported shooting.

smnewsnet.com

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

They also no longer recommend breaths, just chest compressions, if its solo. I guess they have found 1 person can't keep up more than just a couple minutes of compressions and breaths.

At my last refresher they went back to doing breaths.

 

[Balazar]

Here’s an interesting local incident, wrap with guaze or?

Man Flown to Trauma Center After Shooting in Waldorf, Police Investigating As Self-Inflicted

On Sunday, August 11, 2025, at approximately 7:51 p.m., police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded to the parking lot of Bunker Hill Liquor Store and Tavern located at 9800 Bunker Hill Road in Waldorf, for the reported shooting.

smnewsnet.com

Castration band and cauterize? This is how natural selection works.

 

[Jstpssng]

Prevention is the best first aid

Agreed.

When I was contract cruising I was on my own; I'd leave town with my dog for weeks at a time and never had anybody to check in with. That put the honus on me to be safe.
One day I was the first outsider on the scene when a hiker had taken a bad fall. By the time I got there he was diseased deceased... his sightless eyes staring at the sky.
For a long time after that if I was thinking about doing something dicey, a vision of those eyes would appear in my mind and I'd think "let's find a better way." We were down in Vermont on crusty snow and I was skiing quite a bit on my anowshoes so as we headed down a steep hill I decided to take them off and wade the snow. 100 yards later we came on a beautiful scenic vista... overlooking a cliff I probably would have gone over if I'd still been on snowshoes.

At my last refresher they went back to doing breaths.

The instructor of the course I took this spring said the same.