Yesterday I talked about a med kit that’s being offered for sale that isn’t up to my standards. What followed in the comments was a pretty good conversation about the benefits of clotting agents, the appropriateness of duct tape and some really good suggestions as to what makes an “ideal” med kit for every day carry or to take to the range. Wanting to capitalize on that discussion, Dan asked me to write a quick article about what I’d include in a small, medium and large first aid kit. Here we go . . .
The basic concept behind different sized kits is that you want to start with the worst case scenario, include the items required to deal with that situation, then add additional items as space allows to deal with more minor situations. The same interventions that work well on major trauma tend to also be effective for minor injuries as well, but not the other way around. An Israeli bandage will work fine on smaller cuts, but a 2×2 piece of gauze isn’t going to work very well when you’ve sliced your leg open. So, when you’re making your kit, just remember to start from the top of the list and work your way down.
Minimalist (EDC) Kit:
- Triangle Bandage – $1
There are very few things in the medical world more useful than a triangle bandage. Tourniquet? Sling? Pressure dressing? A triangle bandage is all these things and more. I’d recommend grabbing two for your EDC kit, one for a TK and one for a pressure dressing, should the worst happen. - Quick Clot Dressing – $15
My earlier suggestion of Celox over Quick Clot was based on my memory of how much the old version burned like a motherf***er, but I’ve been assured that the problem has since been fixed. Clotting agents are great for getting control of moderate to severe bleeding, as the blood is typically flowing too fast to clot effectively on its own. This gauze pad has been soaked in quick clot, making it an ideal tool for stopping leaks in humans.
Small (“Operator Level”) Kit:
- Include all of the previous items, but add:
- Combat Application Tourniquet – $28.99
Triangle bandages work, but if you have more room than just a pocket in your trousers to store the gear, this is the first thing that should be on your list. - 4×4 Sterile Gauze – $6
Not every leak requires the “big guns” and clotting agents. Most of the time, direct pressure and a little gauze is good enough. This, plus a triangle bandage, will fix just about every non life-threatening bleeding issue.
Medium Kit:
- Include all of the previous items, plus:
- Kerlix Rolled Gauze – $4
Burns, large superficial lacerations, cuts in odd places… Kerlix does it all. A general purpose bandage that works in a wide range of situations. - 3M Coban Adhesive Wrap – $4
I freaking LOVE this stuff. Never use glue-based tape again to wrap your wounds, this stuff is designed to stick to itself without any glue or other sticky agents. Added bonus: it won’t stick to all the stuff in your pack.
Large Kit:
- Include all of the previous items, plus:
- Oral Glucose – $13
I’m a fan of the strawberry flavor myself, but it looks like Amazon doesn’t stock that. Oral glucose is used for diabetic emergencies where the patient’s blood glucose level drops too low. Or, it can be a delightful snack while you’re sitting around bored in the ambulance. Low glucose levels are a more immediate emergency than high glucose levels, so having a tube on hand makes sense. - NPA Kit – $18
This is the level at which I would include the nasopharyngeal airways, and I would include the full kit and not just the “one size fits all” version. If you’re going to use one, you should have enough training to know how to properly size it to the patient as well. - SAM Splint – $7
Helpful in immobilizing broken limbs or bad cuts. Use with the triangle bandages and self-adhesive wrap for best results. - Flares – $156
Getting the patient to definitive care is the most important thing in emergency medicine. And if you’re in the middle of the woods, the fastest way might be setting up a landing zone for a helicopter and airlifting the injured person out. Four flares work wonders in that capacity.
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I hope that old timer isn’t holding a .40 cal sub2000 or it’ll blow up in his face like mine did; just saying.
Nothing focuses the mind like the muzzle of an AR-15
This incident will be used to justify 1.6 Billion rounds of ammo, count on it.
My 5 year old daughter has a crickett. Just as I taught my older boys to handle firearms safely I have and will do the same with her. If they never shoot again on their adult life that is fine. However, I as a parent will have done my due diligence to try and protect them from “accidents”. If they happen to come across a pistol or rifle in any setting they know how to clear and handle both.
Didn’t a cop pop himself in the leg at a school demonstrating firearms safety? I think it made IGOTD around here.
You have to be a special kind of stupid to try to rob someone in the UP. There are a lot of guns, and a lot of people who know how to use them up there. And a lot of woods for someone to disappear in, too.
Gloves should be on everyone of those kits. I would also include medical shears and a CPR barrier.
I heard New England fracking will cause all of New England to break off and fall into the ocean. Hip, hip hurray
All the problems CA has, this one get’s new funding.
They should disarm the politicians, especially this winner.
I had two sisters once. Now I have but one. The other shot herself in the chest with a handgun. I did not attend her funeral. But I cannot and will not blame the gun.
“People who own guns are not necessarily who you’d expect. They can have very liberal views, they can be vegetarian or vegan and they may not be part of the gun culture.”
Yes well when these people vote a byproduct seems to be more gun control. Susan may personally hold special views on guns but that’s not the norm amongst the liberal crowd.
About time there was a site for us graybeards. Skimmed over the first page looks interesting. Will go back to check it out.
i’m sure this has already been touched on, but training is KEY. knowing WHEN and HOW to use a tourniquet (or any of the items listed here for that matter) can’t be stressed enough. there are all kinds of basic and and advanced first-aid training classes out there. this is probably more important than anything else.
some other things i’d add to the more advanced kits would be:
– burn gel
– occlusive dressing for sucking chest wounds (assuming you have the training to ID them)
– adaptic dressings (or other non-stick dressings)
– trauma shears
– a long 14g angiocath for needle decompressions (assuming you have the training and can actually legally get your hands on one that is… they don’t just let anybody buy intravenous needles for some odd reason… lol)
– don’t forget latex (or non-latex if there are allergies at play) gloves. LOTS. can’t tell you how many times i’ve gone to put a glove on before an EMS run at work and the dang thing rips right apart.
– and MORE DRESSINGS. you can never have too many 4x4s, abd pads, multi-trauma dressings and kerlix! 🙂
as for tourniquets, it’s true that they’re not AS useful for gunshots as they are for blast and crush type injuries. *most* of the time, direct pressure, elevation and arterial pressure points will work fine – ESPECIALLY if you don’t have major arterial bleeding. can’t hurt to have one available though because ONCE in a blue moon it’ll come in handy.
our local protocols just recently began allowing us to use hemostatic dressings – specifically the z-fold-type dressings that are designed to pack wounds. however we were told to never use them in the chest or abdominal cavity but they didn’t ever say why NOT. seems to me like those would be two of the most useful places for it! anybody have any idea on this?
I was glad to see someone mention a dressing for sucking chest wounds. My training calls for using the cellophane from a cigarette pack or even the plastic envelope from an MRE (either with a bandage to secure it).
Sarah Palin should replace Wayne.
Toooooooools iiiiiiiiiiiiin spaaaaaaaace!
One in six adult male suicides occurs during the divorce process. Many men are painfully aware that the Family and Divorce Courts are biased in favor of the divorcing wife against the husband. At least 90% of my male friends who were married (with or without children) or have to deal with a baby-mama (ex-girlfriend/ex-lover who suspiciously became pregnant) have mostly horror stories to share with me. Sadly, I can see that some men having their children taken away and denied visitation rights, and faced with financial servitude etc might pick up a gun to take away their pain.
I really wish NASA would get its funding restored so this guy could go back there and shut the hell up about things he knows absolutely nothing about.
Glock needs booth babes to balance the ugliness of their guns.
I thought only fat, old, white people owned guns.