Emergency medical kit **CONTEST ENTRY**

[kindredspirit]

I was recently asked to put together an emergency medical kit... so I thought this may be useful information to some of you.

The list below contains items that are recommended for inclusion in your own first aid kit. All of the items can be found at your local drug store or pharmacy. You don't have to spend a lot of money putting a first aid kit together and you may already have many of the emergency supplies needed for your first aid kit right at home.

Basic First Aid Supplies

The following list of supplies you should consider having in your first aid kit.

First Aid Booklet (including CPR)
Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
Steri-strips or butterfly bandages   
Cleansing agent/soap 
Latex gloves (2 pairs)
bottle of hand sanitizer
Cotton balls and cotton-tipped swabs
2-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6) 
4-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6)
(Kotex feminine pads can be used as a dressing you don't have gauze)   
2-Ace wraps   
3-inch sterile guaze roller bandages
Adhesive tape
Bandana (sling, mask, tourniquet)
Scissors 
Tweezers 
Needle  (dental floss can be used as suture thread in an emergency)
Moistened towelettes 
Antiseptic wipes
Tongue blades (2)   
Medicine dropper
Sterile eyewash, such as a saline solution
Hydrogen peroxide
Isopropyl alcohol
Turkey baster or other bulb suction device for flushing out wounds
Instant hot/cold packs
Lip balm
Flash light and batteries

Non-Prescription Drugs

Non-aspirin pain reliever (also Fever reducing)
Benadryl
Anti-diarrhea medication 
Antacid (for stomach upset) 
Triple antibiotic ointment
Hydrocortisone cream
Calamine lotion(sunburn/insect bites)
 
For storage, you can buy a nice plastic toolbox or use a storage container you may have. Just be sure it's durable and easy to move around. Some items may leak or break open. Using tubes, plastic bottles, or Ziploc bags can help prevent contamination. Check your first-aid kits regularly, at least every three months,  to replace supplies that have expired.

[STRAITJACKET]

Good list and post, maybe throw in some quik clot.

[NOLA556]

oh wow.. I already have most of that stuff, and here I am thinking I have a pathetic med kid.

might I add something to the original post?... KEEP IT ORGANIZED. whatever method works for you, that's fine. plastic container, carry bags, whatever, but just keep everything organized and readily accessible.

just recently (as some of you may already know) my dumb drunk ass was walking barefoot in a spot where my dog had just knocked over a glass bottle. I've stepped on glass before but this was by far the worst. I bring it up because, although I had almost everything in Kindred's list, we keep it all in one huge Rubbermaid container... mixed up to all hell. so dressing the wound took about twice as long as it should have because we're running around like headless chickens all the while spewing blood all over the place. it looked like a freakin murder scene.... my med. supplies have since been organized into smaller containers with specific categories.

here's a video of the aftermath.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyFDSmSWdgQ&feature=channel_video_title

[kindredspirit]

Nola is absolutely correct in saying that organization is key.  Here are pics of the kit I put together for Southern Patriot.  Of course, his kit contains extra goodies like a stethoscope, oral and nasal airways, wound debridement kit, suture kits and surgi-seal (quickclot bandages).  Let me know what you think.

[UnBroken]

looks alot like the kit i made when i was finishing my emt-i training.

[southern patriot]

looks alot like the kit i made when i was finishing my emt-i training.

Is there anything missing from that kit that you had in youts?

[Crow]

item to add: Space blanket (emergency blanket)

thought of a couple more while reading but forgot them 

[thatGuy]

You can never have enough space blankets!

Could be manditory for some treatment.

[mountainredneck2051]

you forgot to add

everclear
ductape
and a big shot of man the fuck up

[UnBroken]

you forgot to add

everclear
ductape
and a big shot of man the fuck up

 [URL=http://www.smileyvault.co

[Outonowhere]

you forgot to add

everclear
ductape
and a big shot of man the fuck up

 [URL=http://www.smileyvault.co

[Well-Prepared Witch]

From my husband, who thought this was a neat post (but he's not the forum posting sort like I am, so I transcribed. )

Be careful of dental floss as suture material, especially if it's stranded and/or unwaxed.  A suggested alternative would be super glue.  The dental floss has issues - the stranded allows space as the strands separate for bacteria to travel into the wound. The non-waxed floss can also cut through the suture spots.  Super glue has multiple uses, too, so it can be used for more than just sutures. In a pinch if you don't have super glue, use horsetail hair or very thin fishing line.

In case of dysentary type diseases you might also put powdered Gatorade in your kit.  It's great for replenishing electrolytes for someone who has been expelling a lot of liquid.  It also is good for someone with heat exhaustion.  Powdered Gatorade also lasts for quite a long time.

Turkey baster is an awesome idea for lavage of wounds, cleaning ears, etc.

[JohnyMac]

Good point WPW although dental floss is great for trussing up a roasting chicken or turkey. It's also pretty good at sewing up sails.

My wife just had back surgery and they closed her up with some thing the OR nurse called "Frankenstein strips". They started to wash off (all gone now) after her first shower four days post the operation. The incision site is itchen her like crazy now.

[LockonStratus777]

I am an EMT and in my opinion this is a good set up.
I would add a litter/stretcher. You can go to a army surplus store and get a stretcher without the poles for $10, and it will roll up and fit into a medium ALICE pack(this is my set up.)
It has handles on all sides. So if you have a four man patrol and one goes down, it makes it a lot easier to move him(two guys at the head and one at the feet.)

might I add something to the original post?... KEEP IT ORGANIZED. whatever method works for you, that's fine. plastic container, carry bags, whatever, but just keep everything organized and readily accessible.

This is soooo true! pack it a certain way and don't change it unless you find it doesn't work in the field (you are doing drills with it right?)
I have my Airway, Chest Seal(gun shot wound kit), and Bleeding Control Kits all right in the top of the bag. Its kind of the idea "Worst-First". Yeah its annoying to dig everything out to get a Band-Aid, but when your friend is down and seconds count, you want to open that bag and the first thing you touch to be the thing you need.

Just some insight form and inner city Medic

[JohnyMac]

This is a good subject and I am going to start a new one on IFAK's.

Please keep this going!!!