Posted: 3/26/2012 4:57:10 PM EDT
| Can anyone recommend a comprehensive first aid kit for emergency situations? This will be for home not a bob. |
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comprehensive is an interesting word choice. there are all kinds of kits out there. many have a lot of stuff most people would not know how to use.
it might be instructive to think about what it is you think this FAK would be used for. most times the reality is that bandaids and OTC meds is what gets used and everything else gathers dust. my suggestion is buy a plastic tool box and go to walmart or your favorite drug store some day and get a selection of first aid type items and OTC meds and stock the box yourself. |
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Quoted: comprehensive is an interesting word choice. there are all kinds of kits out there. many have a lot of stuff most people would not know how to use. it might be instructive to think about what it is you think this FAK would be used for. most times the reality is that bandaids and OTC meds is what gets used and everything else gathers dust. my suggestion is buy a plastic tool box and go to walmart or your favorite drug store some day and get a selection of first aid type items and OTC meds and stock the box yourself. This Dollar Stores and Big Lots are also good places to help build a "comprehensive kit". Surgical and suture kits can be found on eBay or Amazon. |
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Here is the list I first used for my medical supplies..I have added to it substantially since i started but this will give you some ideas...You will also want to get a wide variety of antibiotics below is an additional list...
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, below is what I have done to ensure the health of my family, You should always contact your personal doctor before starting any type of medication.... Surgical tools, supplies -#11 scalpels, sterile disposable (4) -#15 scalpels, sterile disposable (4) -Tweezers (for splinters) -Forceps, sterile -Scissors, sterile -Suture driver (i.e. forceps), sterile -Hemostats, curved, sterile (2) -Sutures assorted, sterile (10 packages) -Steri-Strips, sterile (6 packages) -Lidocaine 1%, bottles 50cc (2) -Syringes and needles, for above Medical Supplies, other -Stethoscope, new in box -Penlight, new -Tongue depressors (4) -Emergency blanket Medications, prescription -Epinephrine 1% and Benadryl 50 mg ampules (2 ea) -Syringes and needles, for above – for anaphylaxis treatment -Ofloxacin drops (for eye or ear infections) -Gatifloxacin 400 mg tablets (very broad spectum - covers nearly all infections) – 40 tabs -Nitroglycerin tablets, one bottle Medications, OTC -Rehydration salts, 4 packages Bandages, tape -5”x9” sterile abdominal gauze pads (10) -4x4” sterile gauze pads (10) -2x2” sterile gauze pads (10) -Telfa nonadherant gauze pads, various sizes -Tegaderm clear dressings, various sizes -Bandaids (100) -4 inch wide rolls sterile Kerlix roll gauze (4) -2 inch wide rolls sterile Kerlix roll gauze (4) -Roll Coban cohesive wrap, 4” wide (2) -Roll Coban cohesive wrap, 2” narrow (2) -Roll Medipore 2” wide perforated paper tape (2) -Roll 2” wide plastic tape (2) -Roll 1” wide plastic tape (2) -Small roll duct tape (1) -10 cotton tipped applicators, sterile Burn care -Petrolatum gauze pads (10) -Aquacel Ag antimicrobial wound/burn bandages -Burn-Jel (4 packages) Topical antiseptics, etc -Talcum powder -20 packages triple antibiotic -20 packages povidone/iodine ointment -20 alcohol wipes -20 benzalkonium chloride antiseptic wipes -10 povidone/iodine swab sticks -10 packages petroleum jelly Triage -Tactical Casualty Response Card -Pencil, Sharpie Marker, Casualty Triage Card TRAUMA supplies -QUICK CLOT, 1 package, -ISRAELI BANDAGE, 1, 6 inch size -Compressed gauze, North American Rescue, 4 packages -EMT shears -Tourniquet (Touri-Kwik TK-4) Airway, Chest -Nasopharyngeal airway -Berman Oral Airways (8, 9, 10 mm sizes) IV supplies -0.9% Normal Saline, 2 bags, 500 cc each -IV Catheters, 18 gauge (2) -IV Tubing (2 sets) -IV start kits (2) Eye Care -Metal eye shield -Sterile eye gauze pads -Sterile saline rinse Ortho, Splints, Etc -ACE Wrap 4” wide, 2 -ACE Wrap 6” wide, 2 -Ambu Perfit Cervical Extrication Collar Extra stuff: -Foley ureteral catheter (2) -Dobhoff enteral feeding catheter (2) -Nitrile gloves (box, 100 pr) -Surgical gloves, sterile (4 pair) -Purell hand sanitizer (2 bottles) -3M N95 masks (4) -Surgical masks (4) -Surgical gown, sterile (1) -Surgical bed drape (large), sterile (1) -Surgical drape (medium), sterile (1) Antibiotics to stockpile (a lot of these): amoxicillin - respiratory, ear infections cephalexin - skin infections ciprofloxacin - urinary or abdominal infections, anthrax erythromycin - second line for respiratory, ear infections TMP-SMZ - urinary infections, second line for respiratory or skin infections, etc. Metronidazole - diarrhea due to c.dif or giardia, intraabominal infections (in addition to cipro) and also consider a smaller quantity of the following: - Augmentin (for human and animal bite wounds), - Moxifloxacin (for wounds from penetrating trauma - includes abdominal wounds, feet, etc), - Linezolid (for wounds infected with MRSA, that don't get better with cephalexin), - Ciprofloxacin-Tinidazole (for diarrhea due to giardia, c.dif, or whatever else, that doesn't get better with metronidazole), - Ivermectin (for scabies, lice, etc that doesn't respond to topical stuff), - Mebendazole (for worms) |
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Although it is wise to stock up on supplies for an emergency like the poster above, it is more important to know what to do with those supplies.
And I can tell if your asking, you probably do not have alot of medical training. First Aid training is great, but remember that 1st aid is not an end all be all and is intended to hold one over until they can get professional treatment. In our scenarios, there is no professional treatment. I highly suggest becoming friends with a Dr, One of my very close friends is in his residency right now, and the amount of knowledge he has blows my mind (and I work on an advanced car ambulance). If you have someone you know who knows how to suture, and prescribe meds, use their advice. If you dont, you can still stock up on it, in the the event you come across a Dr. Remember Drs. do no think like us and they do not have equipment on hand. The best physician in the world could be useless with out medical supplies (depends on the scenario). I have gained bits and pieces of medical knowledge over the years. I only keep on hand IV supplies, and left over meds. Id like to get more antibiotics at some point int he future though. Like I said, I have access to a Doc, and he isnt a prepper. Maybe one day Ill be able to sway his opinion. I dont know what level of education you are, but if you have the time, and resources, take some advanced first aid classes, take an A&P class, who knows, maybe youll decide to switch fields and go into nursing. But Id atleast start with first aid, work your way up to EMT-B, maybe even Paramedic. Its a good way to make contacts (Ive noticed alot of people in the EMS field see the writing on the wall) gain some experience, both medical and all around useful skills, and maybe even make a few extra bucks doing it (depends on area and cert level). I work as an EMT-B on an advanced truck (its a job until I start my career) and i love it. I get paid to do something I used to volunteer to do. One night I might be backing up the police with a nut job in the middle of a tussle, the next night pulling a 20 year old out of a nasty wreck. I've seen things people will never see in their life times, and its made me a stronger, smarter person. And it all started when an wide eyed 18 year old walked into some podunk volunteer EMS station. |
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Quoted:
Build your own from a list of whatever you feel you need. For home we keep everything in a plastic tote in the bathroom where it can be grabbed and carried to wherever its needed. I think I am going to run with this and then get some training on more advanced stuff. |