FAK - what do you carry?

[Kerne]

Just come back from Boots after getting some stuff to replenish my FAK. I have carried a "home-made" or, rather, "home assembled" FAK since attending an REC course where we examined commercially produced FAKs and found them wanting (e.g. about 100ml of distilled water when the advice for someone with something in their eye is to flood it). We were advised to make up our own, including such things as clingfilm - fantastic to immobilise limbs) and duct tape.

This, however, was all aimed at mountain safety, but I suppose the same principles apply to bushcraft. What do you think? What do you carry? And, do any of you have a "primitive" FAK using plants and herbs etc? (This is something I would love to carry, if only I knew what did what.)

My FAK contains:

Plasters - various sizes
small and large wound dressings
SAK
zinc oxide tape
surgical tape
Compeed
Ibuprofen
Vaseline - best protection against Japanese flag!
Triangular bandage
Clingfilm
duct tape
reflective bivi bag - shrinkwrapped
whistle

What am I missing? Any recommendations?

 

[JohnC]

Surgipad
Bandage
SAK with tweezers
TRiangular Bandage x2
Small flat roll of duct tape (about 2 metres)
cloth plaster
pair of nitrile gloves

 

[MartiniDave]

What's Japanese flag?

Dave

 

[Kerne]

"Japanese flag" is an old military term for the chaffing that occurs in the nether regions after long, sweaty marches. have a look at the japanese flag to see why it got this name.

 

[deeps]

Something for burns ?

If you are feeling clumsy;

Have a look at the Quikclot hemostatic products http://www.quikclot.com/

Have a look at the new CAT tourniquets http://www.combattourniquet.com/index.php

This lot are also reasonably credible so you can get ideas from their commercial kit make ups. http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/

Don't do what I did and marry a surgeon, she keeps next to no first aid kit in the house and leaves all sympathy at work for her patients !

 

[Sniper]

Just a small cautionary note peeps, unless you are medically qualified and authorised it can be construed as illegal, to use medications, lotions and potions on third parties without certain medical history knowledge of allergies and conditions (kith & kin excepted), use of them on a casualty resulting in further complications opens you to prosecution.
Having said that I carry a very full events FAK in the car complete with forceps, tweezers and all standard contents for treating multiple casualties. Also there is escape cutting tools and a window breaker (this came as a present from a friend in the US) plus vinyl gloves and a few other handy items. That is the small one, in the large one I have all of the above X 3 plus full rescusitation and suction equipment, trolley bed, spinal board, scoop stretcher, oxygen, entinox, defribilator etc etc. Problem is when I show up to meets with this one, people get all concerned and worried, just ask Mischief LOL :yikes:

Oh also the use of a tournique is completely out of the question by any lay person so should never be in a FAK, these things can cause more serious problems than the original injury, if used by an person who is not fully medically trained in their use.

 

[Kerne]

X 3 plus full rescusitation and suction equipment, trolley bed, spinal board, scoop stretcher, oxygen, entinox, defribilator etc etc.

Can I get all that in my possibles pouch?

You are dead right about being qualified, I have to have a (rudimentary) First Aid certificate for work and your post just caused me to check my REC certificate - 18 months out of date! Looks like a course coming up soon...

 

[MartiniDave]

"have a look at the japanese flag to see why it got this name"

Ahhhhh! - The sound of a penny dropping!

Dave

 

[Shewie]

Maybe a tick removal tool is a useful addition if you`re not confident with tweezers.

I picked one up from the vets for a couple of quid.

 

[rancid badger]

"Japanese flag" is an old military term for the chaffing that occurs in the nether regions after long, sweaty marches. have a look at the japanese flag to see why it got this name.

A.K.A. : "Johnny Cash Rash"or "B.R.O.F.".........You know?.........Burning Ring of Fire?
R.B.

 

[saddle_tramp]

a roll of insulation tape and a few kfc wetwipes

 

[crazydave]

people carry what they are either trained to or to the limit of the worst accident they have been involved with. I used to carry tissues, black tape and paracetamol when I first joined up then necessity changed my packing requirements

working with kids or bushcrafters then I up gear to include trauma kit like pressure dressings and quik clot but the best kit is what you can improvise out of kit and clothing.

aldi/lidl get motorcycle kits every now and again which provide a good basic kit for around a fiver

 

[wicca]

a roll of insulation tape and a few kfc wetwipes

One sticky plaster and a captive bolt humane gun...a little cut and you get the plaster, anything bigger..and it's end ex.. ( only kidding, G'daughter dared me to post.)

Being serious for a minute, when I needed a decent FAK for my travels I found a firm called SP services (uk) ltd. had a bit of a selection, fak's for uk and abroad, personal syringes etc: for places where the local kit might be non sterile.

 

[gilly0802]

if you can get any steri-strips(pater stitches) i have found them to be useful in keeping a deeper cut closed untill you can get to better kit/better trained people

plus they take up no room at all

 

[crazydave]

you can make em out of any tape with a few notches and a twist, duct tape makes good dressings when stuck.

I have noticed over the years that we change plasters more often, as a kid they would practically rot off before we got them changed

 

[ganstey]

I have noticed over the years that we change plasters more often, as a kid they would practically rot off before we got them changed

That's cos they hurt like when mum tried to take them off!

Yoof of today just don't know how lucky they are
G

 

[Kerne]

I have noticed over the years that we change plasters more often, as a kid they would practically rot off before we got them changed

Yeah, but when we were kids our clothes would practically rot of us before we got them changed.

Yoof of today just don't know how lucky they are

The cosseted yoof of today need to eat more dirt.