What do you carry in your Firstaid kit

[Thrym]

Just recently come down with a fairly nasty fluish infection thing and i was thinking how much of a bother id be in if i was out on a long trip and i got ill somehow. Ive decided im now going to sort myself out a firstaid kit to take with me just wondered what people carry in theres and what they use to carry it in *type of container

Josh

 

[leon-1]

One of the first things to remember are that medicines in a first aid kit can be a nightmare.

I think the only medicine that the General Medical Council will actually say that you should have in your first aid kit is aspirin (not the soluble one) and that you are only allowed to give it if the casualty has consented and they fit the criteria.

For personal use, yes I do carry medicines other than aspirin as I have issues with my knees.

Other than that;
Duct tape,
4 Inch Crepe Bandages *2
Plasters, assorted.
Tweezers
O'Tom tool
Good Pair EMT Shears
Scalpel and spare blades.
Zinc Oxide tape.
Micropore.
Mellolin dressings.
Self adherant Mellolin dressings.
Self Check Re-usable thermometer.
Lucozade Carbo Gel.
Assorted Compeed Dressings.
Steri-Swabs.
Anti-Septic Wipes.
Sterile Gauze.
Open Wove Bandage.
Large Triangular Bandage.
Spare Safety Pins.
Contained in a watertight tupperware box.

Apart from that I also carry 2 Field Dressings, the first 19x10cm and the second 19cmx19cm, a spray dressing and spray antiseptic.

Only carry the kit you know how to use, I have other things that I have been trained to use however since that qualification is no longer valid and the qualification that I now hold doesn't go to the same level I will not carry it.

 

[w00dsmoke]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/37-PIECE-FIRS...ryZ67201QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting


I bought the above kit and added the following

DF118's painkillers prescription only
Co-codamol prescription strength
10mg amitryptaline tabs used with the above as a neuropathic pain blocker
Ibuprofen
Diclofenac Prescription
Lamisil Spray (antifungal)/cream and a prescription antifungal (small tube/or bottle of talc)
Daktacort hydrocortisone cream (essential for weeping inflamed skin rashes)
Antihistamine
Rehydrate salts powder
Strepsils/glucose tabs
Diahorea tabs
Pottassium permanganate
Zinc oxide tape
Vaseline
Steri strips
Stitch kit
Sam splint
Dental first aid kits (not the life systems one-the other bigger one in the chemist that is much better)
Small led head torch
Lighter x 2
Stronger bandages
Petzel rescue knife
Scalpel blades

I'm not the healthiest guy in the world and this kit is based on my needs and experience in the uk for relatively hard to get places. I broke my back in my younger days and suffer a lot from chronic pain. It is designed to make me comfortable and deal with relatively minor to otherwise incapacitating ailments to enable me to paddle or walk out or enjoy the rest of the trip without being uncomfortable.(Trust me a crown that fell out or a dose of thrush in the summer while canoe camping may not be life threatening but is hell to deal with unless you are prepared)

I store it all in a red exped weaterproof bag alongside flares and a blizzard bag and tens machine.

 

[bent-stick]

Thigh pocket whenever I'm in contact with something sharp:

green plastic FAK from wilkinsons containing

plasters
wipes
steristrips

Backpack/|Field belt

Yellow box 4"x4"x1.5" approx

plasters
wipes
dressings
bandage
crepe bandage
triangular bandage
clove oil
small scissors
tweezers
small bottle of surgical spirit
compeed
more streristrips
safety pins
sewing kit
micropore
small notepad
pencil stub

Abroad

Lifesystems kit including sharps and dental instruments.

edit: I forgot to say that I carry diclofenac 50mg in my wallet at all times in case my gout starts twinging...

 

[gregorach]

Hmmm, well I'm sitting here with my FAK in my bag, so lets see... It's a Lifesystems Trekker kit with a few extra bits stuffed in, comes in a bright red ripstop water-resistant pouch. Items marked with a * are my own additions.

1 Lemsip sachet *
Length of continous sticking plaster - not sure how long
Pair of latex gloves
Nearly empty tube of antiseptic cream *
Pack of surgical scalpel blades *
Sewing needles and a few pins (not for first aid use) *
Pack of gauze, already opened for quick access (and half used) *
Roll of fabric support tape (aka "finger tape" to climbers) *
Roll of micropore tape
Crepe bandage (sealed)
Woven bandage (sealed)
Paracetamol 500mg tabs - two packs of eight, each half-used...
Cetrimide antiseptic wipes (3 left)
5 pack of sterile gauze swabs
5cm square sterile wound dressing
3 antihystamine tabs (loratadine) *
Sewing thread (not for first aid use) *
Several saftey pins
Two spare trouser buttons *
Scissors
Tweezers (can't remember if these were in it originally or not)

Looking over that, I think I need to resupply a couple of items in there. And no, it's not as big as it sounds...

 

[Voivode]

I seem to remember we've discussed this very thing a number of times. Try the search function and see what pops out, then come back if that doesn't really answer your question.

But, to answer in brief; we carry for what we can reasonably treat in the wild. In my group I have 2 nurses, an EMT (Paramedic) and myself, a lowly Wilderness First Aid certified Joe.

We carry (as a group)

"horse tape" (disposable tensor bandages)
triangle bandages
EMT scissors
antibiotic ointment
betadine wipes
sterile pads
a small collapsible barrier device (for providing CPR)
a SamSplint (for broken bones)
Small amounts of over the counter meds; ibuprofen, anti-diarrheal, etc

Pack all into a bright red first aid bag.

As individuals, we bring a small amount of duct tape for blisters, whatever meds we might like and perhaps a couple of bandages for small cuts.

The rest is pretty much improvised on the spot. Tweezers, scalpel? See the guy with the Leatherman. Large fractures? Improvise a splint and do your best. Broken neck? Immobilize and get help.

To be honest, 99% of your injuries are going to be blisters (Duct Tape!), cuts and scrapes, twisted ankles and the like. You might get a broken bone, but you aren't going to be able to treat things too much more serious in the wild.

Injury and illness is no small matter when in remote places; a twisted ankle or bad water can be hellish if you're 2 days out and have no vehicles. I have a recurring IT Band injury that, if I'm careless when hiking, can cause me terrible pain. One trip, we found ourselves out in a steady rain with temperatures hovering around 5C. We pushed on to the next camp, arriving mostly hypothermic. The next day was good, but my knee was bad. The first 3 km of the 10 km to get out was fine, as it was all up hill. The 400m descent and 7 km remaining was brutal, even though we taped my knee and I did my best to keep my weight on my hiking poles rather than that leg. If I had a broken leg, we would be stuck and it would be a rescue situation, no doubt about it.

 

[happybunny]

Hi,

I carry a small 1st aid kit, and I've recently added to it a pair of tick hooks, having had a group of friends all get them (ticks, obviously, not hooks) on a Scottish wilderness canoe trip, and not found them easy to deal with.

There was a group buy on them at songofthepaddle
http://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=1893
but I'm sure you can get them elsewhere.

I've not had to use them yet, but I feel good about carrying them for the miniscule extra weight and volume.

Ben

 

[leon-1]

Hi,

I carry a small 1st aid kit, and I've recently added to it a pair of tick hooks, having had a group of friends all get them on a Scottish wilderness canoe trip, and not found them easy to deal with.

There was a group buy on them at songofthepaddle
http://www.songofthepaddle.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=1893
but I'm sure you can get them elsewhere.

I've not had to use them yet, but I feel good about carrying them for the miniscule extra weight and volume.

Ben

Yes mate they are the O'Tom tick removal tool, you can get them from most vets practices, it's where I have always got mine from

 

[Risclean]

I've just been sorting out a basic 1st aid kit. So far it contains -

steristrips
triangular bandage
plasters
zinc oxide tape
antiseptic cream
cotton wool pads
I also carry a field dressing and duct tape seperately.

This is in an Addis Clip and Close box (450ml shallow).

I'm planning to add some antiseptic wipes, a melonin dressing, tick hooks and a bandage for strapping.

This is for a days outing, or overnight. I would take more for a longer/more remote trip.

 

[Graham_S]

i carry
steri-strips,
scalpel
elastoplast,
zinc oxide tape,
antiseptic ointment,
asprin,
ibuprofen,
potassium permanganate,
diarolyte,
immodium
latex gloves,
cpr barrier,
safety pins
crepe bandage
triangular bandage
scissors

 

[Martyn]

Plasters, zinc tape, a blood stopper and a couple of aspirin.

 

[Risclean]

Plasters, zinc tape, a blood stopper and a couple of aspirin.

At least someone has less than me

 

[dean2]

we all semm to carry very similar first aid kits, the only extra thing that i carry is a mini burns kit, i do alot of festivals as well as camping, alot of people seem to get burned alot!


Dean2

 

[Thrym]

Can you still get things like Flu whilst not in contact with other people?

Josh

 

[Andy J]

Whenever I go fishing,(sea fishing), I allways carry my first aid kit which carrries, plasters, micro pore, various dressings,a roll of plaster, and DETTOL to clean any wounds. I was given this advice long ago, and can vouch for it's advantages. Out all day fishing, cut yourself, with allsorts of blood and guts on your skin, clean it all with Dettol. Just a thought, Andy...

 

[MitchelHicks]

Along with what the others have said I always have a couple of meters of para cord always helpful stick a couple of matches in there as well just in case you dont have time to use the other methods. You can also pop in a couple of water purifying tablets dont take up much space and its always an emergency reserve. I also take a couple of lem-sips with me nice if you dont feel to brilliant and they make a nice change of taste for plain water. Dunno if anyone else mentioned those plastic sterillised rubber gloves you get. Erm cant think of what else.

I carry mine in a waterproof bag but I still put that in a Re-sealable food bag needs it clean.

 

[Mikey P]

Off the top of my head, I think my exped-level first aid kit has pretty much the common stuff everyone else has above but with:

Clove oil (antiseptic, toothache)
Sam splint (broken bones, neck collar, etc)
Artery forceps (don't ask)
Tweezers (sliver grippers, similar to the ones on the Woodlore site)
Couple of scalpel blades
Puritabs
Face shield (resuscitation)
Latex gloves
Self adhesive bandage - the ones that stick to themselves. Excellent!
Micropore
Disprin - good for fevers and sore throats as well as headaches

At the moment, because of where I am, I also have a haemostatic dressing, tourniquet (one-handed operation), couple of field dressings, morphine autoinjector (NOT for normal bushcraft!) and motion sickness pills. The field dressings are very useful in any first aid kit as they are big and absorbent (and also double as tinder - handy, eh?) but I certainly wouldn't normally carry a tourniquet and morphine.

We also get the new issue 'soft pack' which includes Erythromycin antibiotics. Frankly, I think this was an excellent idea as the altitude and the amount of particulate in the air around here leads just about everyone to get some sort of lung infection. I'm just getting over mine but some people have been flat on their backs for 2 weeks becuase they didn't hit the infection early enough.

As with most of you, I add and subtract stuff depending on what I'm going to do.

Interestingly, where I usually live in Germany, it is a legal requirement for all vehicles to carry a first aid kit and drives have to do a St John's-style basic first aid course before beginning their driving lessons. So, if you are near a vehicle, you are near a first aid kit.

 

[Spikey DaPikey]

I didnt know what Erythromycin antibiotics were, so i did a quick google, and found This Link so, now i know

 

[wingstoo]

Can you still get things like Flu whilst not in contact with other people?

Josh

That depends on a number of things...

I think it takes about 5-7 days from infection to show of symptoms, so if you haven't been in contact with someone who has had Flu for a week or two before your trip then it is not very likely. However if you have had contact at some point then the Flu might show whilst you are on your trip, depending how long your trip is.

If you do come down with the Fluwhilst you are away you could have problems as "proper" flu can have you laid up for a couple of weeks, unless it is "Man" flu of course...

If you are going to an area where someone with Flu is likely to have been in the last couple of days there could be a slight chance that the virus is still alive and if you come into contact with it you may get it, very unlikely though.

LS

 

[Martyn]

Can you still get things like Flu whilst not in contact with other people?

Josh

Flu is a virus. Unlike bacteria, which can live in the soil or be carried by insects etc, virri require a host. If it's a human virus, then the host must be human too. There is an incubation cycle with virri, which can be anything from a few hours to a few days depending on the virri - but you do need to be in contact with another host to get infected in the first place - true airbourne virri are very rare, though some can be carried in aerosol form in droplets from a sneeze for example.

Antibiotics have no effect on virri whatsoever. If you contract a virus, antibiotics will do nothing at all, except maybe give you a measure of prophylaxis protection from secondary bacterial infections.