Let's talk medic's bags ...

[BadgeBunny]

I know we have some first responders and doctors and pharmacist's husbands in the house ... What do you guys carry?? What would you suggest??

Mine leans towards basic first aid right now, but I'm looking to add some more advanced items for a couple of reasons ... One, I am wanting to brush up on skills I used to have (like starting an IV) but haven't practiced in YEARS ... and two, you never know when you will come upon an accident where there might be someone there who knows how (but might not have with them) to use what you have ...

I'll go first ...


Israeli Bandages, 4x4 Gauze Pads, Triangle Bandages, Celox, tampons, iodine wipes, nitrile exam gloves, roll or two of 2"/3"/4" gauze, a NAR CAT Combat Application Tourniquet and/or SWAT Stretch wrap restricting band/tourniquet (in case of an amputation or massive limb injury), CPR kit, burn dressings, some type of disinfectant, note pad and pen, blood pressure kit, and some big labels and a couple of sharpies (to mark those you've helped listing what you did) so EMS knows whats been done, duct tape wrapped around a credit card and Ziplock bags (for a makeshift chest seal in case you don't have one) and/or NAR Hyfin chest seals (for sucking chest wounds), 14 gauge decompression needles, French Nasopharyngeal Airway, a wound irrigation kit (or bottle of saline and a 10mm syringe and an eye cup), and a bottle of the saline solution used for contacts (also to use to irrigate dirty wounds, eyes, etc.)

Uhmmm ... I think that's it ... I'm trying to go off memory ...

Any ideas/suggestions/discussion???

 

[SeanO]

Just curious why only use the TQ for amputations r massive limb injuries?

 

[BadgeBunny]

Just curious why only use the TQ for amputations r massive limb injuries?

That's not the only use they have but some schools of thought are that touniquets do more damage than good because folks put them on and then forget to check the limb again. I guess there have been folks lose limbs because of extended loss of blood flow due to touniquet useage. I was hedging my bet when I said that because I'd use them no matter what. I have a hard time with the "it will do damage to the limb" argument when I'm trying to decide whether to stop life-threatening blood loss, ya know ...

 

[jrusling]

Right now I just have a pretty standard first aid kit and some quick clot. I have looked at something like this http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B003H2EODW/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=NI53XQK6Q6TA&coliid=I1ZOLZ02R9GKZP

 

[Okie4570]

This is what several of us carry in our POV's.........plus a few other things in there as well, kind of large but it's well equipped. http://www.galls.com/dyna-med-hydro-series-als-kit#.U5ZfWfldVIQ Gives a list of contents as well.

Some others and their contents. Probably cheaper places to buy, but they'll give you an idea of what's in each one.
http://www.galls.com/medical-supplies

 

[aviator41]

Heat and cold packs
iodine (Maybe, I'm on the fence)
small eye light (to check dilation)
smelling salts
couple of solar blankets
We keep a cotton knit blanket sealed in a vacuum bag that has been sterilized
tylenol and aspirin
standard neosporen and band-aids

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Tourniquets use is life or limb, is how I was taught in 2000. I didn't use my training enough to keep fresh. Volunteers FF in my town are only required to keep CPR and AED certification. We also train routinely to know where and what things are on our trucks so that we can be of assistance on scenes. As a full time/volunteer staffed fire department, I don't run on medical calls. I have been on several wreck calls and have training in extrication.

 

[OSUFire]

Tourniquets are making a comeback in EMS. The old theory of not using them has gone out the window and they are a very important part of out equipment cache. The EMS services are taking a lot of information that came out of the military and seeing the benefits outweigh the consequences.

 

[UnSafe]

My $0.02.
In my brain, there's always two parts to portable med supplies.

The "First aid/ sick call" stuff, and the actual trauma management stuff. Keep them seperate. Keep all the snivel crap available- bandaids, dressings, an ACE wrap or two, tape, irrigant (Bottled water works fine), disinfectants, Tylenol, NSAIs, nausea meds, etc.. It's ok to pick through it and fix whatever, then restock ASAP.

The trauma management stuff- Once packed, put a seal on the zipper or lid, attach a tag with component expiration dates, store in an appropriate location/ temperature and leave it alone until actually needed or it's time to replace or inspect it. Few things will piss off a medic more than someone casually picking through an aid bag in search of a band aid or roll of Kerlix to use as TP.

Don't forget light. Chem lights, LED headlights and flashlights sit up top and center along with gloves (Use the heavy duty EMS Nitrile gloves). Inexpensive welding shop safety glasses (With "Cheater lenses" for us older guys) are a wise addition.

IV catheter placement and fluid infusion? Meh.. Not a high priority if you're alone and up to your ass in injured folk. I'm fast and experienced, but it still takes me about 3 minutes or more to dig out, assemble and start an IV infusion... with decent light and on someone that has enough blood pressure to actually find a suitable vein. Add crappy light, wind, dirt, bloody or sweaty skin that tape won't stick to, odd positions, difficult access, cold fluids (Bad) and stress to the mix and you're gonna waste valuable time that could have been used to identify and treat other, or others with life threatening conditions.

Keep it simple, and the more you and your resources are stretched- keep it simpler. Tourniquets save lives. Read up on indications for use and don't be afraid to use them.

Immoliation sucks. Keep an ABC fire extinguisher with your bags if you are at risk for exposure to fire.

In this age of cell phones everywhere, people still forget to call for help. Either direct someone to make the 911 call or do it yourself.

 

[Johnjosiah]

I have about decided that a bag of old t-shirts, dish washing gloves, a role of duck tape, some paracord, a bottle of random OTC meds and a tube of super glue might be as good as anything else. I love all the bells and whistles but it is hard to carry enough stuff for more than 1 really injured/sick person.