While providing ham radio communications for a 5K over the weekend, we discovered there were no medical personnel assigned to the event. My team are all CERT trained and had been activated for training purposes for this event, so we all had our CERT first aid kits. One serious injury came our way: a trip and fall with head injury, severely abraded knee, toe deformity, and multiple abrasions. Before we could get very far into an assessment or any treatment, two EMTs offered assistance and we turned the patient over to them. However, they used our supplies. One of the EMTs asked if we had “non-sterile” 4×4’s. We had the individually packaged ones. That got me to thinking…to save time and space (as well debris), can 4×4 pads be taken out of their individual wrappers and stored in plastic bags? I understand that sterile only applies to the operating room and clean 4x4s are fine. Just wondering how you all are storing your 4x4s.

Oh, as a side note: Yay for Coban wrap! Works a heck of a lot better than any tape.

I appreciate any input as I restock my kit.

Thanks,
Laura