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I have a question… I see alot of people have these HUGE first aid kits with medicaitons, occlusive dressings, needles for decompression and the like.
I was wondering why? Im just as in to being prepared as the next guy but I don’t quite understand these huge FAK. Alot of the things that I see everyone carry is redundant.
There are tons and tons of small bandages, toppers, 4×4, triangle bandages, ect. I think that everyone should evalute what they have in their FAK, why it’s there, and if they are trained well enough to use it and actualy understand what it is they are doing. Taking a local first aid class is sufficient for basic bandaging and splinting, but otherwise it’s not much good.
I’ve been a paramedic in Houston, Tx for over 7 years and I can honestly say that it is rare for us to even use small bandages. petroleum gauze, and the like. I’m not saying this to be mean or hostile, I just think we all need to make sure that we are not “over stepping” our “scope of practice” (the legal term for our boundries of treatment).
If you are trained and know how to use the equipment you have then great, I’m all for it. But I see too many people carrying sutures, surgical kits, ect. This is a poor decision and could also get you in legal trouble if your not supposed to have it.
I do have one suggestion though… I have yet to see a glucometer in any EDC kits. If you do not know, this is a device that mesaures your blood glucose level. If your a diabetic and had to leave quickly from wherever you were at a spare glucometer could really be beneficial. (They cost about $18 and comes with about 10 test strips which shud be sufficient for a few days at a minium.)
If anyone has anything to add – good, bad, or indiffent I’d like to hear it. Email me at Thclay@yahoo.com or reply!
I have a question… I see alot of people have these HUGE first aid kits with medicaitons, occlusive dressings, needles for decompression and the like.
I was wondering why? Im just as in to being prepared as the next guy but I don’t quite understand these huge FAK. Alot of the things that I see everyone carry is redundant.
There are tons and tons of small bandages, toppers, 4×4, triangle bandages, ect. I think that everyone should evalute what they have in their FAK, why it’s there, and if they are trained well enough to use it and actualy understand what it is they are doing. Taking a local first aid class is sufficient for basic bandaging and splinting, but otherwise it’s not much good.
I’ve been a paramedic in Houston, Tx for over 7 years and I can honestly say that it is rare for us to even use small bandages. petroleum gauze, and the like. I’m not saying this to be mean or hostile, I just think we all need to make sure that we are not “over stepping” our “scope of practice” (the legal term for our boundries of treatment).
If you are trained and know how to use the equipment you have then great, I’m all for it. But I see too many people carrying sutures, surgical kits, ect. This is a poor decision and could also get you in legal trouble if your not supposed to have it.
I do have one suggestion though… I have yet to see a glucometer in any EDC kits. If you do not know, this is a device that mesaures your blood glucose level. If your a diabetic and had to leave quickly from wherever you were at a spare glucometer could really be beneficial. (They cost about $18 and comes with about 10 test strips which shud be sufficient for a few days at a minium.)
If anyone has anything to add – good, bad, or indiffent I’d like to hear it. Email me at Thclay@yahoo.com or reply!
Txpara, I agree with your basic position. I think folks should carry what the know how to use. Carrying gear you don’t have the training for is a slippery slope. However, I’ve read posts from some folks who carry advanced gear in the hope that it can be given to someone who does have the training to use it. And for that I say good for them.
I’ve been an EMT-B for five years and a n LPN for a little under 10mo. and most of the “emergency” stuff I’ve seen outside the ER can be handled with 4x4s and kerlix and maybe a SAM splint (honestly though, I think a rolled magazine is good enough. I do own a couple SAMs though 🙂 ) If these simple BLS items can’t get the job done the even pros are going in pick up haul :censored: mode.
Lastly, I have a glucometer in my car FAK 🙂
I’m a first-aid wonk. I love the stuff, I love being prepared, but I try to balance preparedness with reality. I’m 50 and have rarely needed much from my kits, and when I did, it was the same stuff over and over.
My home and camping kits are focused on small boo-boos, blisters, sprains, etc. and leans to lots of adhesive bandages, soap and water, triple antibiotic, ice packs, and a few other odds and ends.
My car ‘layperson trauma kit’ (I have some old EMT training, am a Red Cross and Safety Council instructor, etc.) is:
– a package of nitrile gloves, XXL
– CPR face mask
– bunch of 4×4 gauze pads
– several rolls of self-cling roller bandages (2″)
– a home-made SAM splint (aluminum flashing, cut to shape, tape the edges, folded up) and printed out SAM splint instructions (but I agree that a magazine is all you need most of the time)
– a couple big triangular bandages (a lot cheaper to use than the cling wrap for some applications!)
– EMT shears
– good small flashlight- mine is a headlamp
– one of my spare glucometers, lancelets (I have diabetes, so my kit is ready for me or others)
– alcohol wipes
– cake icing tubes or gluclose tube
– instant ice pack
– pry bar, I think it is about 8-9″ long
– folding knife with serrated part on the blade.Mine is a ‘combo utility knife’ and I replaced the utility blade with a ‘hook blade’ for cutting belts, straps, rope, etc. more safely.
– ‘Sportsman’ rescue blanket (the tougher version of the Space rescue blanket)
– pencil and ‘write in the rain’ notebook, and a first-aid pocket manual
– about 15′ 1/4″ nylon rope for general purpose and for an emergency leash (my kit is also designed to help injured animals and I teach Pet First Aid. The triangular bandages can act as an emergency muzzle, etc.)In the car is also a big fire extinguisher, emergency triangles and flasher, bigger flashlight, cell phone charger and some drinking water. I also have a ‘boo-boo’ size kit in the glove compartment.
The kit is small enough to fit under the car seat, and there is little in there with a tight shelf-life. I also did not spend a lot on it- most of the stuff I already had, others I made (triangular bandages, for example, are easy and cheap). It started life as a bigger store-bought kit, but I eventually tossed the garbage out and moved the littler stuff to the boo-boo kit so I have a decent red organizer bag I can quickly locate anything in.
Oh, and the reason the boo-boo kit is not in the trauma kit is so the trauma items are easier to find in an emergency, although keeping the boo-boo stuff in it means I look inside it more often to keep things stocked and fresh. I go back and forth on this.
Glucometers are great pieces of kit, but in my state it is an EMT Intermediate or higher skill. As a Basic, I’m not allowed to use them. For a layperson, though I have no idea. Our local EMS has protocols that allow their Basics to use them under Paramedic supervision, but us lowly FD Basics don’t. As for petroleum gauze, we use it quite a bit on gsw’s. I do agree, however, that most things can be handled with 4×4’s, kerlix, and tape.
Well, I don’t carry anything I don’t know how to use (nor do I carry everything I know how to use).
Generally, I carry things that would be essential for saving someone’s life RIGHT F’ING NOW, in other words, for true medical emergencies. Epi is always good, a chest seal and needle for decompression is handy if a person attracts a sucking chest wound/collapsed lung, etc. Most everything else can wait, or is so low likelihood that I don’t worry much about it (yeah, someone might really need a burrhole, but I’ve never seen a need to do one in the field). I’ve had to use both epi and do needle decompressions in the field, btw.
A lot of what people carry in the field is a bad idea, I think – one of my pet peeves is suture material. If people don’t know what they’re suturing (the anatomy) and don’t have the facilities to ADEQUATELY irrigate and debride, then they shouldn’t be closing anything. It will just make things worse.
I don’t get it either.
plasters I use frequently
pills (my presscription stuff)
Gloves (1 pair)
Resus face shield
wipes (mostly for cleaning hands)
If I’m cycling it goes up since theres a higher risk of needing to treat myself.I find that with St John (first aid organsation) people carry large amounts of huge dressings. I only have one huge one, never had to use on at an event so am highly unlikely to use more. I figure something like that would get a paramedic out anyway and they tend to be good about replacing stuff if we don’t have spare. It means less kit going out of date.
I have the same thoughts when I see people’s kits; I mean it’s cool and all, but crimony. I’m glad it’s finally been said, but coming here and doing that is akin to rubbing steak all of yourself and jumping in shark-infested waters! 🙁 I carry a wallet, keys, and a phone. THAT’S IT.
When I camp, I carry the smallest FAK (mostly for kid boo-boos, and some painkillers for muscle aches and hangovers. ;D
When I photograph, I carry a camera and one lens. Two lenses when traveling.
Anything more is a real burden; reminds me of the infamous George Carlin skit about all of our… stuff.
I don’t post in this section much simply do to the level of craziness I see people carry and ask about in this section of the forum. But it is none of my business so I simply avoid it! 🙂
Anyway I’ve said it before, after 20 years as a Paramedic and now a Nurse the only piece of kit in my vehicle is a CPR mask and a box of gloves. My rarely carried EDC bag has a 99 cent J&J FAK I got at wal mart. Maybe I’ve been lucky but I have never needed anything more away from work.I will wade into this mine field with this disclaimer:
EDCF is an international forum with people from all walks of life who may live in an area where there is a long wait for response from an ambulance or where there may be a unusually high chance of having an incident happen or they may be required to carry the equipment/supplies due to work/personal life.
Now that being said I EDC a small FAK (not a boo boo kit) due to personal preference. When I am working an event I carry a very large kit as I am often some distance from having an ambulance respond.
To each their own.
Andy_L – Which country do you work with St John?
I have a larger kit when I travel i.e. back of the car. With 2 kids, you never know when you are going to be dealing with scrapped knees, small cuts etc. When I was a lad, I managed to break bones, split fingers (and thumbs) open on glass, and my personal favorite, get a dried, curled up palm frond to enter my shin and slide up past my knee. It happened while skateboarding (long story) and I pulled it out with a toe nail clipper because I didn’t want to get in trouble with my parents. It was1/4″thick and about 8″ long or so and certainly not supposed to be inside your body! Not that I would of actually gotten in trouble but that was my kid logic at the time.
So I do not have anything I am not prepared to use although I am not trained enough to carry needles and suture stuff. Wouldn’t know what to do and if something very serious occurs, I am all about just stabilizing the situation as much as possible while getting professional help. I have taken both CPR, First Aid and EMT2 classes (although the EMT stuff was 25 years ago) I do tend to carry far more than I need but that is because you never know what is going to happen and it is such a sinking feeling to need something and know you have it back at home.
For those of you who do this for a living, I envy the comfort your experience gives you. I too would feel better carrying a lot less if I had more experience.
I have carried a small FAK in my backpack for a long time. It doesnt have sutures or anything like that, but it does have bandaids, gauze roll/pad, antibiotic ointment, water purification pills (why?!?), lighter, and a razor. Stupid thing is that if I get hurt, I dont usually use a bandaid and I never use antibiotics/painkillers. If I get a serious injury the little FAK will not help.
I have noticed the most useful tools in my first aid kit are the lighter and the safety razor. Guess its time to reorganize ;D
I have a bag in the back of my jeep that is FAK that fits my training and needs. I don’t carry around neck braces and suture kits, but I do have lots of rubber/latex gloves, standard bandaids, a few larger ones, dressing and tape, goz, alcohol pads and a bottle of disinfectant (brown bottle, forget the name haha). Oh, and a face mask.
Txparamedic said:
I’ve been a paramedic in Houston, Tx for over 7 years and I can honestly say that it is rare for us to even use small bandages. petroleum gauze, and the like. I’m not saying this to be mean or hostile, I just think we all need to make sure that we are not “over stepping” our “scope of practice” (the legal term for our boundries of treatment).
I agree with a lot of your post, but I think for personal first aid kits, bandages, gauze, and tape are going to be one of the most important things in a FAK. I’m even in the habit of carrying a couple bandaids in my wallet, if nothing else. For most of us, personal EDC first aid kits represent anything out of the medicine cabinet that we might need during the day.When I was working in the field (surveying field – not paramedic field), I use to carry a fairly large first aid kit (large belt pouch, not large duffel bag) of different kinds of bandages, Neosporin, an Ace wrap, nail clippers, scissors, gauze and tape. I also had OTC medicines for stings, poison ivy, allergies, pain, and stomache upset. I pretty much used everything I carried, but the bandages got the most use. I had trouble keeping enough in there. Granted, I was doing physical work and cuts and scratches were frequent occurences, but, even in an office setting, I find a box of bandages and maybe a tube of Neosporin to be indespensible.
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