Your first aid kit

roastduck · Post by **roastduck** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 11:20 am

I searched and didn't find anything about this, but what do you keep in your first aid kits, besides all the obvious stuff like bandages and antibiotics? My only real modifications to any kit are super glue and rubber bands.

Super glue is really handy for those cuts small enough to not need stitches, but are inconvenient for a bandage (places like fingertips, or the hands in general) or that are bleeding a lot. it dries quickly, and i believe it's quite rare for someone to be allergic to it, but even if they are, it's really only skin irritation (and if you have a wound, I'd say your skin is already irritated). Rubber bands are good for slowing bleeding in the hands and feet. I work in a full-service deli, and on the rare occasion where i cut myself on the slicer (those things are SHARP), i just wrap a rubber band around my wrist a few times, elevate my hand, and put some super glue on the cut after cleaning and disinfecting it.

anyone else have little things they find useful?

Drawingablank · Post by **Drawingablank** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 11:31 am

I actually prefer the liquid bandage stuff to super glue. Works great on fingertips and bendy spots and does not make the skin as hard as super glue. One application on Monday lasted me all week. Has a longer shelf life once opened too.

I also like Rite Aid (store brand) Lip Care. It does not get as mushy as chapstick in the heat, is spf 30, and one or 2 applications a day kept my lips from burning or chapping all week.

Post by **Sham** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 11:34 am

I would add to that kit, some pads for blisters on your feet, a few condoms for that unlikely encounter, lube and a few larger bandages.

roastduck · Post by **roastduck** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 11:44 am

oh, vinyl electrical tape is also handy for making sure bandages stay on, and for general protection from blisters. Normal medical tape is alright, but electrical tape is more flexible, in my experience, and easier to deal with. also, you can completely cover the bandage and it's waterproof.

Post by **Sham** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 11:53 am

Why not just roll one of these things around with you, so you can be prepared for ANYTHING!
(keep in mind that there are first aid stations at various locations. no need to stitch your own wounds)

MOOP_Czar · Post by **MOOP_Czar** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 11:56 am

When I can get it, I like to keep 2 1000ml bags of ringers lactate in my first aid kit as well as a couple of needles and tubing for IVs. It has been a while since I have given one and would gladly hand it over to more able hands is present, but I could do it if it came down to it and I saw someone drop.

Yes, I was taught how to do it with a mask on, but it would come off.

Promise.

roastduck · Post by **roastduck** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 11:59 am

Shambala wrote:Why not just roll one of these things around with you, so you can be prepared for ANYTHING!
(keep in mind that there are first aid stations at various locations. no need to stitch your own wounds)

Oh, I can't even watch some parts of House, let alone stitch a wound. I'll leave that to the professionals. But for every-day, run-of-the-mill, "Shake it off/rub some dirt on it/don't be a pussy" stuff, i like to be prepared

Post by **Savannah** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 12:17 pm

Here's a First Aid thread:
http://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=42867

And the Burning Man website's starter list:
http://www.burningman.com/preparation/e ... staid.html

Another vote for Liquid Bandage. It's great for the snaggy hangnails and eroded cuticles the playa invites.

Nipple · Post by **Nipple** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 1:53 pm

roastduck wrote:Oh, I can't even watch some parts of House, let alone stitch a wound. I'll leave that to the professionals. But for every-day, run-of-the-mill, "Shake it off/rub some dirt on it/don't be a pussy" stuff, i like to be prepared

Thread Drifting: I watched 127 Hours the other night. I spent a few scenes of that movie turned around on the couch, looking out the front window with my eyes closed.

Drifting Back on Topic via 127 Hours tangent: Be sure to have a really good knife in your first aid/tools. Not the kind that comes free with a $15 flashlight.

misfit · Post by **misfit** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 2:03 pm

tampons and kotex pads. multi use, for bleeding and bleeding...

MOOP_Czar · Post by **MOOP_Czar** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 2:21 pm

misfit wrote:tampons and kotex pads. multi use, for bleeding and bleeding...

Like this?

[youtube][/youtube]

junglesmacks · Post by **junglesmacks** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 2:48 pm

First aid kit? What's that?

Shit.. it's all I can do to remember rolling papers and a Clif bar in my bag, let alone a frickin' rolling apothecary. Isn't that what EMS is for? It's not like we're on Mars..

Mars is too mellow..

Lassen Forge · Post by **Lassen Forge** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 3:00 pm

Adding to my basic first aid kit -

A couple Israeli batte dressings, a couple packs of quik-clot sponges, Soft splint, mosquito hemostats (dressed so they work as tweezers as well), couple packs of needled 3-0 and 4-0 silk (non-resorbable), couple scalple blades and a handle, and a scrub-out brish and (plastic) irrigation syringe. You can get everythihng but the syringe and brush thru Amazon as a "Military Surgical Instruments Kit - Minor Surgery Emergency Pack", tho I didn't like the sutures they had, and the hemostats were pretty flaky. What else? Tube of Hydration Tabs - the 12 pak fizzy kind.

Oh yeah, a pair of old-fashioned mercury oral thermometers. Tho I broke the second one a week before BRC shaking it down, the first was right after 2010. Bleah. Gotta replace those, tho they're getting harder than hades to find. (you can keep those damn electronic ones that go dead when you need it.)

I like the saline/IV idea, tho unless it was a severe emergency or we were out there sans-BRC, I'd leave that to them, only for liability issues. Of course. wound cleaning and tying sutures is a little above BLS but some things I don't mind in the course of a normal repair and others I'd rather not unless it was a SHTF situation.

Now, my SHTF kit? Let's say I'm a bit more prepared than that. One thing I want is a reading AED - not necessarily for the AED but the EKG function - it can tell a lot quick once you learn to read them.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 3:22 pm

my preferred first aid kit would be Sailman (I can't seem to find a pic of him):

graidawg · Post by **graidawg** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 3:59 pm

my first aid kit is my dear friend. oh and alcohol after all drunks never seriously hurt themselves do they. the one injury i had one the playa, i needed beer and didnt have any. so in future my first aid kit is a 6 pack of PBR.

mudpuppy000 · Post by **mudpuppy000** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 4:57 pm

Duct tape and a welding torch.

Kontradiction · Post by **Kontradiction** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 7:06 pm

Savannah wrote:Here's a First Aid thread:
http://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=42867

And the Burning Man website's starter list:
http://www.burningman.com/preparation/e ... staid.html

Another vote for Liquid Bandage. It's great for the snaggy hangnails and eroded cuticles the playa invites.

You find me for those, I'm the nail girl.

junglesmacks · Post by **junglesmacks** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 7:42 pm

Post by **Sham** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 7:46 pm

mmmmm, crispy band aids!

TinkerMom · Post by **TinkerMom** » Thu Oct 13, 2011 8:35 pm

My first aid kit is a huge rubbermaid box, with the above said items, plus panty hose, like the cheap .25 cent ones. They are great for tourniquets and wrapping around large areas (like your head)to hold gauze, or as a sling.
And they don't take up a whole lot of space. Also saline solution like in the eye care is also good for wound rinsing.
I have taken to the large kits, because of my boys and myself. We are hard weekend warriors.
My father was an EMT for 30 yrs. and I learned alot from him. I took some classes, too.
I'm not a Dr., but I like to play one.

dragonpilot · Post by **dragonpilot** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 5:10 pm

All of the above plus Preparation H...travel size.

Post by **Sham** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 5:16 pm

dragonpilot wrote:All of the above plus Preparation H...travel size.

(if you're over 60)

Sail Man · Post by **Sail Man** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 7:58 am

ygmir wrote:my preferred first aid kit would be Sailman (I can't seem to find a pic of him):

I blend in well with the dust sometimes making me easily hidden

Sail Man · Post by **Sail Man** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 7:59 am

Bay Bridge Sue wrote:Adding to my basic first aid kit -

A couple Israeli batte dressings, a couple packs of quik-clot sponges, Soft splint, mosquito hemostats (dressed so they work as tweezers as well), couple packs of needled 3-0 and 4-0 silk (non-resorbable), couple scalple blades and a handle, and a scrub-out brish and (plastic) irrigation syringe. You can get everythihng but the syringe and brush thru Amazon as a "Military Surgical Instruments Kit - Minor Surgery Emergency Pack", tho I didn't like the sutures they had, and the hemostats were pretty flaky. What else? Tube of Hydration Tabs - the 12 pak fizzy kind.

Oh yeah, a pair of old-fashioned mercury oral thermometers. Tho I broke the second one a week before BRC shaking it down, the first was right after 2010. Bleah. Gotta replace those, tho they're getting harder than hades to find. (you can keep those damn electronic ones that go dead when you need it.)

I like the saline/IV idea, tho unless it was a severe emergency or we were out there sans-BRC, I'd leave that to them, only for liability issues. Of course. wound cleaning and tying sutures is a little above BLS but some things I don't mind in the course of a normal repair and others I'd rather not unless it was a SHTF situation.

Now, my SHTF kit? Let's say I'm a bit more prepared than that. One thing I want is a reading AED - not necessarily for the AED but the EKG function - it can tell a lot quick once you learn to read them.

Nice kit BBS!

Sayyyy, wanna play Dr?

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 8:00 am

Sail Man wrote:
ygmir wrote:my preferred first aid kit would be Sailman (I can't seem to find a pic of him):

I blend in well with the dust sometimes making me easily hidden

I meant the naked ones you posted.

Post by **trilobyte** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 8:14 am

We've got a flip-top bin that Pand0rra and I use for our toiletries and first aid gear. I couldn't tell you what first aid gear is in the kit, as Pani sorts that out, but I have no doubt it's got everything we'd need. Beyond that, I could improvise with stuff from one of the tool bins if needed

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 9:42 am

I'm quite happy to use ESD. Maybe having been a dust widow means that I'm ready to dump the pains of my real widowhood on them.

dragonpilot · Post by **dragonpilot** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 12:37 pm

Shambala wrote:
dragonpilot wrote:All of the above plus Preparation H...travel size.
(if you're over 60)

It can also be used to reduce under-eye puffiness...

but I'll have you know (TMI ALERT) I got 'roids when I was in college living in the frat house with not enough fiber in the diet...that plus scurvy.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 8:48 pm

You were an honest to goodness scurvy dog?
Cool!

illy dilly · Post by **illy dilly** » Mon Oct 17, 2011 11:47 am

Shambala wrote:I would add to that kit, some pads for blisters on your feet, a few condoms for that unlikely encounter, lube and a few larger bandages.

You'd put the condoms in the first aid kit?

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