First Aid Kits Part 1
We discuss the different type of First Aid Kits the Pagan Homestead can have
FIRST AID
3/9/20245 min read
One common denominator that is seen a lot in kits is........ WAY TO MUCH IN IT. A lot of goods folks try to cram everything they can and end up with a kit that is stored in a Large ALICE pack and weighs as much as a T-10 parachute. Is that a bad thing? No. Not really. The issues I see are weight. And complexity. And Skill Level.
Having a lot of extra medical supplies is good. For barter or to have so in case someone happens along that knows how to use them. The issues I see with it is a person intent on helping someone is presented with a bunch of medical supplies they know nothing of and the risk of doing more harm increases. My "Jump Bag" is modeled after the US Army M5. But without the drugs. When I do carry meds with me they are NEVER in the pack. Too much danger of being stolen and falling into the wrong hands.
I advocate 2 personal first aid kits. One a basic kit with items all will need on the trail. And instead of re inventing the wheel
I'll list my Boy Scouts basic kit. My son Jacob, and I made this up when he was a First Class Scout.
Adhesive bandages 6. 2 small, 2 med and 2 large. Sterile gauze pads, 4x4 3 each. Adhesive tape. 1 small roll Silk tape. Moleskin, 3-by-6 inches. 1 Soap 1 small bar AND hand sanitizer. Neosporin 1 small tube. Scissors 1 pair. Gloves 1 pair Mouth-barrier device. Plastic goggles. 4 each Tylenol or Motrin 2 each Benadryl 1 roll of Tums or Rolaids 1 tube of GEL type super glue 2 feet of duct tape wrapped around a pencil .
This little kit is cheap to put together and covers 90% of the minor cuts, scrapes and splinters on young Scouts. It is cheap to make and MUCH more serviceable than the BS kits the store tries to sell you.. This fits PERFECTLY in an old M16 ammo pouch and clips securely to a belt. This kit is designed to be dipped into as needed and refiled as available.
The next personal kit is what is known in the business as a "blow out kit or IFAK". It is a one time use kit , This is designed for big holes, cuts or missing parts. It is NOT an everyday use kit. This kit is normally carried in the day pack or backpack. You can buy it for about $100 bucks, or build your own here. For under 30. Add this to the Scouts First Aid kit and you’re prepared to deal with most minor to major maladies.
Quikclot Gauze + 1 packet of Quikclot granules. Israeli or "H" compression bandage
Compressed field dressing OR Postpartum pads and Tampons. Umm non scented I guess is the right term. Postpartum pads are fantastic for large abdominal wounds or lark wounds just about anywhere. They are HUGE and work VERY well.
1 Nasopharyngeal tube AND #90 Oropharyngeal tube. The NPA tube is easier to use, and safer. But there are times when it is a better to use the OPA tube. These are advanced items and need training on their use.
HALO (tm) Chest Seal.
CAT tourniquet (http://combattourniquet.com) Seriously, Nothing else will do. Gloves 2 pair
1 pair Trauma shears
ACE wrap Coflex SAM Splint
Causality Card and sharpie 3m VetBond or equivalent. Plain gel type super glue as in the Scouts kit is acceptable Steri Strips
Notice there are no sutures, staples or anything like that? Sewing in the field is a bad idea. With skin glue and steri strips you can close a bad wound without adding punctures to the skin, and you can remove them without damage to the skin. My kit has a few other items not listed here. Some may ask why items like a chest seal and airways? We're not going to point any fingers nor cast blame. But have y'all see the news? We'll leave it there for now.
This one is vacuum sealed to make it as small as possible. I get mine down to about 3"x4"x6 ". It's done in 2 layers.the inner is a heavy ziplock bag not fully closed and then it's put into the vacuum seal bag. This goes into an inexpensive pouch that clips to your belt, or and I know they are so 1990's a fanny back. Yeah you may look look like your stuck in the 90's dad, but fashion takes a side step to being prepared.
The home first aid kit. This one we leave pretty much as it comes from the store as was said above. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Also a basic home first aid kit is not a trauma kit. That is what your IFAK is for. The home kit IS for splinters or blisters. Perhaps a minor burn from a pot. Little Timmy scrapes his knee. If you search first aid kits on Amazon, you’ll see thousands, from cheap little 3 buck kits to what is called full blow “paramedic kits” for up to a couple of hundred bucks. A good kit will be 300-400 items, have hot and cold packs and the other basics. Expect to pay about 30-50 bucks. These kits are designed to be used. And refilled. And used some more. The brand really doesn’t mean much. Just look for the most bang for your buck. Stay away from kits with lots of “drugs” in them. Sure it’s nice to have you acetaminophen and ibuprofen packed in nice foil packs of 2 tablets each. But that 100 bottle of Ibuprofen at Wally World is only 2 bucks vs 10 for a refill of 10 2 tablet packs of the same generic drug. Keep those drugs near the kit and you'll save money and have a great kit
Herbal First aid.
It's is actually easier the it sounds. But it does bulk up the kit a bit. Just replace the drugs in the kit with their herbal counterparts. For the pain relievers I carry tinctures of Willow bark and /or devils claw, For the Benadryl Elderberry has shown promise in opening the sinus passages . I have also read some studies that show Valerian is useful in relaxing bronchial spasm of Asthma Stomach issues I head to Mint, Ginger and Chamomile. And for topical antibiotic wound wash Oregon grape root tincture mixed with water or Colloidal silver. For the most part I carry concentrated tinctures instead of the loose herbs. I am not trying to cure Ebola, just some minor first aid until I can get them back to where I have proper equipment. Aloe Vera. It is almost the most perfect item for burns. However I don't carry it. Shelf life. It can go bad, and let's face it. How often do we check our first aid kits? For burns I carry a 2 ounce bottle of local honey.And it's not in my bag but it grows all over most of the country, is prickly pear cactus. The leaf, not the fruit. Peeled and placed directly on the burn. It has most of the same properties. ALmost any fleshy leafed cactus will do. The main topic I am trying to put out with this letter is KISS Keep It Simple Simon. We get to caught up in having the biggest baddest and most complex anything. There is no way that the majority of people can carry and use to its full extent most of the first aid kits some carry. In the mini Gazette we sent out this week we talked about all the first aid kits we have. Now I hope y’all see the why. Robert Heinlein once wrote, Specialization is for Insects. But in first aid kits, specialization means you’ll have the right kit , with the right items for any injury. In a later blog, we’ll talk about more advanced first aid kits. Items that require more specialized training. And coming soon, Gerðs Hearth will have a webinar covering those techniques. In our page: Affiliate Links you'll fins most of the products listed in this blog. May peace and good health be with you all!
