Basic first aid kit....

[Mugwug]

Here, for what its worth, is the kit that lives in my car. A basic first aid kit purchased at Canadian Tire and supplemented a bit with some extra supplies. It's really meant for common minor injuries, with basic treatment of more serious injuries (hopefully) covered.

Contents:

1 225ml Hydrogen Peroxide
1 100ml Rubbing Alcohol
1 25g First Aid Cream(cetrimide BP)
1 Large instant cold pack/compress
2 small instant cold pack/compresses
1 100ml container, loose ibuprofin

1 disposable CPR face shield
1 disposable CPR face shield with breathing tube
1 pair paramedic shears
4 pairs non-latex, non powdered gloves
2 pairs latex powdered gloves

1 roll 1/2" medical tape (10 yards)
1 roll 1" transpore medical tape
1 tenser bandage with clips
2 rolls gauze

1 40x40x56 triangular bandage
4 5x9" abdoninal pads
2 4x4" gauze pads (sterile)
2 Spenco 2nd skin burn pad
1 eye pad (sterile)
3 3x3" gauze pads (sterile)
5 2x2" gauze pads (sterile)
1 No.4 presssure bandage (sterile)
4 3" cotton tipped applicators (sterile)
8 1x2" "bandaids"
36 standard "bandaids"
10 butterfly bandaids

10 sting relief medicated pads
13 alcohol prep pads
30 antiseptic towelettes (Benzalkonium chloride 0.4%)

Supplies likely need to be "topped up" as its seen some use at work for minor scrapes, cuts and so forth.

[CLEAR CUT]

That looks pretty solid Mugwug. I have something similar in my vehicle as well. That thing comes in handy, especially at the jobsite. Someone is always getting cut or scraped. Maybe it's just me, but I appreciate something clean and sterile versus a kleenex/ duct tape bandaid. Know what I mean?

[Mugwug]

I hear ya... I bought the kit several years ago when I got tired of "improvising" dressings on minor ouches at work. Some time spent as a first aid attendant (for better and worse) made me accustomed to having at least a basic kit to work with....

I think I paid about $25 for this kit, and added minor stuff as I needed it and didn't have it on hand (too late, but good for next time perhaps), the burn pads are an example. Theres not a lot of room left in this kit, and I doubt it'll grow beyond the state it's in now...

My BOB has a little more indepth kit I'm still assembling, but it's on the back burner right now.

[Grin Reaper]

I’d get rid of the Hydrogen Peroxide and the Rubbing Alcohol; I’ve never used either. Instead carry iodine solution or Hibi-Clens for wound cleaning. Also, get rid of the 2 pairs latex powdered gloves – add a couple more pairs of non-powdered non-latex. Add a bottle of eye-wash (several of the on-line accounts from rescuers at the World Trade Center collapse reported they were constantly using this stuff).
I’d add a CPR mask, too. Nothing worse that having to do mouth-to-mouth.

[Mugwug]

I’d get rid of the Hydrogen Peroxide and the Rubbing Alcohol; I’ve never used either. Instead carry iodine solution or Hibi-Clens for wound cleaning. Also, get rid of the 2 pairs latex powdered gloves – add a couple more pairs of non-powdered non-latex. Add a bottle of eye-wash (several of the on-line accounts from rescuers at the World Trade Center collapse reported they were constantly using this stuff).

Agreed, I haven't touched either the hyrdogen peroxide or the rubbing alcohol since buying the kit, the alcohol and disinfectant pads have been more than sufficient. Just feels a little wasteful to ditch them without using them...

I’d add a CPR mask, too. Nothing worse that having to do mouth-to-mouth.

Uh, there are two CPR shields in there, one is an el-cheapo face shield, the other is a better version with the breathing tube. Theres no way I'm doing CPR without a barrier.

[Ranger0402]

You guys should look into stocking up on Curlex (for packing wounds). Gunshot wounds bleed way more than you can imagine. . . Also, if you can, learn how to start IV's and get yourself a couple of bags of saline.

[Grin Reaper]

The CPR shields are better than nothing, but a CPR mask (like the one made be Laerdal) is much better. Most of the CPR shields I've seen are essentially a sheet of flexible plastic with some sort of a one-way valve in the middle. A mask looks more like the mask portion of an Ambu-bag, but it also has a one-way valve. The valve allows air to go out of the rescuer into the patient, but keeps puke and blood from going from the patient into the rescuer's mouth.

The knowledge of how and why to start IV fluids is a valuable skill, and should be part of a larger, more general base of medical care.
Also, since federal law requires you have a prescription/order in order to have IV fluids, needles, and tubing, adding said items to the Average Joe's first aid kit just isn't feasible for most of us.
In A PAW setting, though, you could salvage these (and other items) from a hospital/ambulance/etc.

For those of you who are interested in learning the mechanics of IV insertion, there's a great book called Ditch Medicine by H. Coffee. While it isn't nearly as comprehensive as the Special Forces Medical Handbook, it is much more up to date, and is targeted specifically for non-medical-professionals working in sub-optimal conditions (e.g., PAW).

[RedRyder21]

Starting IV's are a brease on healthy people, but overweight, old, or some people can be a real pain. IV's take practice, practice, and more practice. Do it wrong and you can potentially kill someone by leaving air in the line and causing an air embolism.

Start with a basic CPR and first aid class. If you want to bump it up a bit and take a local EMT-basic class. You wil be required to spend time in a local ER and pre-hospital "ambulance" time. Observe the basic stuff, but pay attention to IV's. Ask the nurses to show you how to prepare an IV bag and tubing and flushing the air. Tell them EMT's prepare IV's for the paramedic on ambulances, so you would like to learn how.

Yes, I do work as a Paramedic and I know a few things, but I don't know it all and I won't pretend to either.... Its just that I have responded to many calls where CPR was in progress and other First Aid was in progress, and I have responded to calls and where nobody knows CPR. I guess you can guess whch patients will fare better in the long run.

[HEX]

Dont IV's need to be specially stored to prolong their shelf life? And wouldnt they take up a lot of room/burst in your BOB

[Grin Reaper]

Basic IV fluids (normal saline, lactated ringer's, etc.) are typically stored at room temperature, and most have a shelf life of several years (the bag will show an expiration date).
Many pre-mixed IV medications (i.e., drugs mixed into normal saline, lactated ringer's, etc.) are equally stable at room temperature.
Some, however, are not, and must be refrigerated. Others lose their potency when exposed to light (the IV bag/bottle is usually covered with a paper bag when in use).
Finally, blood products (packed red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma, etc.) must be refrigerated and have a short shelf life (weeks or months), and become useless after being at room temperature for only a few hours.

Regarding the question of IV fluid containers bursting/breaking -- the products packaged in plastic bags that most Western countries use are quite durable. I've dropped more than I care to admit, and never seen one rupture. I've applied a blood pressure cuff to them and inflated it to the maximum pressure the cuff will withstand (300mm Hg) [you do this with an unstable patient, to make the fluids infuse faster], and never experienced a rupture. This is some durable stuff.
The old-style glass bottles (you may see these in hospitals in less-affluent nations) WILL break (i've dropped a few of them, too).

And, yes, they do take up a lot of room in your pack. But, if you have access to them, the ability to use them, and the knowledge to do so safely, they're worth it. IMHO.