First Aid Stocking Advice

[Wabujitsu]

When taking a first aid course, try to find one that also teaches field expedient first aid - knowing how to use common objects and materials in your environment to help stabilize a patient.

If you are carrying a tourniquet, I highly recommend you also carry what you need to make a pressure dressing. When in doubt on whether to use a tourniquet, try a pressure dressing first. If that doesn’t slow/stop the bleeding, leave the dressing on and apply the tourniquet. Know when and how to periodically loosen, and retighten, the tourniquet to provide blood flow to the affected limb.

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[BVGeezer]

Take a wilderness first aid course as well as CPR. Buy a good first aid kit as well as some additional items suggested by posters. There are some really good suggestions. You should purchase a device such as a Spot Gen or sat phone.

 

[TheBirdie72]

Surprised nobody has mentioned a small bottle of alcohol. Both kinds. ?

 

[Heimkehr]

Surprised nobody has mentioned a small bottle of alcohol.

Post 6, p. 1.

 

[Wabujitsu]

FYI, if you have one of the iPhone 14 models, you can text emergency services via satellite if you don’t have cell coverage.

 

[wibornz]

Surprised nobody has mentioned a small bottle of alcohol. Both kinds. ?

...???????small bottle....

 

[linux_guy]

It’s the day to day stuff for me.

BC powder
Antacid
Imodium
Tampons
Midol
Ace bandage
Electrical tape
Leuko tape

The fourth item can be used to plug bullet holes.
(Freebie from the Hospital Corpsman 3/2 manual as best I can recall (at least the one from early to mid 90s): all parts of a rat are edible if boiled. I'm pretty sure the mess specialist rating was very familiar with that.)

 

[Heimkehr]

The fourth item can be used to plug bullet holes.

That item, and maxi pads, are in fact recommended additions when building DIY trauma packs for our range bags. Pads were also evident on the line when we were qualifying with ARs during basic training.

 

[Centurion07]

DISCLAIMER: OPINIONS follow.

Good Lord, let's not forget a rifle round, large caliber, and a match. You can use your teeth to remove the bullet, then pour the powder into a wound, then use the match to light the powder and cauterize the wound.

Come to think of it, you should also add a pair of pliers in case you happen to knock out all your teeth when incurring the previously mentioned wound.

Orrrr, you could reflect on the last 40+ years of life when you've never needed 90% of anything listed above.

Sure, there will be a FEW folks doing extreme/more dangerous than most stuff. And you xan never completely rule out the s**t happens factor. They might need something special.

They may be evac'd by a helicopter. They may be plucked from the jaws of death by some Rambo treating sucking chest wounds with a granola bar wrapper or rerouting air around a s'mores clogged windpipe with half a Skilcraft ink pen.

Or, like the folks who insist on carrying three 15-round magazines with their CCW just in case they find themselves in some glorious (imaginary) gunfight in which they somehow manage to survive (or shoot so poorly) that they need all that ammo, they may just carry a bunch of extra crap for no reason.

NOTE: The insurance card @wibornz shared doesn't take much space, as is likely far more effective than your self-aid in that level of catastrophe.

For the rest, some common sense BASIC first aid items (things you know how to use as @BeachNJeep said, and maintained for reasons like @cOtter explained) will be more than enough.

 

[Wabujitsu]

DISCLAIMER: OPINIONS follow.

Good Lord, let's not forget a rifle round, large caliber, and a match. You can use your teeth to remove the bullet, then pour the powder into a wound, then use the match to light the powder and cauterize the wound.

Come to think of it, you should also add a pair of pliers in case you happen to knock out all your teeth when incurring the previously mentioned wound.

Orrrr, you could reflect on the last 40+ years of life when you've never needed 90% of anything listed above.

Sure, there will be a FEW folks doing extreme/more dangerous than most stuff. And you xan never completely rule out the s**t happens factor. They might need something special.

They may be evac'd by a helicopter. They may be plucked from the jaws of death by some Rambo treating sucking chest wounds with a granola bar wrapper or rerouting air around a s'mores clogged windpipe with half a Skilcraft ink pen.

Or, like the folks who insist on carrying three 15-round magazines with their CCW just in case they find themselves in some glorious (imaginary) gunfight in which they somehow manage to survive (or shoot so poorly) that they need all that ammo, they may just carry a bunch of extra crap for no reason.

NOTE: The insurance card @wibornz shared doesn't take much space, as is likely far more effective than your self-aid in that level of catastrophe.

For the rest, some common sense BASIC first aid items (things you know how to use as @BeachNJeep said, and maintained for reasons like @cOtter explained) will be more than enough.

Well damn, I was just about to suggest two liters of lactated ringers and two liters of normal saline with tubing and 18 gauge angiocaths (the saline, for example, for when you suspect a head injury with increased inter-cranial pressure with hypovolemic shock), and a tracheostomy kit! Should I leave my AED at home too??

 

[Riotfunk]

I’m an ER/trauma nurse, so my bag has a bunch of stuff. You guys have most stuff covered. Always have a good knife. Most stuff you’ll really need is for minor injuries lacerations, fractures, allergic.

Determine what else you’ll need for where and how long you’re going. Even the basic supplies is more than probs 90% of people carry.

 

[Dlit]

Thanks for all the ideas sorry I hadn’t responded earlier had some computer issues.

 

[BlakeKellyQRo]

Sometimes, a pressure dressing can effectively control bleeding without the need for a tourniquet, and it's less invasive. It's all about knowing when and how to apply the right technique, and your approach of trying a pressure dressing first and resorting to a tourniquet if needed is a sound strategy.
For those looking to ensure they have the necessary supplies for field expedient first aid, it's a good idea to check out first aid boxes at https://risenmedical.com/collection/first-aid-box. Having a well-stocked kit with the right tools can make all the difference in an emergency situation.

 

[Dlit]

Sometimes, a pressure dressing can effectively control bleeding without the need for a tourniquet, and it's less invasive.

Funny you mention this a medic I know got me one…taking a first aid class as well

 

[wibornz]

I have friend that is an emergency room surgical nurse. She built my first aid kit for me. I also have emergency rescue insurance and carry a Garmin Mini InRech so I can get help anywhere in the world.

We wheel off road a lot and at time over 70 miles to the closest hard surface road. Plus we do dumb stuff, we climb, hike, explore miles from the Jeep and are out of cell service for days or a week or so at a time.

It would be very easy for one of us to be climbing or hiking and get injured that may require a helicopter ride. The insurance is about $400 a year, and they will literally do what ever it takes to get us and our vehicle out.

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