stuff to keep in your cruiser at all times

[sc40]

So my freind rolled his car 3x a few days ago. He is fine, not a scratch, but it got me thinking. if i was driveing and saw somthing like that happen, would i have the tools i need to save a life? I am an eagle scout so i know some first aid. I carry a small kit, but i am now thinking its not enough.

What does your kit contain?

What classes have you taken to be prepared?

I want to assemble a good kit, but i dont have unlimited room to keep a full hospital in my 80. I only need to be able to stabalize the victem untill help arrives. A CB is going so i can get help if a cell phone dossent work.

 

[MrMoMo]

Besides the obvious...

Blankets for shock, something to cut seatbelts, latex gloves to protect yourself from biohazards, a lawyer incase you screw up...

Flashcards can be helpful if you are in a habit of forgetting things under pressure. (CPR procedures etc)

Notepad to write down vital signs to give to paramedics when they arrive on scene.

 

[sc40]

honestly all thoes things you listed i dont have,i'm going to go get them.
thanks

 

[Capt. Jim]

Had a minor incident on my boat in January where my wife hooked my nephew in his cheek just below his right eye. Fortunately, his wife, who was also aboard, is a doctor. All turned out well except she was not impressd with my first-aid kit. She marched me into the local CVS the next day and set me up. One thing she said they use in the ER is the feminine Maxi-pads to help stop excessive bleeding (of wounds ). My kit is now in a small backpack and has things such as hand and wound wash, many types of bandaids, scissors, pliers, flashlight, sling, splints, eye wash, OTC pain relief, wound dressing, tape, gauze, etc. No Rx or sutures,

Go to your local drug store and you can get an idea just by walking down the first-aid/badaid aisle.

 

[dogboy2]

A thermometer for vitals if you don't already have one...
Wouldn't rely on the CB for summoning help -- it's range is too limited to be of much use in a remote area or mountaineous terrain. Better bet would be a short wave setup or even better, a SAT phone.

-db-

 

[AATLAS1X]

My Kozzie for my starbucks cup to fit in, It wont fall over this way.

 

[Ian Rogers]

i have a sleeping bag in all of my truck fj40 to J*** just in case you need them

 

[sc40]

what vitals are important to wrire down?

any tips on orginizing?

 

[Advent]

I've got a seperate tool box just for first aid. All my tools are in red boxes that are locked to my 'cage, my first aid stuff is in a yellow tool box that's not locked up. I figure if anyone needs it right away, it'd be best not to lock it down.

However, I don't have any clue what a good list of first aid stuff would be. It's currently got a pretty crappy prepackaged kit from Costco in it, as well as a wind-up flashlight (batteries don't do well in the cold of winter) and a couple little loose items.

It's a 24" tool box, so I've got plenty of space...Where would I find a good list?

 

[REZARF]

I wouldn't carry anything I don't know how to properly use, we need to be an honest evaluator of our true know-how when it comes to administering first response aid.

That said, I keep a first aid kit, flashlight, cell phone, and multi-tool in the rig at all times.

Rezarf <><

 

[Advent]

Short of minor surgery, I know how to use most stuff.

The catch is, I don't really know what I *should* bring.

 

[turbocruiser]

Hey man, great question, one thing I think I'll add to this is those "rubber strap torniquettes" (sp?). When we lived in Germany, I was impressed with how well designed automobile first aid kits were - they have it all and it all is wrapped individually in this thick plastic that looks like it can survive stoage for years and years, almost all of them have the rubber torniquettes, alotta them have the small surgical kit - two or three types of scissors including the ones with the flat bottom front for safely cutting off clothes - tweezers, etc and alotta them have CPR shields with instructions, etc.

One thing slightly off of our discussing is doing any of this, while definitely the "right" thing to do, does present some risk if you do anything at all wrong. I'm not familiar with the "Good Samaritan" laws State by State, and while they would not stop me trying to save someone, I would not do that "Holiday Inn Express Last Night" thing where I fool myself that I'm some surgeon when I'm not! You gotta know what yer doin before you do it! Just a polite word of warning but still, great question and great spirit!

 

[tltaylor22]

Get a good knife to cut seatbelts. I dove into a burning car two years ago with a 2 yr old boy stuck in his child seat. I "always" have at least one knife on me, except for that night. It got ugly, 250lb mother screaming and jumping on top of me "trying" to help, but I was able to get the kid out without a scratch.

 

[Capt. Jim]

I have a knife wire-tied to my roll cage right above the driver's seat for cutting my belts.

 

[GeoRoss]

I will put in a vote for steri-strips and methylbenzoate. I have patched up some nasty lacerations (to the muscle sheath) with these guys. Work as well as stitches.

Ross

 

[chicago]

what vitals are important to wrire down?

any tips on orginizing?

LOC (level of conscienceness) are they alert and oriented to: person, place, time.
Heart rate
breathing
Description of injuries (locations and their nature)
events of what happened

Each situation is different, but those are the biggies as far as information to give to the first responders.

If you know how to use a BP cuff, that wouldnt be a bad thing to offer to them too if you have the ability. The baskic kits are pretty cheap, and you can ask any nurse in a hospital (or someone who knows how to use one) to teach you how to use it. Its pretty easy..or, you can pop for the automatic kind which is a bit more expensive.

BTW, Sam's club has a really nice first aid kit...I forgot how much it is, but its in the pahrmacy area.

You can also talk to a local hospital or community college for info on basic first aid and CPR courses.

This is a really GOOD thread!


Chicago

 

[ff347]

I wouldn't carry anything I don't know how to properly use, we need to be an honest evaluator of our true know-how when it comes to administering first response aid.

That said, I keep a first aid kit, flashlight, cell phone, and multi-tool in the rig at all times.

Rezarf <><

True words of wisdom right there.

Scene safety is the tool most people forget! Wanting to help and rushing in to do it has gotten a great deal of people hurt, both professional and general public. Power lines, stupid people, unstable vehicles, stupid people, secondary collisions, stupid people the list goes on. Also, remember that if you do something beyond your level of training you can be held liable even if you had good intentions.

Oh yeah, a spring loaded center punch. Practice using it though and remember all of those million pieces of glass all have sharp edges and will cut the hell out of you!

 

[LoveTractor]

Oh boy. Did someone say first aid kit? I put this kit together last year and keep it in an Adventure Medical Kit "Fundamentals" bag:
(I editted the list into some order.)

"A Comprehensive Guide to Wilderness and Travel Medicine by Eric Weiss, MD"
Betadine
Neosporin
Martin's Burnaway Plus
Cortizone 10
Burt's Bees Lip Balm
Blistex Medicated SPF 15 Lip Balm
Bullfrog SPF 36 Sunscreen
3m Ultrathon Bug Repellent Lotion
Super Glue(for suturing in a pinch)
2 Benzoin Tincture Swabs
Anti-Microbial Handwipes
Immodium AD
Zantac 150
Sudafed
Benadryl
Bayer Asprin
Tylenol
Ibuprofen
Ziploc of Centrum Vitamins
Pencil
Few scraps of paper
Sawyer Venom Extractor
Countycomm Straight Razor(replaced reg razor 10/10)
Irrigation syringe
Surgical Scissors
Sewing Kit
Uncle Bill's Tweezers
Digital Thermometer(and extra battery)
Large and small safety pins
Roll of Gauze
Ace Bandage
Medical Tape
Tourniquet
Arm Sling
Microshield CPR Mouth Barrier
Medical Waste Bag
Latex Gloves
Sam Splint
2 pairs earplugs
4 AOSafety Pleats Plus N95 Respirators(10/10)
Small Button-Shaped LED light(10/10)
Israeli Trauma Bandage
10 Steri-Strips
10 Q-tips
1 Spenco 2nd Skin Moist Burn Pad
5 Curad Telfa Non-stick Pads
5 Johnson&Johnson NuGauze All-Purpose dressings
5 3M Nexcare Regular-sized band-aids
2 3M Nexcare Knuckle band-aids
2 3M Nexcare Big band-aids
1 small 3m Tegaderm Pad
1 lg Tegaderm Pad
Pad of Moleskin
3 Tampons

(I made some updates 10/10)

And it packs really light. I'll add a pic:

 

[ff347]

NORTH SAFETY Z018500-4222 is what I have, a nice size and in a good quality bag and has room for additional stuff in the kit that I figured I would need.

 

[stayalert]

rope swing. hockey puck with 3/8 hole drilled near the edge, 50' of light line.

tie light line to puck. huck over ample limb. pull up rope swing with light line. test. show kids. sit back and enjoy.