Medical Kit

[mhearn]

In the interest of a really bad day at the range, anybody got any advice on a medical kit to keep nearby?

I ran across these at Cheaper Than Dirt, but would appreciate any tidbits that some of you experienced folks might recommend.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ctd/product...3XW069W7U113RTC

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ctd/product...3XW069W7U113RTC

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ctd/product...3XW069W7U113RTC

MHearn

[D.Hayden]

There's many people more qualified at this than me... but 99% of the time from my aidbag, it used to be a band-aid to max of a 4x4 and some tape.

I'd just keep one of those CostCo first-aid kits, and if you want bigger coverage, get some bigger pressure dressings, and gauze pads - and maybe spring for a leg and arm splint...

If it's a bad enough injury, you have no time to go find the first aid kit, just rip off a shirt..

[AikiDale]

Antiseptic wipes, antibiotic ointment, tweezers and bandaids are all I've used so far. Most injuries seem to be small cuts, punctures from staples and splinters from target sticks.

[kevin c]

A few other items we keep at our range that may or may not be in a standard first aid kit:

A bottle of hydrogen peroxide - not the world's best antiseptic, but a good cleaner and something that will keep for a while in an unairconditioned environment.

Canned (or at least sealed in plastic) saline, the type that folks use for contact lenses. If sealed, it will keep a good while. and is good for wound irrigation and eye rinses.

Ibuprofen and acetaminophen.

Sun block.

Latex gloves.

Glucose tablets (for diabetics in insulin shock - I'm a doc and my ER training shows. We've never used the stuff, but I'm compulsive).

Large gauze pads, 4X4 at least. The little ones are next to useless.

A good assortment of large bandaids, 1" and larger. The smaller sizes don't cut it.

If you get antibiotic ointment (a good idea) get a box of the single use packets.

With the exception of the bandages, most of the stuff above should be replaced, used or not, at least once a year.

Other good things to have for medical emergencies, though not alwasy available, are shelter/shade, water to drink, running water and soap for clean up, and phone access to EMS (emergency medical services/911).

[Hank Ellis]

Do you have any First Responder training? Bloodborne pathogen training? If not, don't play doctor. The training is readily available and only takes one day. CPR and AED training is included. Excellent if anyone plays in any action sports that may involve injury.

The one I have at work and would do 95% of I want it to do is available from Zee Medical here.. The only thing I would add for the shooting sports is additional 4x4 gauze pads or even better (no snickering) Kotex pads or equivalent.

Some items do have a shelf life. Saline, and burn pads for example. With this in mind I'd stay away from 'surplus' first aid kits. You don't know what your getting.

[kimel]

Pressure dressings are a good idea if you have one of those REALLY bad days. A ton of triangular bandages are a necessity. You can do damn near anything with those...including binding radiator hoses.

I know several folks (including guys) that carry tampons and/or maxi-pads in their range bags just in case. They make good pressure dressings. Just don't get carried away with the tampons...you can make things worse.

BIG shears. Kitchen shears work well and are inexpensive. Shears are safer than a sharp knife when cutting through clothing. I have a buddy who has a 14 inch long scar on his leg he got when a well meaning but way over amped hunting buddy cut his pant leg with a hunting knife after my friend slipped, fell, and broke his leg. The knife wound got infected and ended up taking longer to recover from than the broken bone.

Take a Red Cross Basic First Aid course and then go take the Advanced Course including CPR. Chances are good that your employer will pay the course fees and give you release time to attend. The biggest, baddest first aid kit in the world is useless if you haven't a clue how to use any of it correctly.

I would be sure to take the AED part of the CPR training. Probably only 1 range in 1000 has these but the price point is dropping and they can be a life saver when necessary. Darn near every shopping mall and all airports now have AEDs and knowing how to use one properly is critical.

Yes, you may have seen every episode of ER but that doesn't mean you are qualified to do a chest tube or anything else you see on that show beyond putting on a band-aid. Don't do something stupid. Leave something for the pros to work with.

And then, while it isn't really part of the range first aid kit...go donate blood on a regular basis.

I am not a doc, don't play one on TV and haven't slept in a Holiday Inn recently.

Edited May 25, 2005 by kimel

[diehli]

Yes, you may have seen every episode of ER but that doesn't mean you are qualified to do a chest tube or anything else you see on that show beyond putting on a band-aid.  Don't do something stupid.  Leave something for the pros to work with.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hrm... maybe I shouldn't have done that tracheotomy....

[EricW]

Sterile forceps are nice

If you can't buy sterile forceps, put some metal forceps in the kit and make sure you have a lighter or matches. Douse the forceps in alcohol and light.

A little bleach in water is hands-down the best bacteria-killer there is. Learned that from a Vietnam-era medic at some point in my life.

A couple rolls of vet wrap are invaluable for holding on bandages.

I know that some places sell suture/staple kits, but leave that to the ER folks. You can just make things a lot worse by suturing a poorly cleaned wound.

[ipscscott]

Well, the others have already chimed in about getting some training, so I won't beat that to death here, but they're right on the $.  On the other hand, you'd be surprised at how much you already know and is just plain common sense.  At the very least, take a basic 1st aid class or better yet a 1st Responder.  Usually CPR is included, but if not it's a must have.  And when you get/put -together your kit, if it includes any sort of "First Aid Guide," take a few moments and READ IT.  When it comes time to use it, even if you don't remember all the specifics, a quick glance at the book will hopefully jar your memory, 'cause you likely won't have time to read it in an emergent situation.

So, now that that's said and done.... as far as the kits you mention, the third one (M-3) might be a good place to start. Also, take a look at what Gall's has to offer in their pre-packaged kits, they're pretty well put together. You can (and likely should) supplement whatever you buy to suit your particular needs and training. The best kit is usually one you have assembled yourself either from scratch or using a prepackaged kit as a base.

I'll leave out the obvious like a box-o-band-aids, single serving packs of Neosporin, antiseptic wipes and the like and hopefully give you a few items that you may not have thought about. Even if you go with one of the prepackaged kits, here are a few goodies that you should consider including, in no particular order:

**PPE equipment. Remember, if it's warm and wet and it's not yours, you don't want it on you.

*Gloves: #1 PPE item. nitrile is best, but latex is acceptable (unless you or your patient has an allergy). Have more than one pair. Doesn't hurt to have quite a few so you can equip others who's assistance you may need.

*Safety glasses: also a part of your PPE,(at the range you'll likely have them on anyway). Bodily fluids can be projected great distances. Unless you're really good at that Matrix move, you will likely get some on you. Best to keep it out of mucous membranes. If there's room, a face mask/eye shield is not a bad investment.

*CPR barrier, such as a pocket-mask. They are out there that are small enough to fit in a keychain sized pouch. I have on of those and a pair of gloves on me all the time.

*Oropharyngeal & Nasopharyngeal Airways: Make sure you ask your instructor about these if for some reason it's not covered.

*Hand-operated suction device. Hard to maintain an airway when it's full of blood or vomit.

*Hand Sanitizer: get one of the alcohol-based gel types. They're great for use after an incident. Also just handy in general. Port-o-lets don't usually have a sink to wash up.

*Eye Wash / (sterile saline). Available in a prepackaged form, useful for irrigating eyes, cooling burns, flushing minor wounds, etc. More than 1 is not a bad idea if you ever have to irrigate an eye. Just an example, a chemical burn to the eyeshould be flushed for a minimum of 20 minutes. 4oz just ain't gonna do it.

*Bottled water. Doesn't hurt to have an extra bottle or two around. Great for heat emergencies, burns, etc.

*Dixie cups: not only for the water, but can be used to stabilize objects impaled in the eye. Make sure no styro, it will crumble and contaminate.

*Dressing materials: 4x4 gauze, tape, a couple of bulky (this is where the Kotex come in handy) dressings, materials for a pressure dressing (check out the "Bloodstopper"), Kerlix (cling), and probably pretty important in our sport, a bio-occlusive dressing (vaseline gauze or foil). Used for that mythical "sucking chest wound".

*QuickClot Dressing: There's still some debate about this stuff, you'll have to make your own decision, but look into it.

*Triangular Bandages / Cravats: for sling and swath

*Oral Glucose: for diabetic emergency. Could also substitute packets of honey.

*Cold Packs: not like the potential for a sprain or strain isn't readily evident.

*Tools: shears, forceps, tweezers. The latter are especially useful.

*Space blanket: shock treatment, shade your patient, etc.

That's about all I can come up with off the top of my head, but with proper training and the willingness to improvise a little, this should get you through 99% of all emergencies you are ever likely to face. If I think of anything else I'll add on later, and feel free to ask any further questions. Hope this helps a bit!

[XRe]

While talking to shred at the last ALSPPC match, he brought up something interesting that hadn't ever really crossed my mind - find someone w/ a GPS and write down the longitude/latitude of the range!! Specifically - some place you can land a helicopter.

This thread reminds me that I need to renew my first aid and CPR training It's been a *long* time....

[tightloop]

IPSCSCOTT

I like your list but this is for the range, not the ER

[John Dunn]

Cell phone or Sat phone or PR 77 (or whatever they use these days) to get help ASAP.

I used to carry an Epi pen and Benadryl for anaphylactic reactions (bee sting kit).

When I was a 91B I routinely carried a couple of liters of LR or NS, and all the administration supplies, because just dumping water on a heat stroke victim feels less than satisfying, while trying like hell to start an IV on a hypotensive patient always passes the time quickly.

Don't try to get to fancy, remember the ABC's, use common sense, and evac ASAP for serious injury.

I have the CTD big medical bag, rides in my truck most of the time, it's pretty decent.

[oddjob]

I have a PTK (Personal Trauma Kit) that has gloves, 2 vaseline type gauze pad for sucking chest wounds (4x4" I think), bandage, band aids, antiseptic stuff, CPR mask. Works great! I used one for my partner (got shot by a suspect in the hand) and I have also used it on the range for a piece of jacketing that came back and impaled another shooter ( its still in him). Its in a thick plastic bag and I carry it in my range bag. Its a very simple kit thats worked for me.

[mhearn]

Have I mentioned that I really like this forum. Thanks to all that responded. A few in particular.

kevin c: hydo pero & saline. Check.

Hank Ellis: Just got off the phone with the American Red Cross. I'm going to start there. The See Medical stuff looks nice.

kimel: pressure dressing. I had a few with me recently when I need them. but it was a fluke. I'm going to resupply. I don't know about keeping the tampons in my shooting bag. Thanks for the confirmation of the Red Cross training.

EricW: Sterile forceps. Check. I ended up using a pair nettlenose pliers recently (I did wipe them down with an alcohol swab first). And, the vet wrap would have come in handy.

ipscscott: Thanks for the info. I may pick up that M-3 kit. I like that Gall's Dyna Med® Trunk First Aid Kit. Thanks for the info. Gloves, definitely next time. A google search for Bloodstopper and Kerlix lead to those items and some nice info to go with it.

XRe: a very good idea on the GPS item. I should have already done this. We had an incident a year ago and I didn't know how to tell the EMTs to get to us and I had to go out and meet them on the highway and steer them in. I'm going to get this done.

John Dunn: Thanks. The bee thing is probably more likely than the other. I don't want to get caught up in the improbable and forget the probable. And, I'm still considering the CTD bag.

oddjob: Thanks. Personal trauma kit is a good search phrase for this issue.

Thanks to all. With some training and your advice. Maybe, I'll handle those little episodes at the range better in the future.

MHearn

[folsoml]

Probably gets pretty hot in Anniston Al, so something to deal with an environmental heat casualty would be good to have on hand. Also, a little training on the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat exhaustion is easiest treated by getting the patient somewhere cool (in some AC or at least in the shade) and getting them some water to drink. Maybe putting some ice on their neck. Heat stroke on the other hand is a true medical emergency. Cool them down as quickly as possible (an ice bath if available) while while you wait on the ambulance. Easiest way to tell the difference: cool, clammy skin, with a pale face=heat exhaustion. Skin hot and dry with a red face=heat stroke.

[calhunter]

The Red Cross Offices have kits, complete with bag and they are pretty reasonable. They cover from 1 to a family. Check with them when you take your first aid/CPR class.

[mcoliver]

And I always thought superglue would come standard with most kits.

[D.Hayden]

Like ispcscott said..

Cravats... I'd guess that was about half my aidbag... they do everything.. best of all they're small and easily carryable in everyones bag, so they'll be where you need them quickly.. and we could always trade them for extra food,etc.. in Mech-Infantry . I didn't know you could buy them.

On the down side about buying military surplus.. we got a supply of preasure dressings from 43,44 back in the late seventies. Probably stroed in some warehouse.. the gauze ties would tear right off when you opened them or tried to tie them. They became part of an amussing collection, along with glass IV bottles of D5W, and reusable needles and glass syringes..

[ipscscott]

XRe:

Excellent idea about the GPS coordinates. Don't forget to include any turnoff from the main road or other landmarks that might help, especially if your range is off the beaten path.

tightloop:

Sorry, that's the EMT coming out. On the plus side, it can also make you fun at parties.

BTW, most of this (and more) is in my personal jump bag.

John Dunn:

Benadryl - good idea. EpiPen - typically not available unless prescribed by a doc. If you have friends that would need and have one, it certainly wouldn't be bad for you to know where they carry it.

And I always thought superglue would come standard with most kits.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Man' I can't believe I forgot that! I hardly ever even use band-aids anymore for most cuts. Burns like a sumbitch at first, but you don't have to think about it again. Good Call.

[EricW]

John Dunn:

Benadryl - good idea. EpiPen - typically not available unless prescribed by a doc. If you have friends that would need and have one, it certainly wouldn't be bad for you to know where they carry it.

John *is* an MD.

[ipscscott]

John *is* an MD. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Gee, this tastes an awful lot like foot.

[EricW]

No need to be embarassed. Unlike most MD's, John doesn't wear it on his sleeve.

[firefighter0110]

In our ambulance, we do carry duct tape and crazy glue. Crazy glue is awesome for a small cut (for us, the responders) and I have had to use duct tape to secure a patient to a stretcher because the straps were too short. It may sound harsh, but you gotta do what you gotta do when there is only two of you and one is in the driver seat going 115 down the freeway to the hospital while the patient is coding in the back. What I carry in my range bag is similar to this: AMP-3, but in my car, I carry a lot more. I will second what everyone seems to be saying though...the best kit in the world won't work unless you know how to use it, know what you are doing and prevention is the best medicine.

[Biloxi23]

Baby wipes, cortisone cream (over the counter version), a couple of Ace bandages, and a lot of things that were mentioned above. Not medical but I usually carry extra socks, underwear, and most important for matches after eating Mexican teh night before. Immodium, both liquid and tablets.

[rlv65]

"QuickClot Dressing: There's still some debate about this stuff, you'll have to make your own decision, but look into it."

What is the latest word on QuickClot - with the understanding that my club range has little to no cell phone coverage, is served by a volunteer fire department (longer response time) and it is 20 miles to emergency room?