zim Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Morning, So, this weekend my co-driver got a stick in his eye whilst out on a challenge and it made me realise that we don't actually carry the right stuff / enough ! Can anyone on here recommend me a first aid kit that i could keep in the car in case of emergencies. (Not on the challenge truck, in the everyday vehicle.) I've done first aid courses for work etc and the one thing they stress is there's no point in having a kit full of random stuff you're never going to use but rather with useful things - i.e. lots of bandages but no airway management stuff. G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRecklessEngineer Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 From the first aid courses I've done, I've surmised that there is no 'all in one' kit that is actually any good. I think you've probably had similar training to me - so you should have a pretty good idea of what's actually useful. I bought a 1st aid box, then filled it with things I think I might need (and know how to use!) I also have another smaller box filled with plasters, basic meds, etc etc. The stuff that gets used day to day that isn't an emergency. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Whilst I agree with the above that you will never have everything in a kit, short of getting an ambulance I have a couple of these they seem to cover everything from burns to hypothermia, I have a couple in the car and they have always provided everything I require, and the nature of the pack all stowed in named compartments makes things easy to find. I also benefit from advanced medical training, and understand the limits of what can be accomplished in the field and this pack ticks the boxes, whilst it does not contain sutures, morphine or an AED, these items are not typical first aid items anyway. The only other item I carry in the car when it comes to first aid is a set of extrication collars again not expensive but could potentially save your life, or at worst prevent an injury getting worse!! Jason. Jason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I'm a first aider, plus some through Mountain Rescue and I've made a fair few kits up myself - they are usually expenive comprehensive ones full of stuff you would never ever use. so making your own usualy end up much cheaper. I have made a few up starting with an ex british army vehicle first aid kit - you can usual pick them up for peanuts and generally just out of date, but there isn;t much in them to go out of date, I've got one in the car and the 90. Very practically think about what you can actually do in a first aid scenario. As a mountain rescuer, i carry a heap of big bandages, eye wash, rubber gloves and a few other bits n bobs, its the big bandages that I use a lot of. You are giving first aid remeber and trying to keep someone alive until more help comes... at the end of the day if you don't know how to use any of the stuff its kind of the limiting factor, but still handy to have in a vehicle as usual somone close by has some knowledge of first aid...... Mav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmerboy_y2k Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I've got one of these, http://www.lifesystems.co.uk/psec/first_aid_kits/mtn_leader_pro_first_aid_kit.htm not cheap, but pack's fairly small and easy to store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike4444244 Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 my 2p You can go bananas and carry all the stock from a resus bay but to be honest theres not much point, assuming you are in the UK you are lucky enough to be (usually) within a short time/distance of help. You run the risk of fighting an exponentially increasing equipment list, i.e. theres no point having IV access devices if you then don't carry fluids/drugs/giving sets etc... FWIW I'm a doctor, who has trained in A&E, and is a advanced trauma and life support provider, I carry the standard first aid kit that came with my car, a variety of guedels, a pocket mask, and make sure my phone is always charged.... I would of course take more stuff with me if I was off into the middle of nowhere... As with all these things making sure your training is refreshed regularly is more important than the equipment. Mike (bored sitting waiting for my bleep to go off!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 my 2p You can go bananas and carry all the stock from a resus bay but to be honest theres not much point, assuming you are in the UK you are lucky enough to be (usually) within a short time/distance of help. You run the risk of fighting an exponentially increasing equipment list, i.e. theres no point having IV access devices if you then don't carry fluids/drugs/giving sets etc... FWIW I'm a doctor, who has trained in A&E, and is a advanced trauma and life support provider, I carry the standard first aid kit that came with my car, a variety of guedels, a pocket mask, and make sure my phone is always charged.... I would of course take more stuff with me if I was off into the middle of nowhere... As with all these things making sure your training is refreshed regularly is more important than the equipment. Mike (bored sitting waiting for my bleep to go off!) Can we not call you the forum doctor - ^^^ agree with pocket mask too, forgot about that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan110 Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 I'd second what mike4444244 said really and make it 4p. I'm a Paramedic in london with a bit of experience on expeditions and i'm always struck by how little I can do to help when I come across an accident/emergency in the street and don't happen to have an ambulance full of kit behind me. In the UK, knowing the basics and keeping your knowledge fresh will do you a lot more good than a huge kit full of obscure items that get used so rarely that you have a constant job just making sure they're in date and serviceable. Basic life support/airway management....know how to stop a serious bleed....charged phone......do what the 999 call taker tells you. Simples. Dan (bored, killing time before a night shift) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Knowing a Paramedic or Doctor with experience in the places you are likely to travel is very useful. I am fortunate in having a doctor friend, as well as a couple of paramedic friends, with extensive African bush travel experience. They have all given excellent advice, including, as above, get the training or else ! For the actual first aid kit, the best advice I got was to buy a medium/large toolbox from one of the usual places and they would give me a list of contents. There was some discussion between the Doctor and the Paramedic, as paramedics can carry stuff that I am not competent to use. The Doctor told me on one of the suggested items that she would not give me a prescription for it and I was not, under any circumstances, to even think about administering such things on my own, or she'd rip my b@lls off and feed them to me. Quite right too, I wanted good advice and I certainly got it ! Once the list was agreed, I took the box and the list to the local Pharmacist and asked them to fill it for me. They also are happy to check it annually for me replace the items that have gone out of date, or are about to. One of the paramedics also checks it to see it meets current conditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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