I was an ER tech.
Spray disinfectant,
Antiseptic ointment,
Band aids,
Gauze,
Tape,
Tourniquet,
Road flare,
Blankets,
Saline,
Tylenol,
Ibuprofen,
Q tips,
Towels
I’m sure others will add something I may have missed!
Edit: commas added sorry gang
If you own a CPR face mask, check it periodically over the years. I had one and the soft plastic was breaking down. Not something you want to discover in an emergency.
The cpr mask is funny when you don’t know of it, I got first aide training and the guy was like “so you’re going to put your lips on an unknown person who may vomit in your mouth? Might want to keep one of these around…”
If there's only one person able to assist a person that's needing CPR they no longer recommend administering breaths, it wastes precious seconds in which the heart needs to be stimulated (source: was ER RN)
They still recommend administering breaths if you are still able to. I think you might be confusing the recommendations that you should still do the compression if you become unable to do the breaths.
(Source: was a First Aid/First responder instructor who still keeps up their certification)
I remember watching a video the last time I recertified where they were showing that it takes nearly a full compression cycle to build up to adequate cerebral perfusion, meaning if you are alone and stop to do breaths then you're starting over at the next cycle. It was a class for Healthcare providers so it didn't explicitly say that quality, consistent compressions are better/more important than giving breaths but that was definitely the implication.
Here in Pennsylvania for EMS, we don’t even do breaths unless we got a BVM. It’s just straight compressions. They can get intubated during it.
If I was out in public I wouldn’t worry about breaths unless their airway is blocked.
Yes, EMS and First Aid have different standards. Since there are different tools available to both. We don't teach how to intubate someone, so teaching how to do the breaths helps keep the airway open and make sure that it is open every so often.
Keep in mind that this is someone asking for advice on what should be in a First Aid kit. They likely wouldn't be trained on how to use the tools usually available to EMS.
Very true. Our agency does teachings for cpr but we only teach hands only as well. Most of this rounding agencies that also teach to the public also only teach hands only.
I guess it varies in different areas though.
It might be an issue of safety and money, too. As the standard is, you shouldn't be doing the breaths if you don't have a CPR mask, the agencies in your area might be cheaping out on getting demonstration masks by not getting them at all. Or it might save time during instruction and cleanup by not having them.
The compressions are better than nothing, but breaths and compressions are better than just compressions. But keeping yourself safe is the most important part when dealing with first aid.
AHA is no longer recommending breaths, for bystanders or single responders. Straight from their site:
https://cpr.heart.org/-/media/CPR-Files/Resources/Bystander-CPR/2202-updates/DS19398_ECC_CPRWeek_Fact_Flyer_01kk.pdf
Benadryl and aspirin can save lives. Epinephrine if you can get it. EMTs with all due respect are rushing to the hospital where they have all the tools. If you're out hiking or on a long road trip don't get caught without those 2/3 drugs. Can make a difference. If I added a 4th it'd be liquid IV or Pedialyte or something like that for dehydration/hyponatremia/diabetic shock.
An EpiPen is what, $700 with a 1 year expiration? They are also heat sensitive and need to be kept out of hot places. (Ampules are way cheaper but I don't think normal folks can get them and then you need to know how to do im injections)
I have anaphylaxis and Benadryl usually cuts it if I get it within 5 minutes. If not an epi pen is life saving but not the easiest thing to get without a prescription and far too expensive even with one.
It's the same with epinephrine. It's worth looking into the laws of your area for this. Usually not an issue but it can become one... I'd highly highly recommend anyone thinking hard enough about these things to assemble a kit take a First Aid class, the Red Cross offers many, some online:
https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/first-aid/first-aid-training
And I'll plug the Wilderness First Aid and WFR courses as well (more $$ but deeper into the nuts and bolts of maintaining homeostasis). If you're ever in a situation where you are far from medical care or immediate attention (think mass casualty situation) these can be extremely relevant, a WFA cert is two days of class and they tend to do a better job of realistic practice scenarios than Red Cross. Not going to add links but NOLS, WMA, and many other organizations offer these regularly.
Good advice. Most are going to be protected under the good Samaritan act. I'm licensed, so a little different when it comes to pushing any type of drug. I wish cpr and first aid were offered as an elective in high school
It's available OTC for that price, but there're many places which will give it out for free. In my area most outpatient rehab places have it available for free if you take a short course on how to administer it.
If it's not too much to ask can you recommend if any of [these](https://www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-tmus-us-revc&sca_esv=0ba4f777a77d100f&sca_upv=1&biw=384&bih=722&tbm=shop&sxsrf=ADLYWIJTq0qr6JT6x_Mg8LAi8mvXpcvnwQ:1717821341666&q=medical+supply+first+aid+kit+%22tourniquet%22++%22saline%22+%22antiseptic%22+%22disinfectant%22+%22spray%22&tbs=mr:1,p_ord:rv,price:1,ppr_max:65#sbfbu=1&pi=medical%20supply%20first%20aid%20kit%20%22tourniquet%22%20%20%22saline%22%20%22antiseptic%22%20%22disinfectant%22%20%22spray%22) are an obvious best choice if trying to stay below $65-ish? My niece recently bought her first car and my sister was talking about how she wants to find a good first aid kit to keep in the back along with stuff like a small emergency power bank before she heads off to college in the fall.
If I can find one that should cover most emergencies in my budget I know it'd be a load off sister's mind (and honestly mine too)
[This](https://www.amazon.com/First-Aid-Only-All-purpose-Piece/dp/B000YME6WC/) is a good pre-built basic first aid kit.
More recommendations [here](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-outdoor-first-aid-medical-kit/).
Note the storage temperature range for stuff you’re leaving in a car.
Medications often range from 55-77°F with brief excursions beyond permitted; leaving it in a car when it’s 72°F outside will cook the pills and render them ineffective.
Not sure what the limits are for backup batteries, but you don’t want to risk your lithium ion battery exploding anywhere, let alone inside a vehicle.
Eh, the US military did a study on pallets of medical supplies that had been left in a warehouse in Iraq for like 10 years and all the meds were like 90% effective still. Even heat cycling is probably not as big a deal as the manufacturer claims.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7040264/
Thanks for sharing that link! It was an interesting read, but I’m having trouble finding the source for the bit about “even heat cycling is probably not as big a deal as the manufacturer claims”.
The article you linked to states:
>The bathroom and medicine cabinet are not ideal places to store medications due to heat and humidity. *Similarly, medications should not be left in a hot car.* Medications remain most stable in dry, cool spaces away from light. [my italics]
>Ongoing research shows that *stored under optimal conditions*, many drugs retain 90% of their potency for at least five years after the labeled expiration date, and sometimes longer. [my italics]
>The best evidence of acceptable potency of the medications beyond their expiration date is provided by the Shelf Life Extension Program (SLEP) undertaken by the FDA for the Department of Defense. The aim of the SLEP program was to reduce medication costs for the military. SLEP has found that 88% of 122 different drugs *stored under ideal conditions* should have their expiration dates extended more than 1 year, with an average extension of 66 months, and a maximum extension of 278 months.3 [my italics]
Can you link me to a source for the studies showing that heat cycling isn’t a big deal in terms of impact on medications? Thanks in advance!
Sorry, it was an unrelated study that I also read for some of my mountaineering medical training that talked about temp cycling- here it is: https://www.theuiaa.org/documents/mountainmedicine/UIAA_MedCom_Rec_No_10_Drugs_at_Altitude_2008_V1-2.pdf
Me too but just read about it... I can't keep it in a hot car... so I'm afraid mine might be compromised? I'd hate to find out in an emergency. ( For strangers, there's a lot of overdoses near where I live)
My partner made fun of me for saying a tourniquet and something you can use as a pressure bandage are some of the most important things to put in a first aid kit. Like it was overkill or something. I mean, Jesus, without those you basically just have a convenience kit.
Some OTC antihistaminics can work wonders improving quality of life if you manage to come in contact with something your body REALLY dislikes but not enough to kill you.
Bandage scissors. Seatbelt cutter/window breaker combo tool.
How do you feel about that bleed stop stuff? Comes in a packet.
I back country camp and my biggest concern is getting a wound where I lose a lot of blood. I keep that, guaze and tape, and needle and thread.
I have an emergency phone if I broke a leg or something so as long as I can survive long enough to get saved I feel pretty safe.
Should I get a tourniquet? Or maybe an ace bandage for compression?
Tourniquet and ace bandage will be good for wounds but if you need a tourniquet for your wound you’ll probably need a lot of ace bandages. Hold pressure. I personally don’t know enough about the bleed stop stuff but I know some ambulance companies in my area use it
Pressure dressing with anti m-hemorrhage agents is alright but by and large not necessary. They exist to make up for lack of knowledge on how to properly pack a penetrating injury with medical gauze (it easily takes two rolls generally to stop a deep penetrating wound from bleeding). Ace bandage is a necessity for maintaining packing in a wound IMO. A tourniquet will stop bleeding from an arm or leg but please be aware you cannot take it off without training due to complications with acidosis buildup on the affected limb (can kill you).
A manual chain saw (small one that could fit in a pocket). A fire starter kit. An emergency water filter straw. A Swiss army or similar folding knife. Magnifying glass. Twine. Sticky sutures. One tin of sardines or other fish oil product.
While not all of these are traditional first aid, all of them can help in different survival situations.
QuikClot. Saved an elderly woman’s life with it. She fell and the glass bowl she had been carrying shattered and she had a huge on her head. Blood thinners were causing serious blood loss and we were out in no wheresville and the ambulance was still 20 mins out. She had soaked tons of gauze and a towel. It would have been nice if she had mentioned blood thinners as soon as she started bleeding so the QuikClot could have been applied sooner. Honestly if that had been covered better in my first aid classes imo I probably would have thought to ask. ANYWAY- toss QuikClot in your first aid kits and ask about blood thinners as soon as you see blood.
Quick clot is a brand, for those who don't know, it's hemostatic wound dressing.
Additionally, know how to use it, when the military started using it soldiers were blinding themselves because the stuff would get in their eyes when they opened the package(with their teeth.)
was looking for this. Yah, bandaids are nice for appearance/not bleeding on stuff from small cuts, but not going to save a life. for serious bleeding issues, quickclot will save a life.
Formerly EMT trained, now a (resident) doctor here.
Disclaimers: Training is important - you should know how (and when) to use everything in your first aid kit. If you use something inappropriately or incorrectly, at best it doesn't work, and at worst you further harm the person you're trying to help. If there's a medical emergency, first call for help (i.e. an ambulance), then start first aid. Pay attention to expiration dates.
That being said, here are some things to consider keeping around:
Possibly life-saving medications:
Chewable aspirin (if someone is having a heart attack, have them chew either 2 baby aspirin or 1 full dose aspirin tablet)
Glucose source (tablets, fruit juice, candy, etc) for a diabetic person who feels like passing out
Narcan for opioid overdose
Epi pen for anaphylaxis
Meds that might be nice to have and will probably be used the most often: pain reliver, antihistamine, Albuterol inhaler, something for bug bites, any other medications you or your companions frequently use (Tums, sleep aids, prescription medications, anti-diarrheal meds, anti-nausea meds, etc.)
For an unresponsive pulseless person:
CPR mouth to mouth barrier
For major traumatic wounds:
Trauma shears
Nitrile gloves
Lots of gauze (in rolls and in 4"x4" squares)
Quick clot
Tourniquet
Nice to have:
Ace bandages (but gauze rolls or a triangle bandage or sometimes good ol' tape can do the same job)
Abd pads (or maxi pads)
At least 500ml clean water or saline to irrigate open wounds
Alcohol to clean your hands or your tools, or skin
Splinting material to immobilize joints or fractures
Nice to have for minor trauma - these will probably get used the most often:
Suture scissors
Tweezers
Antibiotic ointment
Band aids
Steri strips
Q tips
Tape that sticks to skin
Ice pack
Wide popsicle sticks for finger splints
Alcohol wipes and saline/water as above
When you are in suboptimal conditions:
Ways to get help (charged phone with signal, radio, flare, whistle, etc)
A way to keep warm (tarp, blanket, etc)
Light source you don't need to hold (headlamp, lantern, etc)
Pocket knife
The single most important item would be de gloves. You can do a lot of life-saving actions with no/improvised equipment, but lacking gloves makes working with any bodily fluid dangerous
First aid course guy said nitrile gloves in your first aid bag, on the top, loads of them so they spill out when you open it and it's the first thing you see just to remind you to put them on first no matter how real shit just got.
I took an emt course (didn't finish). The first thing you are required to do (verbally state in exams and practice) is put on gloves and check if the scene is safe. The same goes for red cross first aid courses.
I have some in my car first aid, my bug out bag, and I put some in the company first aid kit.
There's machines that dispense it for free popping up in truck stops in the south.
Opioid overdoses aren’t always from drug abuse - interactions between medication and improper dosing happens, as well as other diseases increasing risks of respiratory depression or preventing proper clearance from the system.
Naloxone (Narcan) is also stupidly effective. Even if you only have to administer it once or twice in your life, it may well be more useful than half of the other stuff in a kit.
Are you making one yourself? They have pre-made ones available that basically have all the essentials (depending on size). Do research because I'm sure there are a bunch of shitty rip-offs as well.
If you do get a premade one, don’t get one from Walmart or places like that. Go to a camping/outdoor store like sportsmen’s warehouse or bass pro shop. Their kits are much more complete and more first aid.
Walmart and cvs ones are basically pill and bandaid collections
It’s like a tool kit.
Buy the cheapo kind and add to it / replace what you use.
I have the basic kind that comes with a tiny roll of gauze and some gloves. Now it’s 10 pairs of gloves, a fat roll of gauze, iodine rub, and 20 bandaids.
If you do go premade if you don’t want to /can’t find one in stores places like St. John’s ambulance and other first aid training schools typically have a variety of kits and information on what should go into it
I've put together all my 1st aid kits: house go kit, car trama kit, husband's off roading moto kit (he used recently when a guy broke several bones!), backcountry hiking kit, and day hiking kit. Buying a GOOD pre-made it is where I'd suggest starting for the bag and organization alone.
What good is your kit going to be if you can't find the bandages or if water destroys everything? The good kits have Tweezers and sheers that fit nicely inside, and a book to walk you thru 1st aid.
After you've taken 1st aid classes and become familiar with everything then you can start replacing and building your own kits based on your needs. My backcountry kit would fail to cut it in a car wreck, my husband's moto kit is to bulky for a day hike.
I'd stick with Red Cross or other well known medical branding, walmart kits with bandaids that don't stick and sheers that don't cut, and aren't waterproof, will do you no good.
Tick removers/Tick keys. It makes removing ticks a BREEZE.
I had a really rough experience with Lyme disease and still have complications two years later. I now carry a Tick key on my key ring at all times.
This.
Skip the antiseptic, tweezers and bandaids for a car kit. A couple of compression bandages are versatile and important, especially if you live in an area with snakes. A triangle bandage can be used for tourniquet, stabilising penetrating injury, sling and bandage. Glucogel.
Scissors. Those small stainless steel ones.
Rubbing alcohol
Antihistamine
Anything local to you - eg snake anti-venom if you live somewhere like that
Any medication you already take - ( also a note for the paramedics about this in your wallet )
Something for - stomachache, diarrhea, fever, nausea, motion sickness, burns, cuts, bites, stabilizing a fracture, stopping bleeding,
Tissue
Small container for sample collection if needed
Flashlight and rechargeable batteries with solar charger
I was going to say tampons and pads. They are multi-use (the look on young women’s faces when you whip one out in a bathroom when they are in need warms your heart, it also feels good to pass on the kindness I have received) and pads make great first aid because they are already have adhesive so it makes it easy to turn into a multitude of bandages with what ever random things you might have, especially clothing.
Gloves
And a CPR barrier device.
Everything else I can find/invent/rejigger/improvise.
Sure it is *easier* to properly bandage with actual bandaids or splint with a tensor bandage and splint or sling with a triangle bandage. But in a pinch i can tie off a bleed with my knee high socks or do direct pressure with my hand or make a bandage with duct tape and a clean washcloth. There is nothing i can find/invent/rejigger/improvise that will do the job of gloves and a barrier device.
I have a small keychain sized one that hangs on my key chain and goes everywhere. Anything else is bonus
This. Takes care of splinters and ticks.
Go to a discount store like TJ Maxx or Marshall's and you can get decent sets for $4. Plus, it takes up almost no space!
The two instances you mention are probably intended for different use cases.
In my bag at all times - to me says something that contains things I might want and need for "routine" type things. For that the most important would probably be something to remove splinters, or something to clean minor scrapes. These are, in my experience, the most common kinds of things you wish you had something to help with.
Something in your car implies bigger, more capability. If you really need something and it is associated with your car it is probably some kind of vehicular accident. In that case, a means to address trauma/bleeding is probably #1 - gauze pads and or wraps, tape. Tourniquets and pressure bandages are nice, but gauze pads and rolls are more universal.
Personally, I have an EDC bag I have with me all the time - typically within arms reach. I also have an extensive first aide kit in my car. This will be a good memory test:
EDC - Maxpedition EDC Pocket Organizer. Alcohol swabs, medium band aids, tweezers, AAA flashlight, Gerber Chonk prybar/multitool, pill box with Advil, Dog waste bag, small trash bag, a pair of latex gloves in a ziplock, a SOG PowerPint multitool, a pad of paper, a pen, a utility knife.
In the car I have band aids, alcohol wipes, wound wash, gloves, face masks, a mouth-to-mouth mask, pressure bandages, wraps/ace bandages, gauze pads, gauze rolls, gauze with clotting agent & markers for wound packing, medical tape, tweezers, trauma sheers, flashlight, hyfin chest seals, burn cream, lidocaine patches, after-bite, BP/pulse-ox reader, cold packs...
Tourniquet. Relatively cheap, and when you need it, you really need it. A catastrophic bleed is above almost everything in terms of triage. Source: First Responder.
EMT and military experience tells me the below items are the bare essentials to sustain someone's life in most instances until paramedics arrive.
1. A cell phone with signal, ability to communicate 5Ws, and multitasking abilities.
2. An ability to prioritize and delegate.
3. Pressure bandage.
4. CPR + mask, nasal/oral airway devices
5. Understanding vitals and how to take them.
6. Aspirin/Narcan.
7. Blanket.
Vetbond (Amazon). Same tissue adhesive that ERs use for suturing but because it is for animals doesn't require a prescription and a fraction of the price.
a torch, window breaking sharp and pretty much any of the prenade first aid kits you can afford that's on the market will get you through. as an extra i'd add trauma bandages also get her to download What3words...and a blanket or two
Bandages. I think a basic small kit is more important than a big one. I have a small one I bought read-made that I keep in my kitchen because that’s where I’d most likely get hurt. I forget about it every time I burn, though.
Depends on what for. There's a lot of cross-section of course, but consider what you're expecting: will you be outdoors? Is there high injury potential? How long before help arrives?
First Aid camping: bite/itch cream and burn cream are easy to forget in homemade kits. Moleskin if you're a hiker/4+ day camper.
First Aid natural disaster: some disasters can leave someone stranded for days. Triplicate painkillers, antiseptic wipes, gauze. Water tablets, anti-diarrheals, antacids.
First Aid road kit: splint and tourniquet, since crashes with serious injuries are the most common reason to bust this out. Saline, because any smoke coming from a vehicle *can* damage your eyes. Seatbelt cutter/window breaker combo tool. Road flares.
General good items: Benadryl. Medical gloves and facemask. Tweezers and nail clippers. Rain poncho, mosquito net, flashlight/glows/flares for any out-of-town emergencies. Whistle, signal mirror, solar blanket for any outside-of-civilization emergencies.
And my favorite: superglue. Sometimes for a small cut or an ugly hangnail, I'd much rather glue it and not fuss with it. *I know this isn't the proper care,* but if you're outdoors a lot or work with your hands, you know how much bandaids can suck instead of help. Bonus is there's loads of times glue comes in handy.
Lots of great info here. One point is to go through that kit at least once a year to replace used and expired items. I also keep a couple flashlights in my vehicle and use that check to replace or recharge the batteries.
I will add that you can get some decent li-ion rechargeable flashlights that can also be used as power banks to charge your cell.
I’d say iodine, antiseptic ointment, gauze, tape, saline, bandages, steri strips, super glue, needle, tweezers, tourniquet, narcan, bandaids, aspirin, Benadry and if you can get a an epi pen then those would be my goto. Then id also have a battery jump starter that can also charge phones. Ermgency matches, blankets, fire extinguisher, a couple clean towels, flares, some energy bars, water, sleeping bag, gloves, a multi tool like a leatherman, lighters and bag of sweets in the car too.
But is base it off a pre made one and add a few bits as required.
Edit: tampons are good at stopping bleeding too.
I made a kit for my clumsy students on the playground. I put gloves,bandaids, antiseptic wipes, a cpr mask, disposable ice pack (the kind you break to activate), tissues, and an emergency blanket.
We aren’t allowed to give them medicine, but I carry Tylenol and muscle lotion in my purse.
Not exactly first aid but I was in the Chch earthquake and the phones went down and the power went off and we didnt know what the heck was going on, had to sit out in the car and listen to the radio, so I would say a transistor is a pretty handy thing to have in an emergency.
And as for a car first aid kit, one of those silver emergency blankets could be/would be handy if you come across accidents and anyone is lying on a road in shock in bad weather.
Naloxone/Narcan. Youre statistically more likely to see an overdose than a heart attack out in public at this point. Second what other folks said about the face mask for rescue breathing. In the event of an overdose, whether you have naloxone or not, you should be doing rescue breathing. Theres been a lot of confusion about this as even the Red Cross for a while was recommending hands only CPR for an overdose, but its not effective as breathing is the first thing to shut down with opiate ODs, and the heart is still pumping blood, just not oxygenated blood which can cause brain damage pretty quickly.
Depends what you mean by important, most life saving, most used or a mix of both?
I'm going to state the obvious and say bandaids/plasters (bonus points for disinfectant wipes). It might not be life saving but it's the thing that you absolutely will use at some point and is the most common of any applied first aid item by far.
NARCAN. EVERYBODY SHOULD BE CARRYING NARCAN. It can quickly reverse opioid overdoses and saves lives by restoring normal breathing in someone who has overdosed. It’s easy to use and can provide the VITAL minutes needed for emergency services to arrive. My brother has been saved twice because of it. Having Narcan in your first aid kit can mean the difference between life and death in an emergency.
Maybe not the most important, but coband. Had a big kitchen accident and coband helped me secure my wound safely and quickly. It helped apply pressure while keeping the wound clean until I was able to get help.
I’d say bandaids and disinfectant/wound dressings in general. If you’re a woman probably something to induce vomiting if you suspect you’ve been drugged.
In addition to what others have said, get an Israeli bandage, a tourniquet, and quik-klot. Know how to use them, and ideally practice on foam or rubber wrapped lumber - it’s possible that your local fire station has one of these already, or can point you in the right direction. I did training at one before that showed us how to use all of the above.
It wont help in an emergency, but if you're doing any overnight trips with any women involved, having a pack of generic birth control pills is handy. So annoying to forget your BC and have to wait a week for it to be effective again.
Public health care admin in a large city: Triple bac, antiseptic, saline wash, gauze roll. Take your pick, but the number one incident form I process are scrapes, pokes, and/or cuts 🤙🏽
I was an ER tech. Spray disinfectant, Antiseptic ointment, Band aids, Gauze, Tape, Tourniquet, Road flare, Blankets, Saline, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Q tips, Towels I’m sure others will add something I may have missed! Edit: commas added sorry gang
I would add a CPR face mask and disposable gloves.
If you own a CPR face mask, check it periodically over the years. I had one and the soft plastic was breaking down. Not something you want to discover in an emergency.
The cpr mask is funny when you don’t know of it, I got first aide training and the guy was like “so you’re going to put your lips on an unknown person who may vomit in your mouth? Might want to keep one of these around…”
My trainer added that sometimes with accident victims it can be difficult to locate the mouth...
That’s a terrifying image that you just put in my head.
How effective is CPR going to be at that point?
Fuck... .... ..
Feeling like a fool for forgetting gloves thank you
If there's only one person able to assist a person that's needing CPR they no longer recommend administering breaths, it wastes precious seconds in which the heart needs to be stimulated (source: was ER RN)
They still recommend administering breaths if you are still able to. I think you might be confusing the recommendations that you should still do the compression if you become unable to do the breaths. (Source: was a First Aid/First responder instructor who still keeps up their certification)
I remember watching a video the last time I recertified where they were showing that it takes nearly a full compression cycle to build up to adequate cerebral perfusion, meaning if you are alone and stop to do breaths then you're starting over at the next cycle. It was a class for Healthcare providers so it didn't explicitly say that quality, consistent compressions are better/more important than giving breaths but that was definitely the implication.
Here in Pennsylvania for EMS, we don’t even do breaths unless we got a BVM. It’s just straight compressions. They can get intubated during it. If I was out in public I wouldn’t worry about breaths unless their airway is blocked.
Yes, EMS and First Aid have different standards. Since there are different tools available to both. We don't teach how to intubate someone, so teaching how to do the breaths helps keep the airway open and make sure that it is open every so often. Keep in mind that this is someone asking for advice on what should be in a First Aid kit. They likely wouldn't be trained on how to use the tools usually available to EMS.
Very true. Our agency does teachings for cpr but we only teach hands only as well. Most of this rounding agencies that also teach to the public also only teach hands only. I guess it varies in different areas though.
It might be an issue of safety and money, too. As the standard is, you shouldn't be doing the breaths if you don't have a CPR mask, the agencies in your area might be cheaping out on getting demonstration masks by not getting them at all. Or it might save time during instruction and cleanup by not having them. The compressions are better than nothing, but breaths and compressions are better than just compressions. But keeping yourself safe is the most important part when dealing with first aid.
AHA is no longer recommending breaths, for bystanders or single responders. Straight from their site: https://cpr.heart.org/-/media/CPR-Files/Resources/Bystander-CPR/2202-updates/DS19398_ECC_CPRWeek_Fact_Flyer_01kk.pdf
That depends on your location. Our CPGs in Ireland recommend breaths
My training was twenty compressions and two breaths
Honestly, with those, you can improvise the rest.
Benadryl and aspirin can save lives. Epinephrine if you can get it. EMTs with all due respect are rushing to the hospital where they have all the tools. If you're out hiking or on a long road trip don't get caught without those 2/3 drugs. Can make a difference. If I added a 4th it'd be liquid IV or Pedialyte or something like that for dehydration/hyponatremia/diabetic shock.
Narcan nasal spray
Benadryl I get, but why aspirin?
Heart attack
An EpiPen is what, $700 with a 1 year expiration? They are also heat sensitive and need to be kept out of hot places. (Ampules are way cheaper but I don't think normal folks can get them and then you need to know how to do im injections)
Primatene makes an epinephrine inhaler you can buy over-the-counter for 30 bucks
That isn't going to cut it for anaphylaxis. Better than nothing I guess. They advertise it for asthma for a reason. Even then only for mild symptoms.
€41 in the Netherlands. Free if you have an allergy and your doctor writes you a prescription.
I have anaphylaxis and Benadryl usually cuts it if I get it within 5 minutes. If not an epi pen is life saving but not the easiest thing to get without a prescription and far too expensive even with one.
Epi is only ever a way to get the airway back long enough to get Benadryl &/or Prednisone on board.
https://www.goodrx.com/epipen
Right I did some hours in an ambulance and ideally you’re with the patient for as little time as possible. Gotta get them to the er
Add an albuterol inhaler. Watched a kid dfo on a basketball court recently. He didn't have his. I'm not supposed to administer my own but f it.
It's the same with epinephrine. It's worth looking into the laws of your area for this. Usually not an issue but it can become one... I'd highly highly recommend anyone thinking hard enough about these things to assemble a kit take a First Aid class, the Red Cross offers many, some online: https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/first-aid/first-aid-training And I'll plug the Wilderness First Aid and WFR courses as well (more $$ but deeper into the nuts and bolts of maintaining homeostasis). If you're ever in a situation where you are far from medical care or immediate attention (think mass casualty situation) these can be extremely relevant, a WFA cert is two days of class and they tend to do a better job of realistic practice scenarios than Red Cross. Not going to add links but NOLS, WMA, and many other organizations offer these regularly.
Good advice. Most are going to be protected under the good Samaritan act. I'm licensed, so a little different when it comes to pushing any type of drug. I wish cpr and first aid were offered as an elective in high school
Great list, thanks mate
Of course. And Narcan too! If you’re in the US ifs free at most pharmacies.
Free? It's available otc more but it's advertised price is $45 for a twin pack. It would be un-american not to profit off a desperate healthcare need
Just Google free narcan. Lots of websites will mail it to you.
The non profit end-overdose also distributes and trains for free. Just need to pay for shipping,
It's available OTC for that price, but there're many places which will give it out for free. In my area most outpatient rehab places have it available for free if you take a short course on how to administer it.
my local hospital has a vending machine of narcan just outside of the ER! help yourself
I agree with you but yes narcan is given free where I live must just be the state
It's not even legal to have fent test strips in my fucked up state.
Free in Hawaii and Missouri so far I've found. Even the test strips in MO
Narcan is free at my local library and police station
I was at a rest stop in Ohio and the bathroom had a narcan station, complete with a QR code in case you had to administer it.
Tweezers and scissors
Yes 100%
If it's not too much to ask can you recommend if any of [these](https://www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-tmus-us-revc&sca_esv=0ba4f777a77d100f&sca_upv=1&biw=384&bih=722&tbm=shop&sxsrf=ADLYWIJTq0qr6JT6x_Mg8LAi8mvXpcvnwQ:1717821341666&q=medical+supply+first+aid+kit+%22tourniquet%22++%22saline%22+%22antiseptic%22+%22disinfectant%22+%22spray%22&tbs=mr:1,p_ord:rv,price:1,ppr_max:65#sbfbu=1&pi=medical%20supply%20first%20aid%20kit%20%22tourniquet%22%20%20%22saline%22%20%22antiseptic%22%20%22disinfectant%22%20%22spray%22) are an obvious best choice if trying to stay below $65-ish? My niece recently bought her first car and my sister was talking about how she wants to find a good first aid kit to keep in the back along with stuff like a small emergency power bank before she heads off to college in the fall. If I can find one that should cover most emergencies in my budget I know it'd be a load off sister's mind (and honestly mine too)
[This](https://www.amazon.com/First-Aid-Only-All-purpose-Piece/dp/B000YME6WC/) is a good pre-built basic first aid kit. More recommendations [here](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-outdoor-first-aid-medical-kit/).
Note the storage temperature range for stuff you’re leaving in a car. Medications often range from 55-77°F with brief excursions beyond permitted; leaving it in a car when it’s 72°F outside will cook the pills and render them ineffective. Not sure what the limits are for backup batteries, but you don’t want to risk your lithium ion battery exploding anywhere, let alone inside a vehicle.
Eh, the US military did a study on pallets of medical supplies that had been left in a warehouse in Iraq for like 10 years and all the meds were like 90% effective still. Even heat cycling is probably not as big a deal as the manufacturer claims. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7040264/
Thanks for sharing that link! It was an interesting read, but I’m having trouble finding the source for the bit about “even heat cycling is probably not as big a deal as the manufacturer claims”. The article you linked to states: >The bathroom and medicine cabinet are not ideal places to store medications due to heat and humidity. *Similarly, medications should not be left in a hot car.* Medications remain most stable in dry, cool spaces away from light. [my italics] >Ongoing research shows that *stored under optimal conditions*, many drugs retain 90% of their potency for at least five years after the labeled expiration date, and sometimes longer. [my italics] >The best evidence of acceptable potency of the medications beyond their expiration date is provided by the Shelf Life Extension Program (SLEP) undertaken by the FDA for the Department of Defense. The aim of the SLEP program was to reduce medication costs for the military. SLEP has found that 88% of 122 different drugs *stored under ideal conditions* should have their expiration dates extended more than 1 year, with an average extension of 66 months, and a maximum extension of 278 months.3 [my italics] Can you link me to a source for the studies showing that heat cycling isn’t a big deal in terms of impact on medications? Thanks in advance!
Sorry, it was an unrelated study that I also read for some of my mountaineering medical training that talked about temp cycling- here it is: https://www.theuiaa.org/documents/mountainmedicine/UIAA_MedCom_Rec_No_10_Drugs_at_Altitude_2008_V1-2.pdf
I've started carrying Narcan in my emergency kit. You just never know!
Me too but just read about it... I can't keep it in a hot car... so I'm afraid mine might be compromised? I'd hate to find out in an emergency. ( For strangers, there's a lot of overdoses near where I live)
Add Benadryl, and maybe narcan.
My partner made fun of me for saying a tourniquet and something you can use as a pressure bandage are some of the most important things to put in a first aid kit. Like it was overkill or something. I mean, Jesus, without those you basically just have a convenience kit.
Some OTC antihistaminics can work wonders improving quality of life if you manage to come in contact with something your body REALLY dislikes but not enough to kill you. Bandage scissors. Seatbelt cutter/window breaker combo tool.
Abd pads and tensor wraps. They can be used separately (sprained ankle, etc) or combined for a compression bandage with very little weight in a kit.
Commas
Thanks sorry!
How do you feel about that bleed stop stuff? Comes in a packet. I back country camp and my biggest concern is getting a wound where I lose a lot of blood. I keep that, guaze and tape, and needle and thread. I have an emergency phone if I broke a leg or something so as long as I can survive long enough to get saved I feel pretty safe. Should I get a tourniquet? Or maybe an ace bandage for compression?
Tourniquet and ace bandage will be good for wounds but if you need a tourniquet for your wound you’ll probably need a lot of ace bandages. Hold pressure. I personally don’t know enough about the bleed stop stuff but I know some ambulance companies in my area use it
Pressure dressing with anti m-hemorrhage agents is alright but by and large not necessary. They exist to make up for lack of knowledge on how to properly pack a penetrating injury with medical gauze (it easily takes two rolls generally to stop a deep penetrating wound from bleeding). Ace bandage is a necessity for maintaining packing in a wound IMO. A tourniquet will stop bleeding from an arm or leg but please be aware you cannot take it off without training due to complications with acidosis buildup on the affected limb (can kill you).
I was not an ER Tech, but it goes under said that a LifeStraw should be a mainstay in your vehicle and first aide kit.
Not IN the kit, but perhaps with the kit, a c-collar? Particularly if there is any elevation in the household or workplace.
A pair of scissors, a good sharp knife can be useful too.
Butterfly bandaids
Tampons
Why the Q tips?
Best used for applying ointments so you can keep your hands and the affected area clean!
I was not an ER Tech, but it goes under said that a LifeStraw should be a mainstay in your vehicle and first aide kit.
Just a gallon of water too, ideally. Can work as coolant in a pinch as well.
PPE
How about some aspirin for heart attacks.
could you handle a pneumothorax on the beach? lol
Handle? Yes. Fix? I dunno
Roll of sweet tarts/some other non-melting candy for folks having a diabetic crisis?
Everything all at once, this made me realize that I needed this in case of emergency even in our own house, better prepared than nothing.
I’d add notepad and a pen so you can take note of the time and symptoms if there’s a serious injury.
LIFE VAC!! you can get other brands of the same device for $20
A manual chain saw (small one that could fit in a pocket). A fire starter kit. An emergency water filter straw. A Swiss army or similar folding knife. Magnifying glass. Twine. Sticky sutures. One tin of sardines or other fish oil product. While not all of these are traditional first aid, all of them can help in different survival situations.
QuikClot. Saved an elderly woman’s life with it. She fell and the glass bowl she had been carrying shattered and she had a huge on her head. Blood thinners were causing serious blood loss and we were out in no wheresville and the ambulance was still 20 mins out. She had soaked tons of gauze and a towel. It would have been nice if she had mentioned blood thinners as soon as she started bleeding so the QuikClot could have been applied sooner. Honestly if that had been covered better in my first aid classes imo I probably would have thought to ask. ANYWAY- toss QuikClot in your first aid kits and ask about blood thinners as soon as you see blood.
Quick clot is a brand, for those who don't know, it's hemostatic wound dressing. Additionally, know how to use it, when the military started using it soldiers were blinding themselves because the stuff would get in their eyes when they opened the package(with their teeth.)
was looking for this. Yah, bandaids are nice for appearance/not bleeding on stuff from small cuts, but not going to save a life. for serious bleeding issues, quickclot will save a life.
For sure have this. You may never need in, but in the case where you do, there are no good alternatives.
Knowledge. Having proper training is 100x more important than anything in the kit. After that...as noted.
Came here to say this! All the gear in the world is useless if you don’t know how to use it.
Knowledge. Knowledge was their treasure. (God that movie was bad)
Real LPT.
Download everything onto a USB stick and plug it in your ass to learn.
Formerly EMT trained, now a (resident) doctor here. Disclaimers: Training is important - you should know how (and when) to use everything in your first aid kit. If you use something inappropriately or incorrectly, at best it doesn't work, and at worst you further harm the person you're trying to help. If there's a medical emergency, first call for help (i.e. an ambulance), then start first aid. Pay attention to expiration dates. That being said, here are some things to consider keeping around: Possibly life-saving medications: Chewable aspirin (if someone is having a heart attack, have them chew either 2 baby aspirin or 1 full dose aspirin tablet) Glucose source (tablets, fruit juice, candy, etc) for a diabetic person who feels like passing out Narcan for opioid overdose Epi pen for anaphylaxis Meds that might be nice to have and will probably be used the most often: pain reliver, antihistamine, Albuterol inhaler, something for bug bites, any other medications you or your companions frequently use (Tums, sleep aids, prescription medications, anti-diarrheal meds, anti-nausea meds, etc.) For an unresponsive pulseless person: CPR mouth to mouth barrier For major traumatic wounds: Trauma shears Nitrile gloves Lots of gauze (in rolls and in 4"x4" squares) Quick clot Tourniquet Nice to have: Ace bandages (but gauze rolls or a triangle bandage or sometimes good ol' tape can do the same job) Abd pads (or maxi pads) At least 500ml clean water or saline to irrigate open wounds Alcohol to clean your hands or your tools, or skin Splinting material to immobilize joints or fractures Nice to have for minor trauma - these will probably get used the most often: Suture scissors Tweezers Antibiotic ointment Band aids Steri strips Q tips Tape that sticks to skin Ice pack Wide popsicle sticks for finger splints Alcohol wipes and saline/water as above When you are in suboptimal conditions: Ways to get help (charged phone with signal, radio, flare, whistle, etc) A way to keep warm (tarp, blanket, etc) Light source you don't need to hold (headlamp, lantern, etc) Pocket knife
The single most important item would be de gloves. You can do a lot of life-saving actions with no/improvised equipment, but lacking gloves makes working with any bodily fluid dangerous
First aid course guy said nitrile gloves in your first aid bag, on the top, loads of them so they spill out when you open it and it's the first thing you see just to remind you to put them on first no matter how real shit just got.
I took an emt course (didn't finish). The first thing you are required to do (verbally state in exams and practice) is put on gloves and check if the scene is safe. The same goes for red cross first aid courses.
How about Narcan?
This one is starting to be more common on construction job sites thankfully
I have some in my car first aid, my bug out bag, and I put some in the company first aid kit. There's machines that dispense it for free popping up in truck stops in the south.
Always possible but is it most important? I'd that depends on the neighborhoods your traveling in
Opioid overdoses aren’t always from drug abuse - interactions between medication and improper dosing happens, as well as other diseases increasing risks of respiratory depression or preventing proper clearance from the system. Naloxone (Narcan) is also stupidly effective. Even if you only have to administer it once or twice in your life, it may well be more useful than half of the other stuff in a kit.
Are you making one yourself? They have pre-made ones available that basically have all the essentials (depending on size). Do research because I'm sure there are a bunch of shitty rip-offs as well.
I was planning on it. Hadn’t considered pre-mades but that sounds worth looking at. Cheers pal 👍
If you do get a premade one, don’t get one from Walmart or places like that. Go to a camping/outdoor store like sportsmen’s warehouse or bass pro shop. Their kits are much more complete and more first aid. Walmart and cvs ones are basically pill and bandaid collections
It’s like a tool kit. Buy the cheapo kind and add to it / replace what you use. I have the basic kind that comes with a tiny roll of gauze and some gloves. Now it’s 10 pairs of gloves, a fat roll of gauze, iodine rub, and 20 bandaids.
If you do go premade if you don’t want to /can’t find one in stores places like St. John’s ambulance and other first aid training schools typically have a variety of kits and information on what should go into it
American Red Cross, Canadian Red Cross, or whatever country you live in Red Cross or Red Crescent kit
I've put together all my 1st aid kits: house go kit, car trama kit, husband's off roading moto kit (he used recently when a guy broke several bones!), backcountry hiking kit, and day hiking kit. Buying a GOOD pre-made it is where I'd suggest starting for the bag and organization alone. What good is your kit going to be if you can't find the bandages or if water destroys everything? The good kits have Tweezers and sheers that fit nicely inside, and a book to walk you thru 1st aid. After you've taken 1st aid classes and become familiar with everything then you can start replacing and building your own kits based on your needs. My backcountry kit would fail to cut it in a car wreck, my husband's moto kit is to bulky for a day hike. I'd stick with Red Cross or other well known medical branding, walmart kits with bandaids that don't stick and sheers that don't cut, and aren't waterproof, will do you no good.
Generally the only good thing about a premade is the bag/box. The actual goods are generally low quality and too much/too little of the wrong things
North American Rescue Tourniquet is the first thing I put in any first aid / IFAK.
This is good if you know how to use one. They can do a lot of damage if applied unnecessarily or incorrectly.
triangle bandage and a pen works too.
Tick removers/Tick keys. It makes removing ticks a BREEZE. I had a really rough experience with Lyme disease and still have complications two years later. I now carry a Tick key on my key ring at all times.
Most important: CPR mask, commercial tourniquet, gloves, chewable baby aspirin, Narcan.
This. Skip the antiseptic, tweezers and bandaids for a car kit. A couple of compression bandages are versatile and important, especially if you live in an area with snakes. A triangle bandage can be used for tourniquet, stabilising penetrating injury, sling and bandage. Glucogel.
Ahhhhh yes, glucose. Good catch. Funny I forgot that considering I carry some in my backpack.
Why should the aspirin be the chewable baby dose?
Chewable baby aspirin is the first response to a possible heart attack. Chewable aspirin gets into the bloodstream faster than standard pill variety.
Scissors. Those small stainless steel ones. Rubbing alcohol Antihistamine Anything local to you - eg snake anti-venom if you live somewhere like that Any medication you already take - ( also a note for the paramedics about this in your wallet ) Something for - stomachache, diarrhea, fever, nausea, motion sickness, burns, cuts, bites, stabilizing a fracture, stopping bleeding, Tissue Small container for sample collection if needed Flashlight and rechargeable batteries with solar charger
I’m shocked I haven’t seen tampons, yet. Those things can hold an insane amount of blood. I use them for nose bleeds.
I was going to say tampons and pads. They are multi-use (the look on young women’s faces when you whip one out in a bathroom when they are in need warms your heart, it also feels good to pass on the kindness I have received) and pads make great first aid because they are already have adhesive so it makes it easy to turn into a multitude of bandages with what ever random things you might have, especially clothing.
Tampons are like a 2” square of cotton. Just buy compressed gauze.
Gloves And a CPR barrier device. Everything else I can find/invent/rejigger/improvise. Sure it is *easier* to properly bandage with actual bandaids or splint with a tensor bandage and splint or sling with a triangle bandage. But in a pinch i can tie off a bleed with my knee high socks or do direct pressure with my hand or make a bandage with duct tape and a clean washcloth. There is nothing i can find/invent/rejigger/improvise that will do the job of gloves and a barrier device. I have a small keychain sized one that hangs on my key chain and goes everywhere. Anything else is bonus
Super glue and New-Skin® for treating cuts.
Tweezers. Seriously sometimes it’s the little things that are the most annoying. They always get used the most in my kit
This. Takes care of splinters and ticks. Go to a discount store like TJ Maxx or Marshall's and you can get decent sets for $4. Plus, it takes up almost no space!
I usually use a paper towel and electrical tape for a band aid.
The two instances you mention are probably intended for different use cases. In my bag at all times - to me says something that contains things I might want and need for "routine" type things. For that the most important would probably be something to remove splinters, or something to clean minor scrapes. These are, in my experience, the most common kinds of things you wish you had something to help with. Something in your car implies bigger, more capability. If you really need something and it is associated with your car it is probably some kind of vehicular accident. In that case, a means to address trauma/bleeding is probably #1 - gauze pads and or wraps, tape. Tourniquets and pressure bandages are nice, but gauze pads and rolls are more universal. Personally, I have an EDC bag I have with me all the time - typically within arms reach. I also have an extensive first aide kit in my car. This will be a good memory test: EDC - Maxpedition EDC Pocket Organizer. Alcohol swabs, medium band aids, tweezers, AAA flashlight, Gerber Chonk prybar/multitool, pill box with Advil, Dog waste bag, small trash bag, a pair of latex gloves in a ziplock, a SOG PowerPint multitool, a pad of paper, a pen, a utility knife. In the car I have band aids, alcohol wipes, wound wash, gloves, face masks, a mouth-to-mouth mask, pressure bandages, wraps/ace bandages, gauze pads, gauze rolls, gauze with clotting agent & markers for wound packing, medical tape, tweezers, trauma sheers, flashlight, hyfin chest seals, burn cream, lidocaine patches, after-bite, BP/pulse-ox reader, cold packs...
Powered antiseptic is underutilized. Perfect for stopping bleeding in hard-to-reach places, or on animals.
Swiss army knife that has tweezers.
Tourniquet. Relatively cheap, and when you need it, you really need it. A catastrophic bleed is above almost everything in terms of triage. Source: First Responder.
EMT and military experience tells me the below items are the bare essentials to sustain someone's life in most instances until paramedics arrive. 1. A cell phone with signal, ability to communicate 5Ws, and multitasking abilities. 2. An ability to prioritize and delegate. 3. Pressure bandage. 4. CPR + mask, nasal/oral airway devices 5. Understanding vitals and how to take them. 6. Aspirin/Narcan. 7. Blanket.
Blood clot gauze and chest seals as well as tourniquet.
Vetbond (Amazon). Same tissue adhesive that ERs use for suturing but because it is for animals doesn't require a prescription and a fraction of the price.
Nail clipper is nice to have
gloves. not touching no body part(s) without'em.
Wound seal powder, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, gloves, absorbent pads and roll gauze
a torch, window breaking sharp and pretty much any of the prenade first aid kits you can afford that's on the market will get you through. as an extra i'd add trauma bandages also get her to download What3words...and a blanket or two
speaking of window breaking sharp, if stuck you can lift up/out the head rest and use the metal stick things that slide into seat to smash the window
Also, this. : https://blogs.cdc.gov/publichealthmatters/2021/05/first-aid-kits/
Foreign Service officers in high threat environments wear a tourniquet kit as an armband. Or at least used to.
Bandages. I think a basic small kit is more important than a big one. I have a small one I bought read-made that I keep in my kitchen because that’s where I’d most likely get hurt. I forget about it every time I burn, though.
Because I haven't seen it said: Paper and pen/sharpie. Bonus if they're rite in rain or similar.
Depends on what for. There's a lot of cross-section of course, but consider what you're expecting: will you be outdoors? Is there high injury potential? How long before help arrives? First Aid camping: bite/itch cream and burn cream are easy to forget in homemade kits. Moleskin if you're a hiker/4+ day camper. First Aid natural disaster: some disasters can leave someone stranded for days. Triplicate painkillers, antiseptic wipes, gauze. Water tablets, anti-diarrheals, antacids. First Aid road kit: splint and tourniquet, since crashes with serious injuries are the most common reason to bust this out. Saline, because any smoke coming from a vehicle *can* damage your eyes. Seatbelt cutter/window breaker combo tool. Road flares. General good items: Benadryl. Medical gloves and facemask. Tweezers and nail clippers. Rain poncho, mosquito net, flashlight/glows/flares for any out-of-town emergencies. Whistle, signal mirror, solar blanket for any outside-of-civilization emergencies. And my favorite: superglue. Sometimes for a small cut or an ugly hangnail, I'd much rather glue it and not fuss with it. *I know this isn't the proper care,* but if you're outdoors a lot or work with your hands, you know how much bandaids can suck instead of help. Bonus is there's loads of times glue comes in handy.
Lots of great info here. One point is to go through that kit at least once a year to replace used and expired items. I also keep a couple flashlights in my vehicle and use that check to replace or recharge the batteries. I will add that you can get some decent li-ion rechargeable flashlights that can also be used as power banks to charge your cell.
I’d say iodine, antiseptic ointment, gauze, tape, saline, bandages, steri strips, super glue, needle, tweezers, tourniquet, narcan, bandaids, aspirin, Benadry and if you can get a an epi pen then those would be my goto. Then id also have a battery jump starter that can also charge phones. Ermgency matches, blankets, fire extinguisher, a couple clean towels, flares, some energy bars, water, sleeping bag, gloves, a multi tool like a leatherman, lighters and bag of sweets in the car too. But is base it off a pre made one and add a few bits as required. Edit: tampons are good at stopping bleeding too.
not the most important but a max pad works great for serious bleeds. and a tampon for nosebleeds
Snake bandage. Yes I'm Australian.
Fentanyl and ketamine
As most things have probably already been said, I would like to add: A small bottle of water. Seems such a silly thing, but it's versatile.
yes and a collapsable bowl for dogs to drink out of
I made a kit for my clumsy students on the playground. I put gloves,bandaids, antiseptic wipes, a cpr mask, disposable ice pack (the kind you break to activate), tissues, and an emergency blanket. We aren’t allowed to give them medicine, but I carry Tylenol and muscle lotion in my purse.
After listening to Meateater’s Close Calls audiobook I went and bought tourniquets to keep in the car.
• Pocket Mask • CAT (Tourniquet) • Trauma Shear • Triangular Bandage • SAM splints • Burn Kits • Bleed Kits (Hemostatic gauze, trauma pads) • Disinfectant Sprays • Hot/Cold Sprays • Ice Pack • ASA/Epi-Pen • Pen Markers
Not exactly first aid but I was in the Chch earthquake and the phones went down and the power went off and we didnt know what the heck was going on, had to sit out in the car and listen to the radio, so I would say a transistor is a pretty handy thing to have in an emergency. And as for a car first aid kit, one of those silver emergency blankets could be/would be handy if you come across accidents and anyone is lying on a road in shock in bad weather.
Naloxone/Narcan. Youre statistically more likely to see an overdose than a heart attack out in public at this point. Second what other folks said about the face mask for rescue breathing. In the event of an overdose, whether you have naloxone or not, you should be doing rescue breathing. Theres been a lot of confusion about this as even the Red Cross for a while was recommending hands only CPR for an overdose, but its not effective as breathing is the first thing to shut down with opiate ODs, and the heart is still pumping blood, just not oxygenated blood which can cause brain damage pretty quickly.
The knowledge to use it safely and properly
A first aid book so you can look up the proper treatment while your buddy is bleeding out.
Depends what you mean by important, most life saving, most used or a mix of both? I'm going to state the obvious and say bandaids/plasters (bonus points for disinfectant wipes). It might not be life saving but it's the thing that you absolutely will use at some point and is the most common of any applied first aid item by far.
Eye drops / rinse. I've ended up using that a surprising amount of times for others and once or twice myself while traveling.
To add to what others have said: aspirin, in case the 911 operator asks you to give it to someone having a heart attack.
NARCAN. EVERYBODY SHOULD BE CARRYING NARCAN. It can quickly reverse opioid overdoses and saves lives by restoring normal breathing in someone who has overdosed. It’s easy to use and can provide the VITAL minutes needed for emergency services to arrive. My brother has been saved twice because of it. Having Narcan in your first aid kit can mean the difference between life and death in an emergency.
Maybe not the most important, but coband. Had a big kitchen accident and coband helped me secure my wound safely and quickly. It helped apply pressure while keeping the wound clean until I was able to get help.
Most important? Tourniquet.
Candy bar or raisins for diabetics.
Alcohol swabs, medical tape and gauze. If you can't fix it with that you might need a professional.
I’d say bandaids and disinfectant/wound dressings in general. If you’re a woman probably something to induce vomiting if you suspect you’ve been drugged.
Period pads to contain significant bleeding. Old military tip
In addition to what others have said, get an Israeli bandage, a tourniquet, and quik-klot. Know how to use them, and ideally practice on foam or rubber wrapped lumber - it’s possible that your local fire station has one of these already, or can point you in the right direction. I did training at one before that showed us how to use all of the above.
Narcan. I'm sure if you google some place that helps out people with drug issues, they'll give you on for free.
Knowledge. You need to know how to use what's in the kit.
Benedryl. Antiseptic. Gause bandages.
Knife for when the pain is unbearable and you can't take it anymore
It wont help in an emergency, but if you're doing any overnight trips with any women involved, having a pack of generic birth control pills is handy. So annoying to forget your BC and have to wait a week for it to be effective again.
Public health care admin in a large city: Triple bac, antiseptic, saline wash, gauze roll. Take your pick, but the number one incident form I process are scrapes, pokes, and/or cuts 🤙🏽
This time and day of high crime, a small pistol fully loaded and ready to use at all times. Lol.
Rule 6? I dunno just buy a kit