Location: null

Discussion: Scavenged or Improvised First Aid KitReported This is a featured thread

Category: Discussion Forum / General Discussion
Showing 9 posts
RUPREPARED
RUPREPARED
Scavenged or Improvised First Aid Kit
Aug 31 2010, 8:48 AM EDT | Post edited: Aug 31 2010, 9:11 AM EDT
Today as I worked on my BoB I pulled apart a $10 St Johns First Aid kit I had for about a year and realised what a waste of space it was

So for $10 what would be some of the Improvised objects and First aid equipment you would buy to put in a long term first aid kit. Do you find this valuable?    
timberrattler
timberrattler
1. RE: Scavenged or Improvised First Aid Kit
Aug 31 2010, 9:22 AM EDT | Post edited: Aug 31 2010, 9:23 AM EDT
"Today as I worked on my BoB I pulled apart a $10 St Johns First Aid kit I had for about a year and realised what a waste of space it was

So for $10 what would be some of the Improvised objects and First aid equipment you would buy to put in a long term first aid kit."
I feel ya. I have a $12 kit from Wal-Mart that is better than nothing but is made up mostly of band-aids and wet wipes.

Here are some of the things I pack as far as first aid that would be considered improvised.

Super Glue for caring for cuts. Tampons for dealing with puncture wounds. Vaseline for keeping moisture away from cuts. Small bottle of iodine for keeping cuts from becoming infected and water purification. Baking soda can be used as a poor man's quick clot. Zip ties will do in a pinch for a tourniquet.

I'll admit I'm kinda ameteurish as far as first aid is concerned. My work sends me to a Red Cross course once a year and I fix my kids boo-boos and thats about it. Most of what I know I've learned here. Do you find this valuable?    
duterfel
duterfel
2. RE: Scavenged or Improvised First Aid Kit
Aug 31 2010, 10:12 AM EDT | Post edited: Aug 31 2010, 10:12 AM EDT
Get yourself a small pair of scissors, a small pair of needle nosed pliers, some fine fishing line and a couple of curved sewing needles and you have yourself a crude suture kit.

I would also add to that a few pairs of latex gloves and maybe a large bore irrigation syringe.

Learn how to sew now people. You may be the guy who has to stitch up your own wounds. Do you find this valuable?    
JunkCollector
JunkCollector
3. RE: Scavenged or Improvised First Aid Kit
Aug 31 2010, 11:07 AM EDT | Post edited: Aug 31 2010, 11:07 AM EDT
I added some Tylenol, Imodium AD, Cold & Flue, Large bandages, 2 rolls of gauze, duct tape, latex gloves, medicine book (describes meds. and what they are for), and good tweezers. Do you find this valuable?    
DonovanRichter
DonovanRichter
4. RE: Scavenged or Improvised First Aid Kit
Aug 31 2010, 11:16 AM EDT | Post edited: Aug 31 2010, 11:16 AM EDT
Oooh, cool cool, I would add to such things some anti bacterial soap =^_^= That alcohol stuff is so harsh and it slows your own healing speed. Plus a good wash with soap could remove debris better than alcohol, iodine or other sterilization stuff would. =^_^=

If I had a vehicle serving as a mobile scavenger base I would put my crutches in it. A person on those can travel at greater than walking speed and fare much better at escaping zombies than someone crawling, they might help somebody? How could we transport splint materials in a BoB or would it be impossible?

Scavenge strong pain meds so someone might have a better chance of getting to safety? ... but would endorphins work better at helping an injured person fight through pain to get to safety? Pain meds could still be used for trading or best of all, playing surgeon with other survivors! =^____^=

I can't think of anything else though.

Oh, TR, the glue used for gaping wounds... um, was there like a certain type that is still safe for use in that purpose and do any of the other types of super glue poison you or anything? Do you find this valuable?    
Drakkarius
Drakkarius
5. RE: Scavenged or Improvised First Aid Kit
Aug 31 2010, 12:02 PM EDT | Post edited: Aug 31 2010, 12:02 PM EDT
""and a couple of curved sewing needles

You may be the guy who has to stitch up your own wounds.""
O damn, those curved needles come in handy. MY dad was mowing the lawn on a part of our hill once and a bit of gravel shot out from the mower into his shin, splitting the skin down to the bone. We tried all the needles we could find, but skin is apparently a lot more resilient than I first thought, we didn't get the leverage to puncture the skin till we found a big carpet needle.

As you can see I've had to stitch up more than my own wounds. Yuchy stuff, indeed.

As to what I would put in an improvised FAK all the things previously posted are great, but a small steel brush and bit never hurt. Well, it does, but if you have lots of heavy debris embedded in a wound, it is a hell of a lot faster to scrub it out with the brush than it is to pick each individual piece out.

I also have a VERY useful book which is a great addition to any BOB or FAK. It's the Big Book of Pills. It lists most modern medicines and their uses and applicable doses depending on what you need. If you ever had to svac meds, this would be invaluable.

Here is a link to Amazon to buy it, though, I suggest looking around for better prices : http://www.amazon.com/Pill-Book-12th-Harold-Silverman/dp/0553588923 Do you find this valuable?    
mudroll
mudroll
6. RE: Scavenged or Improvised First Aid Kit
Aug 31 2010, 12:11 PM EDT | Post edited: Aug 31 2010, 12:11 PM EDT
I also suggest bringing something that can put people to sleep. It's easier to stitch someone up when they aren't screaming in pain..... Or failing that. Have someone who knows how to knock someone out without permenant damage.... Do you find this valuable?    
duterfel
duterfel
7. RE: Scavenged or Improvised First Aid Kit
Aug 31 2010, 3:31 PM EDT | Post edited: Aug 31 2010, 3:31 PM EDT
"I also suggest bringing something that can put people to sleep. It's easier to stitch someone up when they aren't screaming in pain..... Or failing that. Have someone who knows how to knock someone out without permenant damage...."
Oh I already have that perticular "item" handy. It's called a punch in the face. There will be some damage involved...but you'll live. Do you find this valuable?    
RUPREPARED
RUPREPARED
8. RE: Scavenged or Improvised First Aid Kit
Aug 31 2010, 9:26 PM EDT | Post edited: Aug 31 2010, 9:26 PM EDT
"I feel ya. I have a $12 kit from Wal-Mart that is better than nothing but is made up mostly of band-aids and wet wipes."
Thats It TR thats exsactly it....

I picked thirty spliter removers and a Box of two hundred bandaids and I was left with a single roller bandage (good work St Johns).

Woe to the people that think that having one of these is preparededness.

Moving on.

Ive heard eveything from nails to safty pins being macgyvered into a workable suture kit but I like your idea Duterfel of a Sewing Needle Suture Kit.

4 roller bandages, Sterile Gloves, Alcohol Wipes, guass and 3 Triangle bandages (I get'um for free)

1 Small Bottle (250ml) Strong whiskey ($6)
10-15 Condoms (School Nurse) Honestly these things have a thousand uses Sterile gloves, Burn Dressings, Water Proof Dressings and If you get some diffent sizies Comppression bandages.
1 Duterfel Special; Needlenose pliers ($2) and a Small Sewing kit with sissors ($1)
And a tube of Super Glue ($1)

Great posts guys. Do you find this valuable?    

Related Content

  (what's this?Related ContentThanks to keyword tags, links to related pages and threads are added to the bottom of your pages. Up to 15 links are shown, determined by matching tags and by how recently the content was updated; keeping the most current at the top. Share your feedback on Wetpaint Central.)
PROBLEM. favourite melee weapon? An expert's stats and opinion on weapons
improvised weapons take it or leave it My Melee Weapons Kick Great website selling melee weapons
Weapon improvement questions about melee wepons ranged weapons
Hachets... Melee Weapons IFAK: Individual First Aid Kit