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First Aid Kit
Posted by kkw_archer on August 9, 2016 at 1:29 pmApologies if this is in the wrong category, but I was wondering what kind of first aid kit do you pack in your work truck? We just have the generic band aids, alcohol wipes and gauze kit right now, but with this heat the way it is I am looking for one that has bold packs in it, and probably a hard case.
rj-schneider replied 7 years, 9 months ago 15 Members · 21 Replies- 21 Replies
I have one of the small first aid kits from Lowes or Home Depot in my trucks. Pretty basic, but it is OSHA approved, and has most of what you need. Thankfully, I have not needed it for anything other than a minor cut or scrape.
If ya’ll do any work far from a town, I’d honestly suggest you find a public safety store, or a medical supply store, and get a few more things than an OSHA kit has. If someone gets hurt real bad, and OSHA kit is useless. A fence post to the face cause a wire broke and you will use up every bandage in the OSHA kit in the first 2 minutes. A hand crushed in the door of the truck from a freak gust of wind with bone exposed, and the OSHA kit doesn’t have enough bandages to wrap the hand, cover the bone, make a sling, and stop the bleeding. You really should look into getting a kit with much more roller gauze, many more 4×4 gauze pads, some abdominal dressings, eye dressings, triangular bandages, medical and duct tape, good scissors, a knife, large bottles of sterile water, ice and heat packs, non latex gloves, CPR mask, and a good first aid manual. Trust me, if a person is really hurt, the band aids in the OSHA kit won’t fix it!
We carry the OSHA kit plus compression bandages and vicodin.
Monte, post: 385328, member: 11913 wrote: If ya’ll do any work far from a town, I’d honestly suggest you find a public safety store, or a medical supply store, and get a few more things than an OSHA kit has. If someone gets hurt real bad, and OSHA kit is useless. A fence post to the face cause a wire broke and you will use up every bandage in the OSHA kit in the first 2 minutes. A hand crushed in the door of the truck from a freak gust of wind with bone exposed, and the OSHA kit doesn’t have enough bandages to wrap the hand, cover the bone, make a sling, and stop the bleeding. You really should look into getting a kit with much more roller gauze, many more 4×4 gauze pads, some abdominal dressings, eye dressings, triangular bandages, medical and duct tape, good scissors, a knife, large bottles of sterile water, ice and heat packs, non latex gloves, CPR mask, and a good first aid manual. Trust me, if a person is really hurt, the band aids in the OSHA kit won’t fix it!
That is one of the reasons I prefer to go between the wires of a fence and not climb it. One time I did cut myself in the field I knew we had a first aid kit in the truck, that was the most worthless first aid kit ever, I think I had a cold pack, aspirin, tweeters, and 10 band aids. I went to Sam’s Club the next day and picked up some better first aids kits.
In this part of the country, tweezers to pull the cactus stickers. Also, a water container and liquid soap, a roll of paper towels, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, large pad bandages, and disposable latex gloves.
I don’t have a digital copy now but my wife (a Nurse Practitioner) prepared a presentation for SAMSOG a few years ago about first aid in the field. A part of the demonstration was a list of items that should be included in any first aid kit. I believe that list is now a part of the SAMSOG manual, I’ll have to dig mine out of the attic but it may take a while.
Andyexpiration dates on some of the items only last a year or two. alcohol pads and bandages tend to dry up.
Do yourself a favor and go by Tractor Supply in the Equine department.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/3m-vetrap-bandaging-tape-4-in-x-5-yd-teal
That and 4×4 bandaging will go a long ways toward wrapping something that a bandaid won’t handle.Comes in a variety of colors.
James
In my kit:
assorted bandaids
gauze pads
gauze roll
bandage tape
tube of antibiotic cream
bandaid hurt-free antiseptic liquid
allergy capsules
disposable gloves[SARCASM]everyone knows that all you need is surveyor’s flagging[/SARCASM]
I did a ARC first aid course (1 day) a few years ago. I had done a long course in high school at summer camp which was much better–because it allowed you time to absorb the information. Anyway, the biggest take-away for me was the change in procedure if someone has no pulse.
Make sure the airway is clear, but then just start doing compressions and don’t stop. You’re also supposed to go a lot faster. Don’t bother to give breaths to the victim unless there’s a second person to do it. The chest compressions will get some air into the lungs, and the start-stop of the previous procedure has even worse outcomes.
I’m just one of those evil GIS people. Bwah-hah-hah! Seriously, I do coordinate systems and transformations at Esri.I’m an EMT. I found out the hard way liquid inside cold packs is quite irritating to the eyes. So sure, carry lots of them, but store them carefully, inspect them frequently, and have something (like a triangle bandage) to wrap them in before you apply them to the patient.
Ashton, Mi’ compadre’! I am retired from EMS these days, having been involved in it since 1990 as either an army medic or as on-call for the county ambulance. Working all night on the taxi then coming in to survey didn’t always work to well. Had a few days I was rather grouchy too.
For anyone who has not used the quick clot, it has been my experience that when applied, the person they are applied to will complain that it “burns like hell!”, but it does work pretty good at controlling serious bleeding.
Monte, post: 385827, member: 11913 wrote: For anyone who has not used the quick clot, it has been my experience that when applied, the person they are applied to will complain that it “burns like hell!”, but it does work pretty good at controlling serious bleeding.
From what I understand the older quick-clot ingredients used to essentially cause cauterization by chemical reaction, but formulas have changed over time and for the current iterations that is no longer the case.
Although you really want to avoid it for all but the most serious bleeding in areas where pressure cannot be applied. That stuff can produce smaller, separate clots beyond the one closing the wound, which can then go sailing through the bloodstream…
“…people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.” -Neil PostmanAn EpiPen is a good thing to have in your truck, but they have to be insulated and replaced from time to time.Especially given all the food allergys people have these days.
This week my son was working in the woods on a timber project.
He got stung on the hand by something and his hand started to swell. He took some benedryl.
By the time he got back into town (1 hr. 45 min. later), his hand was swollen up like a club past his wrist and he couldn’t move his fingers.I suggested that he see the doctor (even thought I knew there was nothing they could do), just for the purpose of getting a prescription for an EpiPen in case he got stung near the neck, head, throat and had a more severe reaction.
The doctor told him that it would not do any good and that it is only used when people have difficulty breathing so he would not prescribe it…DUH!
Also another important thing to remember (that I learned this week). If someone is injured at work, doctors will not see you unless you have specific workmans comp paper work from the employer. Something about a health care law.
You have to go to the emergency room for medical aid if you do not have this paper work ready.
Someone in your office should call ahead and fax this paperwork to the immediate care clinic so the employee can be seen when they get there.
If you are the employer and don;t have office staff, you should have this paperwork in the glove box so you can give it to them when you get to the doctors office.
imaudigger, post: 385837, member: 7286 wrote: Also another important thing to remember (that I learned this week). If someone is injured at work, doctors will not see you unless you have specific workmans comp paper work from the employer.
Very good point! I was injured awhile back, and when I mentioned it happened at work, the whole treatment changed! They stopped what they were doing, left me in the room for about an hour while phone calls were made, paperwork filled out, secret handshakes agreed upon (I’m guessing) then they finally resumed checking on my arm. It was not a serious injury, so I have no frame of reference for what would of gone on in that kind of setting.
imaudigger, post: 385835, member: 7286 wrote: An EpiPen is a good thing to have in your truck, but they have to be insulated and replaced from time to time.Especially given all the food allergys people have these days.
This week my son was working in the woods on a timber project.
He got stung on the hand by something and his hand started to swell. He took some benedryl.
By the time he got back into town (1 hr. 45 min. later), his hand was swollen up like a club past his wrist and he couldn’t move his fingers.I suggested that he see the doctor (even thought I knew there was nothing they could do), just for the purpose of getting a prescription for an EpiPen in case he got stung near the neck, head, throat and had a more severe reaction.
The doctor told him that it would not do any good and that it is only used when people have difficulty breathing so he would not prescribe it…DUH!
I would fire that doctor. He’s staring at a pretty bad allergic reaction. It’s known that subsequent exposure could cause a worse reaction. Argh! Maybe take some pictures and then go see an allergist. My primary care physician prescribed one on my say-so that I’m allergic to bee stings. Admittedly, I was asking because HWMBO had just installed a hive in our backyard.
I’m just one of those evil GIS people. Bwah-hah-hah! Seriously, I do coordinate systems and transformations at Esri.mkennedy, post: 385852, member: 7183 wrote: I would fire that doctor. He’s staring at a pretty bad allergic reaction. It’s known that subsequent exposure could cause a worse reaction. Argh! Maybe take some pictures and then go see an allergist. My primary care physician prescribed one on my say-so that I’m allergic to bee stings. Admittedly, I was asking because HWMBO had just installed a hive in our backyard.
That’s what I thought…but what do I know. I wasn’t in the room, so I don’t know exactly how it was discussed.
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