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16K views 27 replies 24 participants last post by  Redlineshooter 
#1 · (Edited)
Hey guys, I'm new here and have been looking for a thread with suggestions for a SHTF first aid kit, but cannot seem to find one. Most of the ones sold to the public are filled with mostly band aids and crap like that; but if **** did hit the fan then I believe I'd need a little more than a band aid. So I decided that I would like to make my own an put in either in a fanny pack or some other bag of the similar size. Here are some of the items I can think of putting in it, any other suggestions would be great!

Various sized gauze pads
Medical tape
Various sized band aids
Small scissors
Couple pairs of gloves
Alcohol wipes
Sunscreen (I live in FL, its a must)
Anti inflammatory medicine
Anti allergy medicine
ACE wraps
Finger splints
Burn/sting relief
Pain killers
Athletic tape and pre wrap (in case of sprained ankle or wrist)
Couple packets of jello mix (great for calories if you run out of food, just mix with water and drink)

Once upon a time I also saw a nurse giving stitches with a needle and thread; it was crude, but effective. Do you think, if sterilized, this would be a good way to close a wound in a SHTF situation and there were no doctors around?
 
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#2 ·
The first thing you should do is get trained in first aid. Then you can determine what you will need in your first aid kit (FAK).

I am a former Emergency Medical Technician, US Marine.

This is the contents of my multi-person trauma kit, additional items are added when I determine that I am lacking in certain areas:

TYLENOL – TRAVEL SIZE
IBUPROFEN – TRAVEL SIZE
SLEEP AID – TRAVEL SIZE
PRILOSEC, 2 WEEKS SUPPLE
ANT-ACIDS, PACK OF 4 ROLLS
AMMODIUM AD, 2 WEEKS SUPPLY
EXLAX
ANTIHISTAMINE/DECONGESTANT (PILL FORM), 2 WEEKS SUPPLY
CALAMINE LOTION
ANTI ITCH SPRAY
SUN SCREEN
CHAP STICK, PACK OF 3
BUG BITE STICK
VASOLINE – TUBE
HAND SANITIZER
SALINE WASH
VISINE EYEDROPS/LUBRICANT
TRIPLE ANITBIOTIC OINTMENT
NASAL SPRAY, SALINE
NASAL SPRAY, ANTIHISTAMINE/DECONGESTANT
ALCOHOL PAD
DISINFECTANT PADS
SURGICAL GLOVES, 10 PAIR
SAFETY GLASSES
STETHESCOPE
DISPOSABLE THERMOMETER STRIPS
TOURNIQUETS, 2 EA
COTTON SWABS, 20 EA
SHARPIE PEN
PEN, INK, WRITE IN RAIN
NOTE BOOK, WRITE IN RAIN
POCKET MASK WITH VALVE
TRAUMA SHEERS
MULTI PLIER, GERBER
KNIFE
SCALPELS, DISPOSABLE, 5 EA
TWEEZERS
HEMOSTATS, 2 EA
SISSORS, BANDAGE TYPE
ISRAELI BANDAGES, 2 EA
CHEST SEAL, 2 EA FOR SUCKING CHEST WOUNDS
PEN LIGHT WITH EXTRA BATTERIES
SAM SPLINT, 2 EA
ARM SLING
SNAKE BITE KIT
COLD PACK, INSTANT TYPE, 2 EA
HEAT PACK, 4 EA
ABDOMINAL BANDAGE, 2 EA
WATER, BOTTLED, 2 EA
SURGICAL TAPE, 1 ROLL
KERLIX, BANDAGE, 1 ROLL
ACE BANDAGE, 2 EA
GAUZE PADS, 5 EA 2X2
GAUZE PADS, 5 EA 4X4
I.V. EQUIPMENT
SUTURES
 
#3 ·
A basic FAK will work for now. Like jarhead said, you need medical classes so that you can effectively use the supplies that you desire in an aid bag. I'm an Army medic, EMT, and have been through more medical classes than you could think of. Start off with learning CPR and basic BLS classes, most fire departments will teach them for free.
 
#4 ·
always include as many months of prescription meds as you can lay your hands on. If you can get on the $10 for 90 days stuff from Walmart get as much as you can. Use what you get and replace the oldest first. Pharmacies may be closed for some time if things go bad. Triage is going to be a way of life or death.
 
#8 ·
Duct tape. Superglue makes good stitches.

Betadine. Betadine scrub or Hibiclens scrub. Hydrogen peroxide. An alcohol stove with near 100% denatured isopropyl alcohol for sterilization of tweezers, scalpels, etc.

Lots 'n lots of 4x4's. Ace bandages. VET WRAP (better and cheaper) Bandaids of all sizes. Medications- OTC and prescription. Anti-biotic ointment. Etc etc etc.

Store it in a grab 'n go container. Get more first aid training. Read up at least.
 
#14 ·
Which one did they take out, there's at least 3 different versions that I'm aware of. The first gen Quik Clot was the powder/granules that get super hot and can blow everywhere in the wind. The second gen stuff was Quik Clot 1 put into "tea bags" so it wouldn't blow into eyes. The new Quik Clot is awesome, it comes impregnated into gauze/kerlix. It doesn't get nearly as hot, and is amazing.

You cannot make blanket statements like that, what's your experience with it? I've had good experiences with all the Quik Clot, it's my job on a daily basis...
 
#12 ·
Just a reminder from someone who needs prescription medication on a daily basis , PLEASE keep a copy of the prescription slip you get from the pharmacy with you or in your FAK AT ALL TIMES ..

Nothing like an overzealous cop trying to charge with a schedule 1 or schedule 2 narcotic charge and you being unable to explain where the drugs came from . and depending on how much you have and what medications are in your FAK , it doesnt take many of them to make it felony possession and possibly trafficking ie vicoden , percocet etc
 
#13 ·
I started a first aid kit and now I'm on my fourth trunk One of those great big footlocker type rolling trunks. c

I went and bought a bunch of those plastic shoe type boxes. Each trunk will hold 9 plastic shoe boxes. I labled each shoe box so that it would be oranized.. Pain, Childrens meds, itch/bites, throat, respiratory, eyes, stomach.. and so on. I then tossed things in each box that were related.

I did that in three of the trunks. In the fourth I put all the band aids, gauze, splints, knee braces and items like that. I put thermometers and breathing machine in that box.

What started as small ended up being gigantic!!! Good Luck!! It sounds like you are off to a GREAT start!!
 
#17 ·
I realize this is an old post, but it still comes up on google so I wanted to touch on a few things for anyone who comes across this. Most of the replies to this thread are good, but there are a few misinformed.

A. Medical classes- You don't need to become an EMT or Paramedic to cover this. Get your CPR cert and take some Red Cross first aid, or get your EMR.

B. You can't MacGuyver everything you need. I don't need to elaborate on that. You don't need a whole ER worth of stuff, but don't just get Kerlix, duct tape, and ACE wrap. Please.

C. Heat Sterilization- Using alcohol flame will sterilize your equipment, but I'd recommend just using alcohol to do that job. It's just as effective and you don't have to mess around with hot metal.

D. Quick Clot- No, you should not avoid Quick Clot. The granulated stuff has gone by the wayside, but the Quick Clot hemostatic gauze is invaluable for stopping bleeding in the field.

E. Hemostatic Clamps- This was mentioned. While it is useful to have, it should be clarified that you should not expect to use them to clamp a bleeding artery. It's a nice idea, but in practice there's no reason to even try entering that s**tstorm. Unless you're a surgeon, my recommendation is to use a tourniquet. Unless you have a doctor, there's a good chance they will lose that limb if a tourniquet is applied, but at least they'll live, which is better than dead because you tried to play surgeon and clamp an artery.

And finally, to answer the OP question: You can use thread to suture, but that is not your best option. Your best option would be to go on ebay and get some sutures. You can find them in packs of 10 or so for about $25. Or you can get veterinarian sutures for about half the price. Pretty much the same thing. My one caveat to this is that if you don't know how to suture, you're going to do it wrong. So if you don't have some understanding of sutures, I recommend skipping them all together and getting super glue and steri-strips.

I hope this helps someone!
 
#18 ·
I'm an EMT and I liked the idea of building a personal first aid kit but it was cheaper to buy a pre built one and Adventure Medical Kits does a great job.

I've never used quick clot but I've heard it works great but I wouldn't suggest using it unless it's life threatening bleeding because (I've heard) it's very difficult to clean the wound after it's been applied.

I've also had a friend who got hurt pretty bad and often but refused to go to the hospital even when he should of had stitches. I learned from him that you can get by without stitches more often than thought, you just have to continuously clean and expect healing process to be much longer.
 
#22 ·
I might have missed them on one of the lists but...

Triangle bandages.

They are wonderful as pressure bandages and are the best thing I have ever used for making splints. In EMT training we learned them inside and out. They are kind of rough material which makes them hold knots really easily. Aside from that, they cost almost nothing, are washable and reasonably reusable, are light weight and take up very little space.
 
#24 ·
The prescription meds you use are invaluable. Damn near died once cause I didn't have mine in the outback.

When you fill a prescription usually there is another label on the paperwork. Stick it on a little plastic envelope and put the pills inside.

Dated, identified, and legal so the cop that finds the vicodin etc knows it's legal, and the amoxicillin etc isn't a controlled substance.

I fly quite a bit and years ago the tsa guy actually recommended I do it that way. He didn't care, but customs sometimes does.
 
#25 ·
First aid is fine though you might want consider something a lot bigger if you are thinking of something that might need long term wound care.

If you are going to use superglue as a wound sealer you might need to get medical grade as general super glue isn't sterile enough as a wound repair agent I've seen a few cases where people had to get the hardware variety desolved at the hospital to the infection cleaned out..it wasn't pretty..

I would also include something to record what you have done.

Best medical details you can provide if you are able to seek a doctor within a time of shtf...
 
#26 ·
Excellent point.

The OP stated first aid for SHTF. These two concepts don't belong together.

First aid is exactly that, the first phase of medical care/response to an injury or illness that will be followed by EMT and then hospital care.

In the SHTF, these later stages of care may well be unavailable or non-existent.

So a SHTF kit should be more of a comprehensive medical kit - with tools/supplies to provide on going care all the way to recovery.

That means a lot more consumables supplies (eg dressings that will be changed several or even dozens of times) and treatment supplies like surgical tools and antibiotics.

The training and reference books required should also reflect this wider scope of treatment - rather than address only first aid.
 
#27 ·
What I've seen in basic med kits are okay for basic use though given my experiences with wound care over the last 30 years, I would have to say what is available in emergency kits is fine for emergency use though rather impractical when it comes to long term. Wound care or even short term wound care..

Note: treat drugs with a short shelf life especially if you have to transverse distances where you face hot climates, longevity of the effectiveness of these drugs are called when kept in a cool place, add hot conditions for a number of days their longevity goes down by 15% per day.

Due to being a diabetic I came to the conclusion that transversing long distances by foot may not be plausible for the person as if you have no sensation within legs or feet you may not know you have a injury until it is to late.. To cure it..

In ending drugs are a grand thing though their usefulness once open will have a very short shelf life Same can also be said for med pack items...
I'd also make sure you have 120 proof or better alcohol in case you have sterilise something..
 
#28 ·
No worries, hard calibre.


NOTE: I'm not medically trained in any field so any advice I give out may sound out like pure conjecture, though I have been around wound care environments with family members for over 30 years to know what to expect when you have 3rd parties like silver chain and Stanhope medical group doing medical treatment and the reality is once you start using the emergency med kits you might have less than 24 hours use out of them before sanitary condition of what is in the pack may become unusable and unsterile to use..
IN AN EMERGENCY YOU MIGHT HAVE TO FORMULATE A CARE PLAN WITH A DOSIER TO SHOW WHAT Y HAVE DONE..
This is a consideration you will face with any off the shelf (((EMERGENCY PACK))) which may only cover short term use it is called emergency for a reason it is a marketing ploy mostly though the reality if you have to redress something like an injury routinely it isn't going to be a usable solution for a long term care option

This is what I have seen over the years reality is you need solutions for continuous 1st aid or continuous medical aid as you will not know how or when you may be needing some form extended triage by medical professioinals and to whether you will have access to them within the 1st 12-72 hours after injury has occurred... This will be the reality in a shtf when a hospital will compartmentalise the worst cases 1st assuming you get to a functioning hospital..

ALSO HAVE BEEN A LIVE-IN CARER FOR OVER 10 YEARS MADE ME REALISE OF THE OFTEN POORLY LAID OUT CARE PLANS FROM SERVICE PROVIDERS LIKE SILVERCHAIN AND STANHOPE MEDICAL MADE ME SEE, IN A EMERGENCY SITREP WHERE YOU HAVE TO THINK OF THE PERSON YOU ARE TREATING AND YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE AS MUCH COMFORT TO PROMOTE HEALING WHERE POSSIBLE WRAPPING SOMETHING POORLY MAY CAUSE MORE HURT TO THE PERSON YOU ARE TREATING.

ALSO KEEPING A DOSSIER ON WHAT YOU DID WHETHER IT BE ON WRITTEN ON PAPER OR ON A SMALL LAPTOP IN DIGITAL STORAGE, I HAD TO KEEP A DETAILED MEDICATION REPORT ON THE PERSON I WAS A CARER FOR GIVEN THE ISSUES WITH ALL THE DRUGS THE PERSON WAS ON AND THERE WAS OFTEN CHANGES IN PRESCRIPTIONS THAT HAD TO BE DONE ON SHORT AND LONG TERM USE.

NOTE WHEN WE AGE WE CAN END UP ON NUMBERS OF DRUGS AND SOME OF THESE MULTIPLE DRUGS WE TAKE HAVE THE EXACT SAME SIDE EFFECTS SOMETHING TO CONSIDER IF YOU ARE ON MANY PRESCRIPTION DRUGS YOU MGHT WANT TO START LOOKING AT WHAT SIDE EFFECTS THEY MAY GIVE YOU IF YOU HAVE BEEN TAKING THEM FOR MANY YEARS...

PROLONG USE OF DRUGS IS NOT SUITABLE TO THE HEALTH SYSTEM OF YOUR BODY..
IF YOU ARE FINDING FAMILY MEMBERS ON HIGH DOSES OF PAIN TYPE KILLERS IN THIER 50-80's YOU MIGHT FIND SYMPTOMS OF DRUG RELATED MEMORY LOSS OR DRUG DEPENANT MEMORY LOSS.. WHICH MAY APPEAR LIKE ALZIMERS DEMEANTURE IN ALOT OF CASES... THIS IS WHAT I HAVE SEEN THROUGH MY OWN EYES WHEN YOU MIX THE ELDERLY STRONG PAIN KILLING DRUGS WHEN DRUGS ARE TAKEN ORALLY AND BY PATCH.
FROM WHICH I SEEN IN THE HOSPITAL GERIATRIC WARDS THEY TEND TO OD THEIR PATIENTS TO KEEP THE PEOPLE IN BEDS RATHER THAN TREATING THEM LIKE HUMANS..
 
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