Do you carry a first aid kit in your car?

C

Courier

New member
I've been thinking of putting together a first aid kit for my car, just in case I come across somebody needing help. Something simple like trauma bandages and maybe special burn bandages. Do you keep a kit in your vehicle, and if so, what type supplies are in it? Just curious.
 
I have carried a large first aid kit in my car for all my adult life. I have found that the best kit box, for me, is a very large fishing tackle box, with the two opening lids and lots of adjustable hinged shelves that open when the lid is opened.

For supplies, I find that a medical supply store is best for most things, as there are so many things not available at the drug store.

Some basics are available at the drug store of course. It is an evolving situation and two things that make a huge difference are if you are going to set up for children or not, and, for very serious stuff or not.

At one time I carried a mini-hospita of sorts -- when I was on the road all the time with my wife and kids. I had oxygen, cord clamps, all sorts of emergency stuff.
 
I carry a basic first aid kit in all my cars. Never know when you'll need it or if you render aid to someone. Haven't had to use it yet. I just check on it every once in awhile to remove expired items.
 
A few words of advise about using tackle boxes. They turn over when you least want them to, take a 40 acre field to open up, any fluid (rain etc) will seek out the bottom of your box and finally if not latched will dump. When I first got in emergency services the thing to carry was a Plano 747 tackle box. Over the last 20+ years I have watched every one going to bags.
 
I have an old Navy Corpsman Unit 1 bag in my trunk. I won it in a poker game while I was in the Marines. Having stopped to assist in 2 car accidents, I've never regretted the extra equipment. And there isn't a situation I've been in that my own first aid skills have required more than what was in the kit.

I beleive that www.cheaperthandirt.com has similar kits that are reasonable price wise.
 
If you are going to be stopping your car to help people, the first thing you need to put in your kit is your personal protective equipment. Goggles, gloves, mask, gown. You are exposing yourself to biohazards, namely infectious disease. You are also possibly exposing yourself to other hazardous materials, violent confrontations, danger from traffic............No, you can't always tell if someone is infected just by looking at them. Especially if they are covered with blood. It is driven home time after time in the emergency medical field not to compound the situation by making yourself a victim. The dangers you are exposing yourself to are every bit as real and as dangerous as that of violent crime.
Second; if you are going to be helping victims of accident and illness, know what you are doing. I run into people almost everyday that are trying to help but are instead making the problem worse, sometimes much worse for the patient. Some examples; sticking objects into people's mouths so they won't swollow their tongue. Propping up the head of patients with possible spinal cord injuries to make them more comfortable. Propping up the heads of persons who are unconscious and in the process cutting off their airway. Getting people out of cars that were involved in an accident (persons again, with possible spinal injuries) just in case the car catches on fire. Applying tourniquets to limbs. Doing CPR on persons who are not only not in cardiac arrest but who are wide awake and talking. Giving fluids by mouth to persons who have no airway control.
I applaud your desire to help your fellow man, just making a few random points.
 
444

Those are all good points. I certainly do need to address all of the items you pointed out. I can see where the potential to make things worse could happen by mistakes made by the first responder.
 
Another safety item. Get a pocket mask with a one way valve for doing CPR. Speaking of CPR, if there is one thing you could do to help someone, make it learning CPR. Bystander CPR is vital to the persons survival. Any one of us could make so much difference in a persons survival that it is incredible. In cardiac arrest, permenent brain damage occurs within four minutes. Also, the longer a person is in cardiac arrest, the less electrical activity their heart has, and the less they will respond to defibrillation and drug therapy. You can buy this person time if you know CPR. It is all but impossible for an ambulance to respond in less than four minutes unless they happen to be in the immediate area and know exactly where they are going. Even with them giving it everything they can, it is often too late by the time they get there if no CPR is done by bystanders. In the case of cardiac arrest, the layman is an essential, and vital link in the health care system. It only takes one day to learn. The life you save may be one of your own family.

Please pardon me if you have heard this rant before. Everytime a subject like this comes up, I beat this drum long and hard. Everything I said above is true, but I also harp on this for my own selfish needs. You see, paramedics want more than anything to succeed at their job. They spend countless hours learning, re-learning, drilling, practicing, studying etc. But this is all in vain if we have nothing to work with when we arrive on scene. The frustration of throwing a sheet over someone when something as simple as CPR MIGHT have made the difference is extremely frustrating and demoralizing.
 
I guess I should also make a disclaimer. CPR certainly doesn't ensure someone's survival. In fact even with CPR followed by advanced cardiac life support equipment, drugs and techniques the patient more often than not dies. Obviously the person is in a very grave situation that put them into cardiac arrest to begin with. But it certainly gives them a much better chance.
 
All good ideas so far. One thing you should definitely do if you haven't already. Go to your local Red Cross and take the first responder training (I'm doing my annual renewal tomorrow on part of it) They will give you enough knowledge to make good use of what's in your kit.

You could also go to your neighborhood firestation and talk to the paramedics. Tell them what you are doing and why, and that you would appreciate their input.

Don't know about your area, but around these parts there are emergency supply houses that sell all the helmets, first aid kits and tools of the trade for the volunteer firefighters. You might check there for a kit. It's a ready made bag with all the basics in it, and you just replenish as needed. Also check industrial first aid supply houses they have kits they sell to large companies for just the type of emergencies you would see.
 
Another good point of the Red Cross training is that in the event the person or family decides to sue you claiming that you made the victum worse by your actions, the Red Cross will defend you as long as you did not violate your training. A good example is broken ribs following CPR. The victim lives, but sues you because you did it wrong and broke his ribs. Breaking ribs is a common side effect of CPR and doesn't mean anyone did anything wrong.

Florida even has a law where, technically, you are required to stop and render assistance if you are first one on the scene.
 
One word of wisdom, when trying to decide what to carry and not to carry. Use the KISS method. When you first start trying to plan what to carry your first choice will be to carry too much. I know when I first got in the rescue squad I carried enough stuff to single handed a multi car pile up on the interstate. 20+ years later I carry a simple small bag.
 
All good points

I will take CPR training and a class from the Red Cross for First Responder. Thanks for the good advice.
 
I have a first aid kit EVERYWHERE...

Cars, truck, motorcycle, I even take one in the plane when I fly. And due to those damn lines, I fly myself a lot these days. I even have a take-down Marlin "Papoose" rifle in my airplane first aid kit.

KR
 
BARE MINNIMUMS

Have the basics, 4x4 pads, tape, trauma pads, sterile sheet for burns, sterile water for irrigation and burns, or an eye wash bottle, and a rescucitator bag (if you know CPR they are invaluable) or a small barrier mask for CPR, clothing shears and of course Band aids. Kept in a small back pack. Good to pack the contents in plastic or get a good lined bag that seals good to keep dirt out. Band aids for the little stuff and the bigger stuff to hold someone over until the real help arrives.
 
Minor revision to 444's suggestion?

You might want to consider sticking a pair of exam gloves in your door pocket or sun visor, as well as in your kit. Make them easy to grab without digging, and you're much more likely to have them on when you need them You might also consider a waterless hand clenser.
I wouldn't spend money on a sterile burn sheet. They tend to start to fray in the package after a year or so, and cause more problems with debriding than they solve. Stock the big stuff like trauma dressings, but what you'll end up using the most are band aids and such.
 
Great thread.

I carry a small 1st aid kit on me. I don't go out and buy the latest and greatest kit (I may sooner or later). I don't know much about 1st aid...my general rule is if I don't know how to use it, leave it at home. Like hell I'm going to carry dental tools and surgical tools if it takes people 25 years of schooling to scratch the surface.
 
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