First aid kit's

Another thing to consider taking is vasoline coated gauze if your in a sitiation and cant sew yourself or a large cut. You have about a 6-8hr window to close a wound, after that the chance of infection doubles greater even with cleaning/disinfection of a wound. Sutures are fine unless its a animal/human bite-leave open after cleaning. Superglue and tape are great. If you have a large wound, clean, rinse and cover with vasoline gauze to keep wound moisture and apply pressure dressing as needed. The xeroform(vasoline gauze) also doubles as a great fire starter if in a jam or wet conditions. Another great suggestion is coban. Its is like a ace wrap except one side is sticky like tape however will compress a wound better that standard gauze, but does not take its place due to low ability to absorb body liquid. Another quick fix is steri-strips, which in more or less like small supersticky strips of tape, place across the wound and pull the wound closed. This is the best alternative to sutures especially with a nasty (dirty) wound. And if you have a really good friend working in the medical field the stapler is the quickest way and will not come off with a staple remover ha.

Alcohol/betadine are best choice disinfect agents. Both are cheap. Betadine comes in small individual packets. alcohol comes on wipes and easliy stored. The quick clot stuff works ok but realize that it has to come off at some point. For large amount of bleeding elevate, pressure and dressing are ideal. Your belt can serve as a great touriqet.

If in a jam and have no access to gauze, newspaper is next best thing. About the cleanest thing you can buy- most newspaper is steamed with a alcohol based dye some the inside is basically sterile.

Don, the cauterizing agent that I carry is called "Wound Seal". It is a dry powder in individual packs for small wounds. The material is similar to the wound packs issued to combat medics. We had a seminar at the gun range on how to use the large packs for gunshot wounds (God Forbid). My Wife picked this stuff up at (of all places) the .99 Cent Store, and it is actually made in the USA.

This thread reminded me of a great mini-emergency kit for pack, or coat pocket. It is called "Storm Kit", and is assembled by the Tacoma Mountain Rescue Unit. It contains matches, candle, sugar, salt, bullion, tea, wire, whistle, signal mirror, and plastic tube tarp, packed into an oversized Prince Albert can (tin can for you whippersnappers, who have never seen a PA can), which doubles as a vessel for boiling water. It has been a few years since I bought one, but it was under $10 at REI. We all carried these when we hunted Elk in Colorado, and had an ironclad pact that you never left camp without the storm kit, due to the nature of Colorado's weather.

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Originally Posted by Sawfish

Don, the cauterizing agent that I carry is called "Wound Seal". It is a dry powder in individual packs for small wounds. The material is similar to the wound packs issued to combat medics. We had a seminar at the gun range on how to use the large packs for gunshot wounds (God Forbid). My Wife picked this stuff up at (of all places) the .99 Cent Store, and it is actually made in the USA.

This thread reminded me of a great mini-emergency kit for pack, or coat pocket. It is called "Storm Kit", and is assembled by the Tacoma Mountain Rescue Unit. It contains matches, candle, sugar, salt, bullion, tea, wire, whistle, signal mirror, and plastic tube tarp, packed into an oversized Prince Albert can (tin can for you whippersnappers, who have never seen a PA can), which doubles as a vessel for boiling water. It has been a few years since I bought one, but it was under $10 at REI. We all carried these when we hunted Elk in Colorado, and had an ironclad pact that you never left camp without the storm kit, due to the nature of Colorado's weather.

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I learn so much from the older gent's on here. I have never seen or heard on the PA storm kit. I'd like to find one ! The cauterizing agent I use is a gel in a tube. I think powder would work better. There is an REI not far from me but I doubt if their yuppie ass's would carry it. I'll check. I'm more interested in finding the would packs at the 99 cent store ! There's one right by me. I have a story about cauterizing powder. I know, not another one... My best friend of almost 40 yrs. has a ranch. Was his Grandpa's back when this happened. We were always shooting ground squirrels with our bows. He always used Ziwicky broadheads. I used judo pts beacuse I didn't like losing my arrows. One day he shot at a squirrel and the arrow richochet and cut across one of the black angus cow's stomach ! It was gushing blood ! He ran back to the barn to get some cauterizing powder. While I tried to chase the cow into the holding pen. I was having a hell of a time and didn't have time to go saddle a horse and go after it. We thought the cow was going to bleed out and die and his granpa would kill us. He came back with powder and we both managed to get the cow in the holding pen and pack it with powder. I stopped the bleeding after a bit. His grandpa never found out. We were about 18 yrs. old. He shot judo points after that...

The Storm Kit is in a Yellow tin with Black writing. I'll bet you can find one because it is unlikely there are more yuppies in San Diego, than in Tustin, which is where the OC REI has relocated! Right next to the Total Wines store. One stop shopping for all of your camping needs!

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Originally Posted by Sawfish

The Storm Kit is in a Yellow tin with Black writing. I'll bet you can find one because it is unlikely there are more yuppies in San Diego, than in Tustin, which is where the OC REI has relocated! Right next to the Total Wines store. One stop shopping for all of your camping needs!

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Maybe the only reasoon less yuppies would be more military presence ???
NorthT above had some good ideas. He's an EMT I know :)

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Originally Posted by NorthT

Another thing to consider taking is vasoline coated gauze if your in a sitiation and cant sew yourself or a large cut. You have about a 6-8hr window to close a wound, after that the chance of infection doubles greater even with cleaning/disinfection of a wound. Sutures are fine unless its a animal/human bite-leave open after cleaning. Superglue and tape are great. If you have a large wound, clean, rinse and cover with vasoline gauze to keep wound moisture and apply pressure dressing as needed. The xeroform(vasoline gauze) also doubles as a great fire starter if in a jam or wet conditions. Another great suggestion is coban. Its is like a ace wrap except one side is sticky like tape however will compress a wound better that standard gauze, but does not take its place due to low ability to absorb body liquid. Another quick fix is steri-strips, which in more or less like small supersticky strips of tape, place across the wound and pull the wound closed. This is the best alternative to sutures especially with a nasty (dirty) wound. And if you have a really good friend working in the medical field the stapler is the quickest way and will not come off with a staple remover ha.

Alcohol/betadine are best choice disinfect agents. Both are cheap. Betadine comes in small individual packets. alcohol comes on wipes and easliy stored. The quick clot stuff works ok but realize that it has to come off at some point. For large amount of bleeding elevate, pressure and dressing are ideal. Your belt can serve as a great touriqet.

If in a jam and have no access to gauze, newspaper is next best thing. About the cleanest thing you can buy- most newspaper is steamed with a alcohol based dye some the inside is basically sterile.

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Hey North T !
I missed your post the first time. You sound like an EMT ! :) Some excellent advice and ideas. I always carry a bunch of alcohol wipes. I'd like to get my hands on some coban. I didn't have a problem sewing my knee up way back in 1993 but stapling would freak me out ! By the way, a week later when I got home from trip I took a shower and sat down and removed the stiches and the wound just popped right open like it was never sewn ! I think my X wife heard me scream, among other things. It never popped open once though while packing out two elk and falling down a lot. Fish line. I have fish hook needles now in case God forbid I fall of another cliff in the dark !

Don, sorry but I gave you a bum steer on the woundcare at the 99 Cent Store. My wife got the Woundcare at CVS. She had been to the 99 cent store on the same trip (along with a few other places!) and I probably was not paying close enough attention to the "Saga of Shopping". Looks like the Hurricane missed JA. Leaving tonight at 10:45. Regards

I carry my first aid kit in the vehicle. The only thing I carrry with me for first aid is bandaids and sugerglue. Superglue will hold together a good cut. That's what it was originally made for.

I also carry survival items like fire starter, mirror, solar blanket, small diameter rope, waterproof matches and purification tablets.

I have thought many times of taking a small Israeli army bandage that stops heavy bleeding. They're pretty cheap, especially considering it's your life at stake if you cut an artery or happen to get shot.

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Originally Posted by Sawfish

Don, sorry but I gave you a bum steer on the woundcare at the 99 Cent Store. My wife got the Woundcare at CVS. She had been to the 99 cent store on the same trip (along with a few other places!) and I probably was not paying close enough attention to the "Saga of Shopping". Looks like the Hurricane missed JA. Leaving tonight at 10:45. Regards

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Hey Saw,
No problem. CVS is right around the corner from me. Across from the 99cent store ! I'm in CVS about every other day. I'll look for it. Thanks! Good news about the hurricane ! knock the crap out of those lionfish and have fun ! Look forward to hear about it .

My full-time survival kit in my daypack has some medical items in it. Others like the fishing line and needle, bandana, etc can be used if needed. Anyway, here is my list.

Full-time daypack kit (1lb 11oz)
-stainless steel water bottle
-spare wool socks
-Adventure medical heatsheets bivy (the 3.8oz one)
-cheap mylar space blanket (mainly for a fire reflector)
-compass
-bandana (red for signal, pre-filter water etc)
-Mammut S-lite headlamp (1 AA lithium battery, 60hr life, 2oz) (this is part of the kit, and in addition to the bigger headlamp I count as hunting gear)
-Victorionox trekker knife (decent saw, 4" un-serrated blade, tools)
-whistle with thermometer & compass built in
-fire kit: firesteel, lighter, vaseline coated cotton balls, 4 wetfire cubes
-extra small firesteel
-50ft roll 2" duck tape
-small bottle superglue
-frontier water filter straw
-4 tabs potable aqua
-30yds 152lb bank line
-15yds 350lb bank line
-25ft bright yellow paracord
-blank CD (signalling)
-little bag with 12 45lb 18” leader snares & 30ft 25lb fishing line, 20ft 10lb fishing line, 12 hooks, repair/suture needle)
Medical: (stop bleeding, make splints)
-quick clot sponge
-1 roll hot pink vetwrap (bandaging with duck tape, marking trail, etc)
-small tube neosporin
-4 3"x3" gauze pads
-rubber glove
-6 pills immodium
-2 pills claritin
-1 packet sunscreen
-1 packet lip balm
-4 safety pins
-1 antiseptic towlette