What to put in a Good First Aid kit for my vehicles?

[Blasternank]

It seems like lately I've come across several accidents that just happened. I am a contractor in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and drive a ton. I have CPR training and have some first aid training through scouts and as a scoutmaster I have to teach and supervise basic first aid. I am no expert by any stretch, but I am one who is willing to stop and help in any way needed.

That being said, I look at all these first aid kits and they all claim to have all of these pieces of supplies in it, but to me, most are useless or will never be used. If you had to build your own, which I want to do, what would your recommendations be to put in it? Please make a list and if you feel an explanation is warranted please do so.

Thanks!

 

[Shotgun Jeremy]

I'd go with a fire extinguisher, medical shears, gauze, wrap, neosporin, a splint, assorted bandages, motrin, and burn cream for basics.

Sent from my SM-T230NU using Tapatalk

 

[Dellis]

Hope this doesn't sound rude or cruel but I would first have a kit for myself and family within our vehicles. I would be hesitant to help others in an accident in terms of first-aide other than calling 911 and letting them do their job.

Why? Well sadly because of the great potential for a lawsuit coming your way if you do anything to cause them pain and suffering. This can be extended to their family as well, even if you did all you could do and they died they can come after you legally and make your life hell all because you sought to help.

Read a story where a man pulled a guy from a burning car and was sued by the guy and his attorney for moving him and causing further damage to his neck/spine. That one there made me really re-think helping people out beyond 911. I reckon each case is different but just be careful in how you go about your rescue efforts of accident victims. If they can get treatment by the paramedics and nothing life threatening I would leave it to them.

 

[Lipps]

the great potential for a lawsuit coming your way if you do anything to cause them pain and suffering. This can be extended to their family as well, even if you did all you could do and they died they can come after you legally and make your life hell all because you sought to help.

Read a story where a man pulled a guy from a burning car and was sued by the guy and his attorney for moving him and causing further damage to his neck/spine. That one there made me really re-think helping people out beyond 911. I reckon each case is different but just be careful in how you go about your rescue efforts of accident victims. If they can get treatment by the paramedics and nothing life threatening I would leave it to them.

Texas has a Good Samaritan Law. It gives civil immunity to citizens who render aid.
https://baumgartnerlawyers.com/freq...helpful-information/texas-good-samaritan-law/

 

[txinvestigator]

Tourniquet, several sizes of gauze, compression bandages (I prefer the Israeli bandage) quick clot dressing, splints.

 

[fflores]

I have found that the thin maxi pads make great bandages for bad wounds. I keep gloves, various otc drugs, reflective vest, seatbelt cutter, glass breaker, etc

 

[Dellis]

Texas has a Good Samaritan Law. It gives civil immunity to citizens who render aid.
https://baumgartnerlawyers.com/freq...helpful-information/texas-good-samaritan-law/

Well that's good to know, appreciate the link. I'll read up on this.

 

[PhulesAu]

Do Not Administer medication.

 

[txinvestigator]

Do Not Administer medication.

nice catch. The only thing I would administer is a epi-pen.

 

[Rebel]

2-3 pairs of nitrile gloves are good. People are dirty creatures.

 

[PhulesAu]

For the gloves, get the thickest ones you can. They are for your protection. Space / Mylar blankets are also pretty handy for weather protection and fighting shock. High grade sanitizer to clean yourself up, after the Adrenalin rush wears off. Do Not do more than you're trained for. The good Samaritan act only goes so far. one last thing, If you can't help and you are not a witness GTFO!! Do Not become part of the problem.

 

[TheDan]

Sardines and vodka.

Oh, and spearmint gum. Almost forgot the gum...

 

[acorneau]

Some good things mentioned so far. My top picks would be:

- Exam/trauma gloves
- Medium to large gauze
- Sam splint
- wrapping bandages
- electrolyte tablets
- space blanket
- flashlight
- small notepad and pen/pencil
- alcohol pads (for clean up)

If someone gets in a wreck and they are not in immediate and eminent danger (middle of the freeway, car on fire, etc.) then do not try to move them. Do NOT administer any kind of drugs to people. The only exception might be an epi-pen and that's only if you absolutely know it is called for.

The biggest thing is to supply your FA kit to the level you are trained.

I've given first aid at a few car wreck scenes. Nothing too bad, but I'm glad I had a FA kit with me and had years of FA practice over the years.

 

[diveRN]

As a lay person, the only thing you should be concerned with are the ABCs. Airway, breathing, circulation. PERIOD.

Unless it's a family member or close friend and you've done it before, don't splint broken limbs, don't administer drugs (including epi-pens), or do anything you're not specifically trained for and have the confidence to do. Nobody ever died from too much pain, waiting a few minutes for EMS crews (assuming they're close by) to splint an arm or leg won't kill a patient. However, manipulating a compound fracture to a long bone just might do more harm than good.

Make sure your victim has an airway and is breathing. If they're not, that's your focus. Open the airway, have a pocket mask and be prepared to do rescue breathing. Make sure they have a pulse. If they don't, guess what... that's your focus and you now get to do CPR on a real, live dead person. Control bleeding. In an urban/suburban area, everything but ABCs can wait.

As a layperson, your best bet is to know how to manage a scene until help arrives. Make sure there's no fire risk and that the victim isn't subject to further injury by virtue of where they are. After your primary assessment of your victims is done, manage life threatening issues first... if that's under control then move to making the area safe. Cover your patient with a blanket, provide reassurance, set out flares, safely direct traffic around the scene.

Yeah, it feels good to be a hero... no doubt, but make sure you look at the bigger picture.

Just my .02 as a retired fire fighter and Emergency Room RN.

 

[Mreed911]

Tourniquet, several sizes of gauze, compression bandages (I prefer the Israeli bandage) quick clot dressing, splints.

This. And several of the foil emergency blankets. Cold interferes with the body's response to trauma and they work WELL if you make the person look like a Chipotle burrito.

I can't second tourniquet enough. If compression doesn't stop the bleeding, put on the tourniquet... and it should be tight enough it stops the bleeding, EVEN if it hurts the person (causes pain).

 

[Rebel]

Not sure about now, but Red Cross was saying no to tourniquets when I took their first aid/CPR about 6 years ago. I was surprised.

 

[acorneau]

Not sure about now, but Red Cross was saying no to tourniquets when I took their first aid/CPR about 6 years ago. I was surprised.

My guess is too many people are using tourniquets when unnecessary.

If a victim has had a whole hand, foot, arm, or leg chopped off then they are going to exsanguinate before help arrives.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Never apply a tourniquet when the injury is to the head or face....

 

[Rebel]

Never apply a tourniquet when the injury is to the head or face....

I dunno, depends on who the injury is to...

 

[Shotgun Jeremy]

I just took a first aid class last weekend with an army medic, and he was saying that tourniquets aren't as devastating as they used to be known to be. The idea that a limb would be lost after a tourniquet is used came from WW2 when evac times were longer and medical technology wasn't what it is today. He said with todays evac times both in war zones and with ambulance response times at home, and the advancements in medical technology, most people who have a tourniquet applied are able to save the limb. They have new tourniquets today that are pretty easy to use. You apply it at the base of the extremity (arm pit/crotch) rather than 2" above the wound like we used to do. I remember them covering this when I was in the Seabees a few years back, but that was a good reminder course for me. I forgot pretty much all of that. lol