I would like to know what i should edc with me daily, ive been thinking about carrying some bandages and maybe some antiseptic for small cuts or scrapes, my work had a FAK but now its depleted after years of use and they no longer keep it stocked so now im more or less on my own, I work heavily with sharp and dull knives so I want to have some just in case stuff.
If you're always going to be close to help and are really only trying to guard against just cuts and scrapes, you can probably lose a lot of weight from a stock AMK. Some non-stick sterile pads, gauze, butterfly bandages, anti-septic wipes, and tape ought to tide you over until you can get to a hospital or help arrives. Maybe throw in some Celox if the chance of a major cut is high. Again, this kit is predicated on your proximity to professional health care.
Will your kit be on your person or in a bag? What kind of "dull and sharp knives" do you work around? If you can leave your work station to wash your hands you don't even need antiseptic as soap and water is enough. Triple antibiotic cream to apply to a dressing is a better idea. Celox is also a waste of money unless you have a REAL risk of uncontrollable (read catastrophic) bleeding. There isn't much major bleeding that can't be controlled with direct pressure. If in fact bleeding is major and not able to be stopped with direct pressure than a tourniquet is needed before a hemostatic agent such as quikclot or celox. (5) 4x4, (1-2) 5x9,(1) Isreali dressing, (1) C.A.T tourniquet, (4-5) Bandaids to include 1 knuckle bandaid, small packets of antibiotic cream, a few alcohol swabs, and if you feel you really need a hemostatic get a Quickclot Sport sponge.
I would have to second the suggestion of Adventure Medical Kits. They have great out of the box FAKs and they have fair prices. -Nick
First and foremost, what, if any medical training do you have? I am a paramedic, but still don't carry around everything that I am trainined to use. If you have none, stick with some simple neosporin, bandaids, some 4x4s, a small roll of tape, and maybe a small roll of roller gauze (Kling is one brand name). This would handle most small wounds. The AMK kits are very nice, but are generalizations of what people may need. Make yourself a list of what you have used/needed to have but didn't over the past year. That is a great jumping off point. I have fashioned myself a small FAK that I keep in a CC Pocket Organizer with some bandaids, neosporin, alcohol wipes, 4x4s, tegaderms, a small amount of meds (asst. items which my whole family would need). These are all items that we have used/needed while out and about. I have definitely one for building your own kit to suit your won needs.
On my person at all times and its to give me an immediate bandaid and some antibiotic cream then back to work its to help me in those situations when i dont need anything other than a bandaid as for medical training i have almost none-only cpr certified on adults and what ever i remember from stuff i learned other than that wash dry neosporin bandaid back to work usually what i do I am so new to first aid I still tear off my t-shirt or bandanna in an emergency situation to stop bleeding, I can splint a broken bone, stop bleeding in minor and major situations (on your average Clotting Joe) I can dress a wound fair enough until better help arrives. this would be for me and possibly others I would like to keep some pills on me, stuff for headache, nausea ect.
I think your best bet is to make an individualized kit that specifically meets your needs. In my IFAK I carry the following: First Aid Kit 1 – Otter Box 3000 1 – Quik Clot Sport Z-Medica .88 oz. 14 – 200 mg Advil 14 – 500 mg Acetaminophen 10 – 81 mg Aspirin 6 – Loperamide Hydrochloride Tablet 2 mg 6 – Zyrtec 10 mg Tablet 12 – Regular Strength Tums 5 – 1% Hydrocortisone Cream 1/32 oz. (0.9g) 6 – Neosporin Antibiotic Ointment 1/32 oz. 1 – Tube Anbesol Maximum Strength Benzocaine 20% 1 – Moleskin Kit – Moleskin with 6 Alcohol Preps 4 – Water-Jel Burn Jel 1/8 oz. (3.5g) 4 – Dr. Scholl’s Blister Treatment 2 – Pair Nitrile Gloves 1 – Tweezers 4 – Johnson & Johnson Band-Aid Small 715070 2 – Johnson & Johnson Band-Aid Medium 2 – Johnson & Johnson Band-Aid Large 5 – Johnson & Johnson Butterfly Closures Medium Band-Aid 4 – Johnson & Johnson Gauze Pad 3in x 3in 1 – Petrolatum Gauze 3 in x 18 in Integrity Medical #16-1318 1 – Nail Clippers 1 – Gerber Flashlight, AAA Battery With this kit I am pretty much covered for my needs.
Just finished my first You Tube vids, including one for my CC Pocket Organizer FAK that I was talking. Let me know if that helps. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZWPdqC7vyw
Be sure to carry a few basic medications as well. Our First Aid cabinet at work is in the same situation. It's usually pretty amazing if their are band aids and any pain killers only remain for a day so I carry a stocked kit in my Jeep for when I cut myself. And working in a restaurant it happens more often then I might like. I'd give a +3 to Adventure Medical Kits. Lots of variety so you can choose one that meets your skill level and alter it a bit to meet your needs exactly.
Another really handy thing to have is moleskin to deal with blisters. They can happen anywhere, and can truly ruin your day if you don't have anything to treat them with. You can use duct tape in a pinch, but I always like to have a dedicated blister kit with me (moleskin/foam or the equivlalent, scissors, and vasaline - for those annoying between the toes areas where almost anything you try to wedge in just makes things worse).
For that you can have a very minimalist FAK. You can have a couple of band-aids in a couple of sizes, a couple of anti-bacterial wipes, and a couple of appropriate gauze pads/bandages for scrapes. All of this will fit in a sandwich-sized (or smaller) ziplok, and be very flat. Being flat, you can pack it anywhere. This is what I carry in my Man Sack (Maxpedition MPB), and it is plenty sufficient for small cuts and scrapes. You can even give it to Momma when you see her kiddo fall and scrape his knee.
yep...works looks like a pretty nice little FAK. didn't seem like any part of the video was missing...
I carry an Adventure Medical Kit with me daily. I've replaced some of the parts but it's been very handy.
I built myself a small EDC FAK to cover similar situations - a very basic kit to cover minor scratches and bumps. Mine is built out of a small c(and bright red) camera case - something small enough to fit any bag or pop on a belt if needed, and as it was put together by me, no more or less than I feel I need and am comfortable using. For the contents I mostly picked them up at a local chemists - buying a smallish box, packing some in the FAK then storing the rest at home so I can replenish used items. As for the contents: Plasters in a range of sizes Antiseptic wipes Small roll bandage Small roll of medical tape Paracetamol (cut down from a larger packet, relabelled in case anyone else uses my kit and for my reference) Alongside that, a small SAK (small blade, small sharp scissors, etc...), decent pair of tweezers, small keychain light. All fitted into the small camera case.
