[barstoolguru]

Looking into get or putting together a medical bag for the common (not an EMT) person to render aid in case of a natural or manmade disaster. Question one: does anything in a premade medical bag have a shelf life (things that will go out of date) and is there a date on it as to say how old it is before buying it.
Two: would it be better to build my own; are there things that I can do better?

[racerford]

Most if not all the items will have an expiration date. However, with the exceptions of the medicine (antibitoic cream, aspirin, tylenol, allergy tabs, burn creams, etc) if the package is intact, it is likely OK.Even those may be OK us they are in extremes like a car. Ointments may separate. Just keep an eye on the an replace when they expire. Most are pretty cheap.

[robinsok]

I think in the end you will be happier with building your own kit. Although i found out the hard way that it can get kind of expensive.

I have posted this before, but here is what i ended up putting together.





Maxpedition FR1
Disposable Sterile Scalpel
2 Johnson and Johnson 5x9 surgipad
2 CVS 3x4 Non Stick Pads
3 Propel Fitness Water Powder Packs
1 Sharpie
1 Streamlight Stylus Pro
1 Tube Antibiotic Ointment
Adhesive Medical Tape
Self Cling non adhesive medical tape
12 Band aid Brand Tough Strip Bandages Small
1 pair Hemostats
1 Pair Small Medical Scissors
1 Tube Burts Bees Chapstick
Alcohol Towelletes
BZK Towelletes
1 Pair Medical Rubber gloves in Ziplock
1 wooden stick for removal of ointments from tube
1 small baggie of cotton balls
1 large sterile wrap bandage
1 standard triangular sling badage
4 Large Band Aid tough strip bandages
1 Eye Patch
1 Pair Tweezers
1 American Red Cross first aid book
8 OTC Allergy Pills
Calamine Lotion
Mineral Ice Muscle Pain Gel
19 200 MG Ibuprofen
Foille Cut/Scrape/Burn relief Gel
1 Vial Anitseptic Wound Cleanser
2 4-0 Nylon Suture Kits
1 Asthma Rescue Inhaler (My wife has pretty strong asthma attacks at times)

[RatDrall]

Buy a basic kit from Adventure Medical Kits, and a PTK from onesourcetactical.com and you should be pretty well covered.

[M V Dell]

Not Kidding!!!!

Every First Aid kit should have a couple of Tampons
Perfect for gun shot wounds

Sterile
Indiv. Wraped
Perfect size
Cheap

[racerford]

Originally Posted by M V Dell

Not Kidding!!!!

Every First Aid kit should have a couple of Tampons
Perfect for gun shot wounds

Sterile
Indiv. Wraped
Perfect size
Cheap

IIRC, one of our doctors has come on in the past and suggested they may not be ideal as they absorb blood and swell and do not promote clotting. QuikClot or one of the others would be a better choice.

Not to say you shouldn't have them in there for their intended purpose. They may make a positive impact on someone's day.

[RatDrall]

Originally Posted by M V Dell

Not Kidding!!!!

Every First Aid kit should have a couple of Tampons
Perfect for gun shot wounds

This is far from true.

Tampons work, sometimes, but like previous posters said they swell. The are definately not ideal for a first aid kit.

Gauze impregnated with quick clot is the best, and is ideal.

Using tampons for trauma is like using a sandwitch bag for a sucking chest would - It might work, but not as well as the proper equipment would.

A correct statement would be that an advanced kit should have an occlusive dressing and some quick clot gauze, among a number of other things, but most people would not know what to do with it.

[barstoolguru]

is sugur a cloting agent? I found 6" bandages on cheaper-then-dirt.