Typical stupid "American first aid" advice. Add stuff you are unlikely to use and leave out stuff you absolutely NEED to live. 1: Pain medication. Not Asprin/Tylenol/Motrin, but the good stuff. Stuff you aren't allowed to have in the USA because the government knows what's good for you and they have decided that because junkies exist, YOU need to just live with your severe pain until a person with the right licenses arrives to dispense some to you. 2: IV fluids and all the needles and tubes. Plus extra to practice with. When you are bleeding out, you need fluid replacement fast. That tourniquet only buys you a little time. But once again, your betters in the government have decided that only special "qualified" people should have access to these life-saving products. Why? Because their social policy to deal with junkies is more important than you living and being in terrible pain during your last hour on Earth. All that fancy stuff in fancy "Assault trauma" kits is no better than ripping up the clothes you are wearing and stuffing that into your wounds or making Tourniquets from your jeans. You seriously believe you will EVER need a nasal pharyngeal airway?
You've evidently never seen anybody with a severe allergic reaction if you don't think you'd ever need a breathing tube.
Shit, I've got a first aid kit for the house that that's fully stocked with aspirin, soaps, antiseptics, bandages, a stapling gun, lidocaine, even a BP cuff and stethoscope. And yes, a breathing tube - my wife's allergic to bees.
I've got a small trauma kit for the truck - a couple hemostatic bandages, gauze rolls, tourniquets and ace bandages. And yes, a breathing tube.
When my nephew got out of the army, they let him keep his medic's pack which he gave to me. so I've also got a fully stocked combat medic's packed chock full of trauma gear up to and including saline drips, chest seals and moldable splints. And yes, breathing tubes.
I'm not entirely sure what you mean when you say we can't buy saline drips. You can get drips, tubes and tips online from a veterinary supply house. No prescription needed.
Indeed. IV equipment can be sourced from Amazon, among other places. The saline solution itself may be harder to acquire but it vet shops would be a good place to look. Likewise anti-biotics are sourced easily for fish and birds, literally the same drugs that are used for people but probably not medically grade pure.
Mixing chemicals isn't that easy, sometimes you have slightly too much or too little and it requires washing the goods at various steps. Pet stuff may also use solvents, or chemical processes not allowed on people stuff. In the end, its probably not going to hurt as much as untreated dysentery.
Just about anything can be found on the internet.
I kept my old USMC trauma IFAKs in the vehicles but people inevitably tossed them out. So much for that.
arc, you can go to damned near any vet and buy saline drips. It'll run you about 22 bucks per bag, and that includes tubing and tips. Also, Chewy.com sells a lot of stuff intended for animals but works on humans in a pinch. Amoxicillin is one of them that I buy, it comes in 500 mg capsules and costs $35 per 100. They may also sell the saline drips - I've never checked because I buy mine for Legal Lucy over the counter at the vet's office. I've got several bags set back.
For a truck kit, use a tackle box. For me, I'm allergic to bee stings. Top layer has tweezers, antihistimines, that sorta stuff. That big space is Kerlex, pads, tourniquets, ace bandages, half a roll of duct tape. That's where it opens if I have to kick it.
I don't know about today but back when I was young an restless in the seventies I used to buy liquid antibiotics for farm animals at the Farm Bureau. Had a friend that was diabetic so had plenty of syringes. The directions on the antibiotics had a weight chart to figure out the dose required. You are correct Kenny you can buy lots of meds. at animal type stores cheap.
Kenny, you're right on point. What Doc T is talking about is the things you need to a) stop traumatic bleeding b) keep your lungs functional so the blood you have left will still be oxygenated (hence NPAs and chest seals). All the antibiotics and other things are for after you've stabilized the patient enough. Note he said he has trauma kits placed at convenient locations. I have one in my range bag, one in the passenger compartment of my car where both I and any passengers can reach it even if pinned in the seat, and I always carry a CAT tourniquet on my belt or in a cargo pocket in my pants when I'm on the range. I also have a more extensive kit in a pack in the trunk of my car. When you're a victim of penetrating trauma and a major blood vessel has been cut, you can bleed out in a VERY SHORT time. Seconds count in a big way. Go to a Stop the Bleed course in your area - they are free and will help you learn how to set up and use a trauma kit.
Typical stupid "American first aid" advice. Add stuff you are unlikely to use and leave out stuff you absolutely NEED to live. 1: Pain medication. Not Asprin/Tylenol/Motrin, but the good stuff. Stuff you aren't allowed to have in the USA because the government knows what's good for you and they have decided that because junkies exist, YOU need to just live with your severe pain until a person with the right licenses arrives to dispense some to you. 2: IV fluids and all the needles and tubes. Plus extra to practice with. When you are bleeding out, you need fluid replacement fast. That tourniquet only buys you a little time. But once again, your betters in the government have decided that only special "qualified" people should have access to these life-saving products. Why? Because their social policy to deal with junkies is more important than you living and being in terrible pain during your last hour on Earth. All that fancy stuff in fancy "Assault trauma" kits is no better than ripping up the clothes you are wearing and stuffing that into your wounds or making Tourniquets from your jeans. You seriously believe you will EVER need a nasal pharyngeal airway?
ReplyDelete--Generic
You've evidently never seen anybody with a severe allergic reaction if you don't think you'd ever need a breathing tube.
DeleteShit, I've got a first aid kit for the house that that's fully stocked with aspirin, soaps, antiseptics, bandages, a stapling gun, lidocaine, even a BP cuff and stethoscope. And yes, a breathing tube - my wife's allergic to bees.
I've got a small trauma kit for the truck - a couple hemostatic bandages, gauze rolls, tourniquets and ace bandages. And yes, a breathing tube.
When my nephew got out of the army, they let him keep his medic's pack which he gave to me. so I've also got a fully stocked combat medic's packed chock full of trauma gear up to and including saline drips, chest seals and moldable splints. And yes, breathing tubes.
I'm not entirely sure what you mean when you say we can't buy saline drips. You can get drips, tubes and tips online from a veterinary supply house. No prescription needed.
Indeed. IV equipment can be sourced from Amazon, among other places. The saline solution itself may be harder to acquire but it vet shops would be a good place to look. Likewise anti-biotics are sourced easily for fish and birds, literally the same drugs that are used for people but probably not medically grade pure.
DeleteMixing chemicals isn't that easy, sometimes you have slightly too much or too little and it requires washing the goods at various steps. Pet stuff may also use solvents, or chemical processes not allowed on people stuff. In the end, its probably not going to hurt as much as untreated dysentery.
Just about anything can be found on the internet.
I kept my old USMC trauma IFAKs in the vehicles but people inevitably tossed them out. So much for that.
- arc
Wirecutter, basically I believe he/she is just running it's mouth because it can.
DeleteJD
arc, you can go to damned near any vet and buy saline drips. It'll run you about 22 bucks per bag, and that includes tubing and tips.
DeleteAlso, Chewy.com sells a lot of stuff intended for animals but works on humans in a pinch. Amoxicillin is one of them that I buy, it comes in 500 mg capsules and costs $35 per 100. They may also sell the saline drips - I've never checked because I buy mine for Legal Lucy over the counter at the vet's office. I've got several bags set back.
For a truck kit, use a tackle box. For me, I'm allergic to bee stings. Top layer has tweezers, antihistimines, that sorta stuff. That big space is Kerlex, pads, tourniquets, ace bandages, half a roll of duct tape. That's where it opens if I have to kick it.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about today but back when I was young an restless in the seventies I used to buy liquid antibiotics for farm animals at the Farm Bureau. Had a friend that was diabetic so had plenty of syringes. The directions on the antibiotics had a weight chart to figure out the dose required. You are correct Kenny you can buy lots of meds. at animal type stores cheap.
ReplyDeleteKenny, you're right on point. What Doc T is talking about is the things you need to a) stop traumatic bleeding b) keep your lungs functional so the blood you have left will still be oxygenated (hence NPAs and chest seals). All the antibiotics and other things are for after you've stabilized the patient enough. Note he said he has trauma kits placed at convenient locations. I have one in my range bag, one in the passenger compartment of my car where both I and any passengers can reach it even if pinned in the seat, and I always carry a CAT tourniquet on my belt or in a cargo pocket in my pants when I'm on the range. I also have a more extensive kit in a pack in the trunk of my car. When you're a victim of penetrating trauma and a major blood vessel has been cut, you can bleed out in a VERY SHORT time. Seconds count in a big way. Go to a Stop the Bleed course in your area - they are free and will help you learn how to set up and use a trauma kit.
ReplyDelete