Thread: Must haves in the Medical Kit

Originally Posted by stevodog

Some good things in people kits. I just have a horse wrap bandage and some tramadol. I would use clothing as swabs and apply direct pressure and elevation to control bleeding. I can apply an effective tourniquet with a belt and a fist on the femoral or brachial artery if need be. (Release every 40mins for 5 mins)
horse bandage for sprains and breaks with wooden splints. Also good for strapping arm to torso in shoulder dislocation or strapping chest up in flail chest injury.
Speaking of chest injuries, they can be problematic in the field. Needle decompression is easy for pneumo or tension pneumothorax if you have one. Can do it with your knife if you make a small enough hole (not so easy) can lead to air escaping into chest wall tissues and causing another problem or if hole is too big then you get a sucking chest wound. Sucking chest wounds will keep your lung collapsed and need a proper drain. Someone on the thread mentioned a chest seal kit which I think have a one way valve in them...I haven't seen one but they sound cool and are suitable for all chest decompression...in the case of the sucking wound, you can close it up after said drain/seal insertion.
I might try to get a couple of those things.
As far as antiseptic is concerned it will help with the bacteria count but I plan on being out before infection becomes an issue.

I agree @stevodog on the Horse Bandages, they are great kit, and your comments on antiseptic. I carry Augmentin but no antiseptic. If it's real serious like a gun shot wound then antiseptic wont do much. Why does hardly anyone have emergency fire-lighting gear with their first aid ?
And what is the best fire-lighting kit? I have a film container full of cotton wool soaked in vaseline and a rubber tire tube scope cover plus lighter. I don't think the lighter is the best, but what should I have ?