My buddy calls me yesterday, "Can you drive me to the hospital?"
He's a self-employed carpenter...works alone, lots of things can go wrong on the jobsite

"Um...sure - what's up?"

"I got a cut on my hand and another on my leg."

"OK, where are you I'll be right there."

So, when I pull up, it turns out he's had a tussle with a power wood carving tool sort of like this. It's hit his left hand pretty good and then his left thigh.

All I can say is that I used a LOT of gauze to get him packaged for the trip to the ER. I didn't want him bleeding all over my jeep, after all. In fact, I used up all 8 of the 4x4's and 6 of the 6x6 gauze I keep in my car kit, and even then, we probably could have used more.

He'll have a bit of recovery time - he took a knick out of one of the bones in the back of his hand and chewed things up fairly well, but he won't need surgery or anything.

But anyway - pack more sterile gauze. It's incredibly useful.

Every time I buy a pre-fab first aid kit big enough, I add more of the following (and sometimes more)

4x4 gauze
Triangle bandages
Wet naps/wipes
A small pocket knife

Looks like you could have used some kerlix: http://www.allegromedical.com/wound-care-c541/kerlix-roll-4-5-x-4-1-yards-p191410.html


Also, go by your pharmacy and pick up a pack of non-sterile gauze pads. They come in 100-packs and are dirt-cheap. If you don't want 100, just put 25 or so into a new ziplock-bag.

Ow and they might not be sterile, but they are very clean. When somone is bleeding badly from several carver-tool made cut's the wound isn't sterile anyway.

I have something similar to Kerlix, this wasn't actually bad enough for it. I'd only use Kerlix if direct pressure and gauze didn't work immediately. No need to make it harder for the folks at the ER to dig in there.

Marty,
This is where you want at LEAST one trauma bandage in your FAK - they soak up a LOT more blood than a 4x4

Speaking of 4x4s, I've found that there is a HUGE difference between different brands. Most are a thin layer of fairly loosely woven mesh, doubled over

The "Johnson and Johnson" $x4 "Gauze pads" are a lot more tightly woven, and seem to soak up a LOT more fluid. With my chronic leg wound, I've become somewhat of the local "expert" on gauze pads - something about going through them 3 at a time, every 2nd to 3rd day. I buy the BIG box of 25. The ONLY thing I DON'T like about them is they are made in China

Another good dressing is the "Caring" brand "ABD Pad" - it's a 5x9 meant for abdominal wounds, but... It's a LOT like a "Maxi-Pad"

(As I sit here looking at my 9x12 box full of different wound care products/ Time to buy another box of 4" gauze rolls)

Marty,
No - take the guaze pad - put it on the wound, put the Kerlix on TOP of the gauze, without unrolling it! Then wrap again on top of that - basiclly use the kerlix as a big spunge

You could patch things up the way we do on construction sites.

Use as many sterile pads as you have on the wound, then cover everything over with rags and some duct tape just to make sure you don't leak all over.

Gauze is fine I suppose, but I prefer to use things meant for profuse bleeding like that. A package of HD Kotex is cheap and would work well in this situation. Easy to apply, super absorbant, and hygenically sound. They are also common enough not to have to shop around to find a ready supply.

I totally forgot! That's the other thing I add to any FAK I have big enough to hold one.

I have also been recently reminded that I need a box of 4x4 AND 2x2's in my FAK. I am also going to add more OB pads since I am now down to 1 large and 1 medium Battle Dressing (Vietnam era).

I have recently found that many people are developing Latex allergies. I am going to start carrying some paper towels to wrap between the gauze bandages and the ACE bandage that I normally use to both secure the gauze bandages and to add pressure onto the wound when treating a limb injury.

The paper towels are helping with my DW's Latex allergy by preventing contact between the skin and the Latex, quite well. She is recovering from surgery on the R. knee and L. elbow. By limiting the stretching that I do while applying her dressings, I also reduce the amount of airborne Latex Proteins that get into her breathing passages.