A couple of comments on the medical aspects of your kit. First, I would trim out some of the duplicate bandaging and dressing stuff. There is virtually nothing that cannot be dressed with simple conforming gauze (Kling) and a couple of 4x4's. Plain old bandaids are fine. No need for a bunch of different kinds.

We have discussed the pro's and cons of steri strips and suturing in the field in this forum. There is really no need for steri strips in your kit. I don't carry them.

Regarding the CPR mask. I would not carry it. There is very little utility for CPR in the field. CPR is effective for the immediate (short-term) response in the case of sudden cardiac death pending arrival of ALS. Prolonged CPR is futile.

CPR in those suffering hypoxia, metabolic acidosis, or exsanguination as the pre-terminal event is pointless. CPR cannot dig the victim out of the deep metabolic hole they are in as a result of the cause of the arrest.

I would not recommend (and don't carry) thermometers. The information that you obtain likely will not change what you do. If someone has a fever, will you treat them with an antibiotic? If someone is obviously sick, will you take them to a doctor regardless of knowing or not knowing their temperature? If someone has mental status changes after immersion, will you change your treatment based upon their temperature? A temperature is useful information to a point. There is also the health risk associated with liquid mercury from a broken thermometer. (I lay awake at night wondering what I might have been without the brain damage suffered while playing with silver balls of mercury as a child from broken thermometers <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />)

I would not carry both sterile and non-sterile gloves. I would, as you did, stick to nitrile gloves on the outside chance of a latex allergy. Why try and keep sterile gloves sterile? What will you use them for?

I would not carry either a Sawyer extractor (snake bites are not very common and even more uncommonly a threat to life) or a pre-fashioned tourniquet. Doug and I have had some off-line communications regarding the premade tourniquets.

In five years of surgery residency at a level I trauma center and another 15 years of experience in emergency medicine, I cannot remember more than a few patients who required a tourniquet in the field. I would recommend that if you want to have something to use to make a tourniquet, carry a cravat (triangular bandage) and plan on using that. In this way, you will not be too quick to use it. The military has a different need for tourniquets in battle due to the high energy weapons and explosives like mines. Fortunately, things we have little exposure to in civilian life.

Finally, I would encourage you to "field strip" your MRE's. In the military, we open up our MRE's to remove all of the junk that you neither need nor want. Simply deflating the outer bag reduces the bulk significantly.

I hope that you don't regard this communication as a flame <img src="images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />.

It is my intent to simply offer an informed opinion. It is my experience that first-aiders will try and carry a lot of stuff to reassure themselves. As providers become more experienced, they carry less stuff as they are confident in their ability ( and experienced enough to know what they need and don't need <img src="images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />)

Most important thing to remember is that training and education will make all the difference. Take an EMT course, volunteer with your local rescue squad or fire department. Get involved!!

Sorry this posting is so long......

Jeff