We all should have first aid kits with us, with us in vehicles and in our workplaces right...

So my question is:
What items are you always running out of, and what items are past their expiry date because they never get used?

Bandages and meds. I try to rotate the bandages to training when they reach their expiration date. I do not keep IV fluids in my personal kit.

EXP DATE:

All consumables except OTC pain relievers and anti-acid

RUN OUT:

Nominally: Specialty Band-Aids (finger tip, knuckle, etc.), tape, blister "stuff" (kids sports/dance), instant cold packs, OTC pain relievers and anti-acid.

Emergency: 4x4's, Kerlix, and on occasion Ab-Pads or Feminine Hygiene Pads. (MAJOR blood stopping "stuff")

I just went through the periodic ritual of replenishing our Troop's primary FAK. Seems like with a bunch of boys and dads in the woods on a regular basis, we go through a lot of antiseptic spray, burn gel, eye wash, and various size bandages and adhesive pads. Moleskin gets sliced up into various sized pads during hiking trips too.

The stuff that's always expiring is the OTC meds... pain meds like aspirin, Tylenol, Motrin, and other treatments like Benadryl, Immodium, Pepto, etc. The creams and sprays would expire, but, we seem to use enough that we replace them regularly.

Fortunately, the more major trauma stuff isn't used often. If we start going through Israeli bandages in large quantities for example, I think my days as a Scoutmaster would be very limited

Maybe I should have asked how often you check them too.

Our first aid boxes on the job sites were always running out of small band-aides.

On Saturday 6 of us went to help people affected by floods. There were 2 former Firefighters / 1st Responders amongst us.

The two large first aid kits we took was almost plenty. We treated 71 people for minor cuts and aches. One person was sent to hospital to have a leg wound cleaned and stitched up.

We handed out a ton of spare bandages of all kinds, gauze, tape and Ibuprofen / Tylenol sample packets (Thanks to a charitible and helpful Doctor) throughout the day. The only items we ran short on were examination gloves and tape...but there was just enough to finish the day. The first aid kits also came into use to help treat and wrap one dog's paw and and clean up one horse after he spooked and caught his neck on some barbed wire.

How important is this? Bandaids end up disintegrating over the years...or get brittle. But many ace bandages, gauze components, etc., seem to usually have expiration dates. I've kept and used them long past (years) expiration date. Why do they have them?

It's one thing to keep meds and preps current but cloth items?

Can anyone educate me here?

With the number of first aid components between all the kits and the house, I don't think I could stay current without a 2nd job! It took years to build up.

You point out one problem with the bandages, they lose flexibility, before that happens though, the adhesives will be far less effective. Everyone's probably pulled out a bandage that doesn't stick. It's particularly a problem when your FAK has to endure multiple heat/cold cycles, like in a car. Fortunately, it's the adhesive strips and pads that seem to get the most use for us, so they naturally get rotated.

"...Everyone's probably pulled out a bandage that doesn't stick..."

Oh yeah. I have had better luck with name brand flexible fabric type bandaids, as opposed to store brand plastics...

I've seen expiration dates on gauze pads, gauze wraps, etc. Purpose? Marketing? There is no elastic in them.

I don't trust either without duct tape.

That is a real good question.
I tried finding an answer on the web since I don't know either and got a lead to this thread,
http://www.techrescue.org/smforum/index.php?topic=13802.0
which seems to be on an Australian Emergency Response/Rescue site.

This comment by a person called Zambuck in that thread struck a chord.
"


I still don't know an answer for certain, but it is good to know the confusion over it is world wide.

I don't take any comfort whatsoever in knowing that.

I was in charge of medical supply for our brigade for fourteen years. Even triple sealed combat dressings stored on a shelf in a climate controlled facility would start to dry-rot after ten years (no elastic). My general rule of thumb for non-expiration-date marked medical supplies is thusly:

Stainless steel: inventory & clean annually

Wood: store away from light, inventory & clean annually. Toss when it begins to degrade

Plastic: inventory & clean annually, toss after ten years or when signs of "delamination" occur (peeling, etc).

Rubber/etc: store away from light, inventory & clean, toss after four years

Cloth: store away from light, inventory & clean, toss after eight years or when dry rot is found

Stick to marked expiration dates, unless gear has been "in the field" in which case it should be tossed every year, regardless of the expiration dates. This also holds true for unopened medication, triply so for medication that has been "re-packed".

Temperature extremes play heck with medical supplies. Don't store medications in the bathroom! The excessive humidity destroys them--in aspirin's case, a vinegary smell will be noticed when the container is opened. Most meds put off a musty smell when bad. PILLS SHOULD HAVE NO ODOR!