I have been looking for an alternative to the bulky kits, with the hard case, I have been using. Other kits made by AMK are too expensive but what if I am able to modify this one?

Jeanette Isabelle

I wasn't clear but wasn't implying you should buy AMK's Fundamental kit, it's not cheap even at Campmor. I was just thinking it probably has a good inventory to consider in building your kits. That said, using the discussion in this thread you may have arrived at a better inventory list. FWIW

I have abandoned most of my commercially made kits in favor of a big zip-lock bag filled with smaller zip-locks for organization. Next step might be to contact local hospitals, ambulance services or clinics for donations of sterile packaged supplies. Some supplies still have expiration stamps, meaningless in the case of packaged dry goods: loss of sterility is event-related, not time related: take any outdates that they cull from their supplies. Alternatively you might get donations cuz places like that support mission work and enjoy the publicity. Create a list of the items that you seek, collect the donations, and fabricate zip lock kits that mirror your existing kit. Lots more labor intensive than your current practice, but perhaps less costly. Schools and churches might donate, too.

Thus far in my research I find it more cost-effective to buy a low-cost kit and modify it because I have an organized case and some supplies already. People I have talked to want organization. Empty organized cases I have seen so far cost more than a low-cost first aid kits.

Jeanette Isabelle

Organization can come in the form of ziploc bags such as Nursemike is using. The bulk kit I referred to is essentially a few gallon ziploc bags inside a small cooler in which I received some food stuff (sausage mustard yada yada yada) for Christmas years back. For more organization than that then you probably already have the best solution. For that I really like the AMK FAK soft cases. They hold up well, but they are not cheap to buy retail.

That said, I wonder if one of AMK's custom kit would be cost effective. You might want to call them and see if they can help with this project. I wonder how many bags you'd need to order to get a significant break on price?? They're in business to make $$ but they may be able to assist -- maybe not.

I'll skip the soft case and work on the bulk issue by stuffing the hard cases as much as I can and reduce the number of cases.

I checked the folded dimensions of the SAM Splint. It should fit. Should I include the SAM Splint?

Jeanette Isabelle

I have a SAM splint and find it be be a very effective item. In my situation, weight and bulk are factors that influence my gear choices. Splints are easily improvised and I usually leave SAM at home or in the car.

Let your cost considerations influence your choice.

What is a rule of thumb for knowing how much supplies to provide per person?

Sometimes we may have as many as thirty people going to Guatemala. To reduce bulk, it would be better to send two 15-person kits rather than three 10-person kits.

I have looked at Adventure Medical Kits to get ideas but what I got out of this thread is that it is better to not make clones of their kits. What do I need to aim for in building a 15-person kit?

Jeanette Isabelle

Interesting question. I am always amused at descriptions like "suitable for four people for two to three days." You don't consume the contents of a FAK in the same predictable way you can meter out cooking fuel or water or oatmeal. You can go months with no appreciable use of a FAK and then rum into an incident which will exhaust all or nearly all of its contents. I think it would be more realistic to rate a FAK in terms of incidents - "This kit can handle two or three serious incidents" or something similar. Depending upon the environment - battlefields will see more incidents per day than libraries, for instance - that kit might be good for a year or two days. So much depends upon the environment and the enterprise. What has been the history of your folks? What kind of feedback have they provided. That should be enormously important.

I would argue that a large number of medium bandaids is actually worthwhile. In my experience, you will use about fifteen to twenty band aids for every large gauze pad applied. When I had the task of stocking the FAKs in our office, I kept a box of bandaids (and a bottle of aspirin) right next to the FAK,so that people could get what they needed to treat the more typical booboo without rummaging around in the FAK and disorganizing everything.

Check with your missionary clients. I'll bet their experience and feedback will be highly worthwhile

I figure most commercial kits are rated for at most two or three booboos and MAYBE a good start on a serious incident. (usually about 8 4x4's and A 5x9 ABD pad)