My large/BOB FAK

First of all, sorry for the bad pics, but my camera's steady-shot didn't work..

This is a FAK that has a lot of uses. First of all, it holds the meds for our home FAK. Second, this FAK is grabbed with the BOB if we have to bug out. Third, if we go somewhere with the family (4 persons) we usually take this kit along in the car. For hiking, I have a seperate FAK. Please keep in mind that in The Netherlands, we don't have acces to antibiotic-ointment without prescription and that we don't use that stuff in first-aid..

The pouch is from a commercial FAK (Travelsafe Explorer) and waterproof.



It is devided into 2 seperate pouches. The left one is for trauma, the right one for medications and wound-care. In the middle is a 60ml syringe with a butterfly-catheter for wound irrigation.



The trauma-section:

- ABD-pad
- Betadine ointment pad 10x10cm.
- 3 vaseline dressing 7.5x5cm.
- 1 roll medical tape
- ACE bandage
- Triangulair bandage
- Bandage 10cmx4m
- Bandage 6cmx4m'
- Quick-dressing no2
- Ziplock quart
- 2 pairs of nitrile gloves
- Hemocut (bandage-scissors/hemostat)
- Suction cups to use with the syringe
- Tongue depressor
- flat-pack of duct-tape 1m
- 6 gauze pads 7.5x5cm (need more)
- Quick-dressing no1



The meds and wound-care section:

- Steri-strip set
- Small bottle of purrell
- Betadine 10ml
- CPR-mask
- Norit (activated charcoal) 50tabs
- 6 Rennie (antacid)
- 8 Asperin
- 4 Ibuprofen
- 10 Acethaminophen
- 20 Immodium
- 7 Cetirizine (Benedryl)
- Water-jel 60ml
- First-Aid instructions
- Dextro energy tabs
- Assortiment of bandages( small, large, waterproof,fingertip,etc.)
- safety razor
- Illuminated tweezers+ extra batteries in container with small mirror in it.
- #22 scalpel-blade
- Click-Away (itch-relief on insect-stings)
- Pair of tick-tweezers
- Electronic thermometer
- 6 alcohol prep-pads
- 3 blister-needles



The main thing I would like to get in there is a SAM-splint.. All comments and suggestions are welcome!

Maybe we should start an ETS "Send JIM to med school" scholarship fund?

Jim,
Nice FAK!

I would consider throwing in some sort of blister remedy -- moleskin, spyroflex, Compeed/Band-Aid Blister Block (my personal favorite). It seems like that's the most common reason I dive into the first aid kit. Some other things to consider: cortisone cream, EMT shears, emergency dental kit to replace a lost filling/crown (if anyone in your family has dental work), cough drops/sore throat lozenges, cold medicine, instant cold pack, eye drops/eye wash.

Very true. Blisters are the #1 reason people quit a backpacking trip. Bring a variety of blister aids; some work better than others in different situations.

Looks like a good FAK to me. Just a few quibbles:
1. wouldn't hurt to pack a small pencil/pen and paper for medical notes. In the US anyway, you are better off documenting any significant medical procedures - if you are hours away from other help, keeping notes on treatment can only help responders when they get to your victim. Plus you can send your notes with a patient if you have to stay behind. I used to rely on my rite-as-rain pad, but have sometimes found it inconveniently left in the wrong jacket when I actually need it.
2. scalpel blade - I once had this in my kit, its gone now, replaced by other blades if needed. Actually you don't want me opening up any wounds in the first place, which is why its no longer available to me. No trailside thoracotomies for me...
3. assortement of bandaids etc. - I've dropped the assortment for a ready supply of what are called knuckle bandages. Cloth-type backing, and flexible adherent wings, good for knuckles but generally very all-purpose. I've hiked out many miles with one of these covering a hot spot. Basically I got tired of looking for the right size bandaid, the knuckle works on them all.
4. smaller dressings - I've also pretty much settled on stocking larger ABD pads, cut down to size if necessary, and dropping the smaller bandage sizes. First I would rather have a few large ABDs for serious traumas, than a bunch of smaller bandages that are inadequate.
5. more tape - two 10 yd rolls is good, three is better. I like athletic tape (the kind you roll around your limbs etc for some added support) in lieu of the waterproof tape. It comes in much longer rolls, and is made for really sweaty athletes so it seems to hold on bandages (and come away from skin) just fine. Cost seems the same, though you can buy in bulk and save.
6. That's alot of Immodium (20 caps).:-)

Good ideas. Also, a 2nd Ace bandage (either a 2" or 3"), another triangle bandage (they're pretty small in real life). Some guaze bandages, either 2x2 or 3x3 inch. Also, for the steri-strips, some of the liquid we use to help them stick on. I forget the name, kind of brownish.... comes in little vials. It'll come to me....

Tincture of Benzoin?

I made a list of your suggestions:

Moleskin= really go to get some

Cortisone cream= is on prescription in The Netherlands, so I can't get it. Same story as with antibiotic ointment..

EMT-sheers= If I had room, I'd add one, but I haven't in this kit. In my deddicated home-FAK I do have one. Actually a couple.

Dental kit= No idea where I could get one over here...

Cought-syrup/sweets= added some Vicks-throat sweets.

Instant cold pack. We have some reusable ones in the home fridge..but I don't have room for it.

- eye wash= I think water will do just fine in an emergency

- pen and paper= added some to the kit

- more tape= Even more? Have you ever used more than a 10 yard-roll in a day? No room..

- the immodium= we have a family of 4 so that's 5 tabs per person. starting dose is 2 tabs and after that every 2 hrs 1 tab so I think It isn't to much.

As for the bandages and gauze: Maybe I need to see if we've got Kerlix over here?

-ACE and triangulair bandage: I don't think another ACE would fit, but I'll try to squeeze another triangulair bandage in there..

I think I'm going to need a larger bag... Would this be something: http://www.outdoorgb.com/p/tatonka_emergency_bag/

BTW: MDinana, have you found the EMT-book?

BINGO! Thanks. World's largest brain fart. Don't get it in a wound, it stings like crazy... so my patients have told me (oops).

And, yes, I've got the book. Just PM me the address you'd like it sent to!

Good kit. I'd add a button flashlight to the zipper pull, and a lighter (for sterilizing).

Good suggestions and MDiania: PM sent.

Any experience with that Kerlix? I saw a thread on it on zombiesquad.

Jim, can you get any of the adventure medical kit products over in the Neverlands?

Heres a portable dental kit here,

http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/kit_...kitNO=0100-0625

More tape (2-3 rolls) - thankfully I've never used more than 1 roll in a day, but previously my 1 roll stayed in the kit until it ran out. I might have a fresh 1x10 yd, but more likely it would be down to 3 feet of moldy medical tape. Anyway, with the 30 yd athletic tape I'm much less prone to a roll falling short - which is good, should I have to haul the FAK out for neighborhood triage after an earthquake. Its a cinch that no one else is going to have the tape you need when you need it.

At least in the U.S. you can buy filling replacement material over the counter in most drugstores on the toothpaste aisle. Some of the brand names are Dentek or Dentemp or Temparin. I think that some of that and some oral pain relief drops -- eugenol (oil of cloves) or benzocaine -- would get you a long way.

I can import AMK-stuff from the US if I want, but it's really expensive (last time when I got some heatsheets,bivvy bags, etc. , shipping was $45!)

I have found some Lidocaine-stuff to use in your mouth. Maybe this will work to?

I'll also look for some temporary tooth-filling but I think it will be hard to find..

Man, I REALLY need a bigger bag!

You can get emergency dental kits, including emergency filling
paste, here in the UK quite easily. (Online, larger local chemists (in the First Aid section), larger camping/outdoor stores.)

If you really can't find it where you are, it may be cheaper to import from the UK, at least.

eeph

I've orderd a Emergency Dental Kit and some instant cold packs, together with a larger bag.

Getting some moleskin tomorrow..

Looks good Jim, others with more medical background have picked at it already.

I might change the slider ziplock for a regular one- the sliders suck in my experience and just can't be made liquid tight.

Sharpie or a similiar marker. Log data on their forehead or forearm- can't lose your notes without misplacing the patient. :P

Cut down the handle of the razor.

Get yourself about a meter and half or two meters of red or fluorescent colored, 25 to 40mm webbing (flat or tubular) and some buckles, to replace the strap of the pouch. Versatile.

I've placed the FAK into a Eagle Creek All-aboard bag wich organises the stuff really well.

I've added:

- 2nd ACE-bandage
- 2nd Triangulair bandage
- 6 10x10cm gauze pads
- 3 ABD-pads
- 8 5x5cm gauze pads
- EMT-sheers
- 2 more pairs of gloves
- pocket-mask
- 2 instant cold-packs
- compeed blister-bandages
- 2 tampons (nosebleeds)

Travelsafe Sterile/Dental kit containing:

- Cavit-W emergency tooth filling
- Dental mirror
- Dental thingie to apply the filling
- Dental needle (27g)
- 3 Cotton pellets
- tooth-picks
- 5 blood-lancets
- 18g angiocath
- Raptor constricting-band
- 3 5ml. syringe
- 5 IM-needles
- 5 SC-needles
- 3-0 Ethilon suture
- pair of sterile latex gloves
- 30ml saline ampule

The only thing I'm now looking for is a SAM-splint..

Any other suggestions?

You can buy SAM splints here:

http://www.firstaidsuppliesonline.com/nav.pl?search=Sam+Splint -

along with many sizes and styles of pre-made FAKs and lots of the supplies for "build your own."

That is often a problem I find - there are lots of good ideas and handy things....but where do you BUY them? We have the usual Walmart and one national-chain sporting goods store, but there isn't much there. I have bought some things on Amazon, but had mixed success; loved some of it, but others the quality and price were fine, but shipping was ridiculous.

The new pics:

Awesome looking kit Jim. Makes me realize just how badly lacking my own kit is.

The new bag looks much bigger than your old one. Is it? I always have a hard time adding stuff to mine because I pack it in a Pelican case to keep the contents dry and uncrushable...it's always a compromise as I have to lose one item to add another.

It is a bit larger yes, but the old Travel-safe pack opened into 2 seperate,small sections, so I couldn't nearly get all the stuff in there that I can now get into my new bag (Eagle Creek All-Aboard)

Good point. Here are some bandaid trics to illustrate the point:

http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/firstaid/bandaids.htm

Frankie

I'm not very knowledgeable in first aid and doing a first aid and CPR training is still on my to-do list. but this kit just looks overkill to me. Many stressed the importance of blister care yet for hiking he has another dedicated kit. It looks like a kit for expedition for several weeks to me. If it's for bug-out emergency, why not keep adresses and phone numbers of area hospitals instead of trying to provide for everything like a dental kit.

I have some questions though.

Why nobody mentioned 3×4 non-stick pads (Telfa)? They are important for scratch types of wounds.

What's the difference between ACE bandage and 3M's Coban wrap and which one is better?

What are ABD pads and what about "kling wrap", what does kling mean?

Thank you
Frankie

I just use ordinairy gauze. Why? because in my experience, non-sticking pads DO stick to wounds most of the times. If I don't want a wound to stick to the dressing-material, I use Betadine-ointment gauze.



Simple: Coban sticks to itself, ACE doesn't. Coban is also used before doing sport to prevent injuries. ACE is used mostly in First Aid. I haven't really found a difference in performance, but I just use ACE because they are more available to me.



ABD-pad's stand for ABDominal pads. There basically a gauze pad on steroids. (I use Exupad's, wich are somewhat bigger, but I still call them ABD's)

Kling wrap, is something like Kerlix. 'Kling' is a brand name, just like Kendall, Hartman, NOBA, Klinion, J&J etc.

I hope this answers your questions.

BTW: Nighthiker, I've looked for Kerlix over here. Isn't available. I however do have some PriMed gauze.

This medical-kit (guess I shouldn't call it a FAK anymore) is ment both as a home-kit and as a bug-out medical-kit. Why the over-kill? Well because I have the equipment and know how to use it, because of the suggestions made on this forum and because you'll never know what you might need and if medical care is available..
However, the dental kit is included because my mother has very bad teeth and a little bit of emergency tooth-filling can make such a difference in a situation without proffessional medical/dental care available.

Hi Jim,

Thats a great FAK and the dental kit is a great idea. Toothache is a much underated condition which can make a survival situation almost unbearable.

Have you thought about adding a couple of these to your FAK



available at http://ukkitmonster.com/product_info.php?cPath=91&products_id=309

Thanks Jim for answering my questions. It helps.

I would have thought the contrary about ACE and Coban, that Coban is used mostly in first aid.

Frankie

I only have one concern- that hook. Looks like it will be great for snagging on stuff. Other than that, for most people, it's overkill, but you aren't most people Jim. That would be like me looking over my brother-the-EMT's FAK and trying to find a hole. You're kit is assembled with Hippocrates in mind.

What is the size and weight?

The hook is ment so you can hang the whole kit to a closet or something (it's a toiletry bag) but you can put it in the rear pouch (where the FA-book and notepad are stored)so it isn't visible.

Size: 30x25x12cm.
Weight: I think about 3pounds

About the field-dressings: I have purchased a couple of these:

http://www.tacmedsolutions.com/07/products/product_detail.php?prod_id=3

These bandages are basically the replacement of the israeli-bandages.