Equipped To Survive Equipped To Survive® Presents
The Survival Forum
Where do you want to go on ETS?

Topic Options
#281919 - 08/30/16 08:15 PM FAK update
Russ Offline
Geezer

Registered: 06/02/06
Posts: 5357
Loc: SOCAL
My truck's FAK had a test over the weekend and came up a tad short. There is a wound size that's bigger than a cut finger and small than a major trauma. An older lady was pushed into a cinder blocked wall by a rambunctious canine and found herself bleeding from a 1"x1" piece of skin being mostly ripped off. While many of us would have had a minor scape, her fragile skin resulted in a chunk of skin peeled back.

While I was cleaning the wound and thinking through how to use a 4x4 and tape on the open wound in a way that would not cause more issues when it was removed, another volunteer (who had been a nurse in a previous life) pulled a 2x3 non-stick pad and some generic sticks-to-itself wrap (similar to J&J Secure-Flex/Nexcare™ No Hurt Wrap/Coban Tape Self Adherent Wrap) which was ideal for fragile skin. The injured lady was on blood thinning meds so it was important to use a dressing that could be removed easily without causing more damage. Real-life lesson in treating a wound that I don't recall from my FA course.

So today I dropped by the local pharmacy and found two sizes of the non-stick pads and the sticks-to-itself-and-not-to-skin wrap to add to my truck's kit. I liked the way the former nurse's kit was organized too. Nothing special, just a generic plastic bin with ziplock type bags. Open the bin and you can see just about everything.

Top
#281920 - 08/30/16 08:26 PM Re: FAK update [Re: Russ]
TeacherRO Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 03/11/05
Posts: 2574
yes, think about using - not just stocking- your kit. Is it plainly and clearly a first aid kit? When opened, whats on top? Is everything easy to find? (and does your set up keep thing clean?)

Top
#281923 - 08/30/16 10:40 PM Re: FAK update [Re: Russ]
sak45acp Offline
Stranger

Registered: 02/19/09
Posts: 16
Loc: ct
The wrap you describe can be found wicked cheap (compared to the pharmacy prices) as vet wrap on Amazon or other online sources. I got a 36 roll box for about $12. Also replaces ace bandages for sprains, and can be used to repair gear in the field without the stickiness/mess of duct tape residue. Multiple colors for organization or dealing with kids.

Top
#281932 - 08/31/16 11:17 AM Re: FAK update [Re: Russ]
Tjin Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 04/08/02
Posts: 1821
I stopped using regular gauze years ago and only stick non-stick pads on wounds. More absorbent and much easier to remove. I only use regular gauze for wound cleaning and such.

I haven't decided if the stick to it self kind of wrap is something I want to carry in smaller first aid kits. Although very usefull and easy to put on, my problem is generally providing first aid in the outdoors. In that case I prefer pre-made bandages or giant plasters, as those are easier to apply in the wind and easier to use if you are one handed.
_________________________


Top
#281935 - 08/31/16 04:17 PM Re: FAK update [Re: Tjin]
Russ Offline
Geezer

Registered: 06/02/06
Posts: 5357
Loc: SOCAL
I agree. It's one thing to learn about treating wounds in an abstract, academic setting; it's another to actually treat a real wound where the fragile skin is pulled back and your classroom learning meets a part of reality not discussed. I'll be replacing a lot of gauze type dressing material with non-stick pads -- ditto the self-adherent wraps. Switching over, not 100%, 4x4's still have a role, but for direct contact as a dressing, the non-stick pads are simply a better option,

Top
#281977 - 09/02/16 05:23 AM Re: FAK update [Re: Russ]
acropolis5 Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 06/18/06
Posts: 358
Without meaning to minimize the value of non-stick dressings, in the olden days ,we lightly smeared a 4x4 with a thin coat of antibiotic cream or sterile Vaseline to cover a skinned or raw wound. And for burn dressing on the cheap, we used boiled salted water to dampen a gauze pad and wrapped the covered wound with a Saran type wrap.

Top
#283341 - 01/14/17 06:34 PM Re: FAK update [Re: Russ]
TeacherRO Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 03/11/05
Posts: 2574
...and put it all in a water tight container.

Top



Moderator:  Alan_Romania, Blast, cliff, Hikin_Jim 
March
Su M Tu W Th F Sa
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Who's Online
0 registered (), 269 Guests and 21 Spiders online.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
GallenR, Jeebo, NicholasMarshall, Yadav, BenFoakes
5367 Registered Users
Newest Posts
What did you do today to prepare?
by dougwalkabout
Yesterday at 11:21 PM
Zippo Butane Inserts
by dougwalkabout
Yesterday at 11:11 PM
Question about a "Backyard Mutitool"
by Ren
03/17/24 01:00 AM
Problem in my WhatsApp configuration
by Chisel
03/09/24 01:55 PM
New Madrid Seismic Zone
by Jeanette_Isabelle
03/04/24 02:44 PM
EDC Reduction
by EchoingLaugh
03/02/24 04:12 PM
Using a Compass Without a Map
by KenK
02/28/24 12:22 AM
Newest Images
Tiny knife / wrench
Handmade knives
2"x2" Glass Signal Mirror, Retroreflective Mesh
Trade School Tool Kit
My Pocket Kit
Glossary
Test

WARNING & DISCLAIMER: SELECT AND USE OUTDOORS AND SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND TECHNIQUES AT YOUR OWN RISK. Information posted on this forum is not reviewed for accuracy and may not be reliable, use at your own risk. Please review the full WARNING & DISCLAIMER about information on this site.