Just one first aid item. What's yours?

[gadgetgeek]

When it comes to alcho-gel as a fire starter there are a few factors. If its ethanol based or isopropyl, and what additives it has. Its best to try each first to ensure it will work, though my experience suggests that aloe is not helpful and ethanol is better. The gelling agent isn't always listed and may be a critical factor, I don't know for sure. So, better test. I'm not even sure that brands are consistent regionally, so someone else's tests may be invalid.

 

[hank_rearden]

Clean bandages.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

Epipen, probably, if I could only choose one. I'm not allergic, but I'm a lot more likely to encounter someone in anaphylaxis than with a major injury.

 

[sabre cat]

I am supposed to carry an Epi-pen and a little bottle of Nitro tablets. Which one do you want me to leave at home?

 

[kobold]

Epipen, probably, if I could only choose one. I'm not allergic, but I'm a lot more likely to encounter someone in anaphylaxis than with a major injury.

I'm curious, because I am not young, yet I never saw anyone in anaphylaxis.

 

[kobold]

I am supposed to carry an Epi-pen and a little bottle of Nitro tablets. Which one do you want me to leave at home?

No, God forbid, if you need them, you should have them both!

 

[Insipid Moniker]

I'm curious, because I am not young, yet I never saw anyone in anaphylaxis.

Based on experience as an EMT and then nurse. Saw many, many more allergic reactions than major traumatic injuries and even then, most traumatic injuries were bone/joint rather than open wounds. Bandages are great, but also fairly easy to improvise, same with splints or slings, or at least a lot easier to improvise than epinephrine.

 

[rhino]

If you have space in your pockets for only one piece of first aid EDC item, what would it be?

As for myself, I like the Micropore surgical tape, it is small (I flatten it), handy and versatile:

It sticks really well to almost anything and for a long time. It is not better than band aids, but it will do well. Some band aids wont stick at all after applying them and I will still have to wrap the area over with this.
And it can be used as a duct tape substitute for all kinds of things.

What is your single favorite first aid item?

If I were limited to one EDC first air item, it would be an Israeli bandage. They're incredibly versatile and get close to tourniquet -level blood flow restriction if you need it.

I already EDC at least one, plus a SOFTT-W tourniquet, some gauze for packing, and some 4x4 gauze. If I were limited to only the IBD, I also always have duct tape on my person for a variety of purposes, which extends its versatility even more (e.g. making a vented chest seal with a triangle cut from the IBD package).

 

[rhino]

Based on experience as an EMT and then nurse. Saw many, many more allergic reactions than major traumatic injuries and even then, most traumatic injuries were bone/joint rather than open wounds. Bandages are great, but also fairly easy to improvise, same with splints or slings, or at least a lot easier to improvise than epinephrine.

One of the things about improvising is that you may need two hands to build or adapt what you need from the materials at hand. A great thing about Israeli bandages is that you can apply them to yourself or someone else with one hand. I've had to use one on myself before (and needed it another time when it was left in my truck) and while I had both hands available, it would have been tricky trying to improvise something with the profuse bleeding that was happening from my leg. When the bandage can apply the pressure for you, you then have your hands free to cleanup the blood on the floor before you drive yourself to the ER for sutures. Or so I've heard. Allegedly.

 

[Danke42]

You have to know what you are doing. You are in essence making a choice for all the medical staff who treat that person afterwards. The problem was folks using it for "minor" wounds which would have taken just a couple of stitches, in urban areas where they would have been able to see a doc quite quickly. If you are getting all your training off the internet, then yeah, probably don't use it, but its still taught in major bleed, and wilderness first aid courses, anything where you as the first responder are actually thinking about time-to-hospital.

And do not tear the package open with your teeth like they do in the movies.

I am supposed to carry an Epi-pen and a little bottle of Nitro tablets. Which one do you want me to leave at home?

You would get both of those since they're self aid items. Then another first aid item so you could help someone else.

If I had to pull one thing out of my kit it would be one of these.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

One of the things about improvising is that you may need two hands to build or adapt what you need from the materials at hand. A great thing about Israeli bandages is that you can apply them to yourself or someone else with one hand. I've had to use one on myself before (and needed it another time when it was left in my truck) and while I had both hands available, it would have been tricky trying to improvise something with the profuse bleeding that was happening from my leg. When the bandage can apply the pressure for you, you then have your hands free to cleanup the blood on the floor before you drive yourself to the ER for sutures. Or so I've heard. Allegedly.

To be completely blunt, if the wound is bad enough that you can't take an item of clothing and apply pressure with it, then no bandage you're carrying is going to save you, or whoever you're treating. And if you have a serious anaphylactic reaction you're gonna die very fast without very specific intervention, but you'll probably be fine if you get said intervention in a timely manner.

I think if you're restricted to a single item, you go one of two ways. The OP went the first way, surgical tape is very useful in a broad variety of situations. It can help close wounds, make a splint, help stabilize a joint, etc. I went the other, an item that's pretty much irreplaceable and will help tremendously in the most common life threatening situation that I know of.

 

[Danke42]

For any item you pick, bandage, epipen, cell phone or whatever you need to be aware of your situation. Where i am the chance of a severe allergic reaction is low vs people breaking bones, cutting themselves, & being clobbered or impaled by falling branches which is much higher.

And even more than the other items that you need to know how to use with an epipen you should also use a practice device to make sure you know how to use one. They are nearly foolproof and meant to be self administered but there is still a learning curve. If you know someone who needs one they'll probably have expired ones you can try out on an orange.

 

[kobold]

And do not tear the package open with your teeth like they do in the movies.

You would get both of those since they're self aid items. Then another first aid item so you could help someone else.

If I had to pull one thing out of my kit it would be one of these.

I just bought one, looks like it carries better and is more versatile than the CAT.

 

[Danke42]

I just bought one, looks like it carries better and is more versatile than the CAT.

Yeah definitely less pocket real estate.

 

[rhino]

To be completely blunt, if the wound is bad enough that you can't take an item of clothing and apply pressure with it, then no bandage you're carrying is going to save you, or whoever you're treating. And if you have a serious anaphylactic reaction you're gonna die very fast without very specific intervention, but you'll probably be fine if you get said intervention in a timely manner.

I think if you're restricted to a single item, you go one of two ways. The OP went the first way, surgical tape is very useful in a broad variety of situations. It can help close wounds, make a splint, help stabilize a joint, etc. I went the other, an item that's pretty much irreplaceable and will help tremendously in the most common life threatening situation that I know of.

Perhaps I was unclear. If I apply pressure with my hand or my hand and a bandana or a washrag, I can do a good job achieving hemostasis. The key is that I have to hold my hand on it the entire time. If I have compression bandage, I can apply it with one hand to do the same thing and still have both hands free afterward. I didn't say or imply I couldn't improvise, I said it was a challenge to improvise if you don't have both hands available.

The worst bleeding I've had required me to improvise because I left my gear in my truck and none of the 40 people in the room were willing to help me. I had a couple of bandanas in my pocket and I used one to apply direct pressure. After it soaked through, I put the second bandana over it and continued applying pressure until it stopped flowing. That was just in time for the paramedics to arrive, who wanted to look at the wound. When they peeled the lower bandana off, it started bleeding again, but not as badly. That situation would have been more manageable with an IBDand I always have one on my person now.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

Perhaps I was unclear. If I apply pressure with my hand or my hand and a bandana or a washrag, I can do a good job achieving hemostasis. The key is that I have to hold my hand on it the entire time. If I have compression bandage, I can apply it with one hand to do the same thing and still have both hands free afterward. I didn't say or imply I couldn't improvise, I said it was a challenge to improvise if you don't have both hands available.

The worst bleeding I've had required me to improvise because I left my gear in my truck and none of the 40 people in the room were willing to help me. I had a couple of bandanas in my pocket and I used one to apply direct pressure. After it soaked through, I put the second bandana over it and continued applying pressure until it stopped flowing. That was just in time for the paramedics to arrive, who wanted to look at the wound. When they peeled the lower bandana off, it started bleeding again, but not as badly. That situation would have been more manageable with an IBDand I always have one on my person now.

That's fair. For first aid, most of my training is concentrated on immediate stabilization and transport, so that's my focus if you're going to restrict me to one item. IMO, pressure dressings and such are for longer term care than I'm thinking about, great if you're in an isolated area far from help, but not very often needed or used in a first aid scenario if you can get hemostatic control and call for help.

 

[rhino]

That's fair. For first aid, most of my training is concentrated on immediate stabilization and transport, so that's my focus if you're going to restrict me to one item. IMO, pressure dressings and such are for longer term care than I'm thinking about, great if you're in an isolated area far from help, but not very often needed or used in a first aid scenario if you can get hemostatic control and call for help.

That's reasonable!

 

[scdub]

Good thread idea.

My favorite item that’s always handy in my wallet is high strength duct tape - I like T-Rex. It could probably stop an arterial bleed if you could clean the area adequately.



Since I’m not really limited to one (sorry to break the rules), I also AEDC (almost every day carry) the SWAT-T tourniquet mentioned above. Very versatile and compact, 4.6oz.



On duty as a LEO, I EDC (in cargo pockets and ballistic vest) both of the above, along with Quick-Clot gauze, an additional tourniquet (Soft-T), nitrile gloves, pocket mask (cpr), mini shears, and a HyFin chest seal. These items also make up the basis for my wilderness first aid kit



Stay prepared out there guys!

 

[Velitrius]

I carry whiskey for snake bite.

The Wife informed me (arms crossed, eyes rolled) that there are no venomous snakes here on the coast of Washington State.

So now I carry a snake too.

 

[12345678910]

If you were to wrap duct tape around and around a wound, consider wrapping it inside out.

It sticks to itself well this way, you can wrap it really tight, but will not injure the skin when you take it off.