First Aid Kit -- gimme your top 5

[Jerry D Young]

1. Israeli 6" combat bandage
2. 2-pack Halo/SAM/Asherman chest seal
3. Large trauma bandage
4. Combat tourniquet
5. Large triangle bandage

[101airborne]

In a perfectly Ideal situation, my top five would be;
1)syringes with vials of antibiotics (very worth while and could very easily be used to barter if need be)
2)of course clotting material
3)suture kit (could also use needles for fishing hooks)
4)duct tape high speed type (better at holding much sticker)
5)lastly probably a type of alcohol for numbing and topical cleaning of wounds

I agree with 1,2,&3 I keep all of them in my trauma pack. For # 4 however it would be bandage material. And #5 would be pain killers of some type

[RICHFL]

5 best items to have in your bob.
Well after some thought.

1. Duck Tape 2"-100' cover cuts and wounds, immobilize extremities, so many other uses in survival
2. Hydrogen Peroxide to clean out wounds and cuts
3. Bandages to cover major wounds and cuts
4. Aspirin to reduce fever from infections and pain
5. Military Surgical Kit used to probe major wounds and suture them closed

[krink545]

check out this link,Risk taker medical for a good kit and training

[charliefox]

After being an EMT for 30 years, my needs are few:

- Multi-trauma dressings - big, bulky and can hold a LOT of blood
- 4X4's - the Swiss Army Knife of dressings
- Several rolls of Coban or Vet Wrap
- Several triangular bandages - cloth type please
- A roll of duct tape for everything else!

[badkarma]

BooBoo kit:
Bandaids
Tylenol
Neosporin
Benedryl
Tums

F/A Kit
Gloves
4x4 gauze
tape
ace bandage
sterile water

[maric]

I couldnt list only 5 items.
We keep tons of bandages, New Skin, tape, antibiotic ointments and such, benedryl,
ibuprophin, fem products, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol wipes, Mr has a military kit with quickclot and turniquet (sp) and all that jazz..we have so many little kits made up for hiking and EDC. I would like to work more on a specific kit to have put away, instead of a bunch of little ones.. good thread!
Ive been looking into a good suture kit..

[g211]

Mmmm. Here's what I've actually got in my "Oh S*** I'm gonna die" bag:

• Tourniquet (SOFTT-W) (x2)
• QuikClot Gauze
• HALO Chest Seal (x2)
• Decompression Needle
• Nasopharyngeal Airway
• OALES 4" Modular Bandage
• Z-Pak Gauze
• Nitrile Gloves
• EMT Shears
• Duct Tape
• CPR Face Shield

If I had to pare it down to just 5, I'd keep one Tourniquet, the NPA, and the QuickClot for sure -- establish airway and control bleeding, right?

For the other two . . . . probably the Duct Tape and OALES . . .


I think.

[sniperbusch]

I'm looking for everyone's top 5 items in their FAK's
What criteria? Well YOU decide!

5 most used items?
5 items you would throw in your BOB if you were in a big hurry?
5 items you consider the most crucial, even if you might never use them?

or any combination... just give me your 5! (and feel free to tell us why, although not required).

After re-reading this thread, I had listed my 5 most used items for general purpose first aid to treat minor wounds. My 5 items for a Bail Out Bag:
1. CAT or SOFTT
2. 6 inch Emergency Bandage, H-Bandage or Cinch-Tight
3. Gloves
4. Duct Tape
5. SAM

5 items that are core components for my trauma kit:
1. CAT or SOFTT
2. 6 inch Emergency Bandage, H-Bandage or Cinch-Tight
3. QuikClot Combat Gauze
4. NPA
5. 14 GA.

The above core components addresses TCCC:
60% Extremity Hemorrhage
33% Tension Pneumothorax
6% Airway Obstruction

[Brother Bill]

I don't think I could cut down even my small FAK to 5 items. If I had to I would say 1. Bandaids 2. alcohol wipes 3. trip antibiotic cream 4. advil 5. duct tape.

[sniperbusch]

For my Minor First Aid Kit:
1. Gloves, I am more likely to treat others
2. Assortment of Band Aids
3. Topicals, including Burn Gel
4. Medicines, like Advil
5. Eye Wash
I maintain the above including combat shears, tape and other stuff as a general purpose kit in a SO Tech "El Dwiggo" (CIMP-OD) Pouch that I always take to a range. As a matter of personal convenience, I prefer a compact kit in a small Aloksak type bag with commonly used items to treat minor cuts / sinus headaches that can be easily stowed in a glove box. The old first aid / compass pouch works well for this as well.

[prkchp76]

super glue
ductape
iodine
benedrill
paper towell

[mikehemi]

In a perfectly Ideal situation, my top five would be;
1)syringes with vials of antibiotics (very worth while and could very easily be used to barter if need be)
2)of course clotting material
3)suture kit (could also use needles for fishing hooks)
4)duct tape high speed type (better at holding much sticker)
5)lastly probably a type of alcohol for numbing and topical cleaning of wounds

[TacSKS]

1) Non-Latex Gloves
2) CPR mask
3) Feminine Hygiene Products (Excellent wound dressings-very absorbent-used in place of gauze. Pads for wound coverage & tampons for punctures)
4) Duct Tape (More secure than med-tape and good for blister coverage)
5) Pepto or Immodium

[MasterMynd]

Id say the 5 most critical items in my pack would have to be:
alcohol,
blood stoppers/wound dressing (gauze rolls),
athletes tape,
sugar for blood stopping and antibacterial dressing,
and super glue for closing larger cuts or wounds.
All of these items are multi-use and come in handy more often than anything else I carry.