First Aid Kit -- gimme your top 5

[hubste5]

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).

[slowz1k]

I guess if I could only have 5 items, I could make do with these basics, and hope nothing bad happens. I might trade out the bacticin for a bottle of alcohol or peroxide.

Gauze
Tape
Ibuprofen
Neosporin or Bacticin
Tweezers

Water is always a "must have", but I always carry some anyway.

[Oscar Wilde]

Sugar-dine, bandages, unwaxed floss/sutures, sewing needles and tape.

O.W.

[hubste5]

Sugar-dine, bandages, unwaxed floss/sutures, sewing needles and tape.

O.W.

Ok, I assume sugar-dine is some sort of anti-bacterial...? explain, as compared to alcohol/H2O2/triple-anti-ointment... also when you say "unwaxed floss", literally dental floss? for suture? I'm not real familiar with the suturing biz...:P

[cc21]

I have heard of Sugar dine for horses but didn't know it could be used on us. Looking forward to reading this.

[pathfinder3081]

Well, I always keep it in a moblie kit, ready to go. However what would I not be without? Medical tape. The heavy stuff with the fabric and sticky glue woven together. I hate that transparent clear whitey stuff. It's not worth a piss in my opinion. Find the heavy stuff, get it 3 to 4" wide.. I call it rib tape. IT will stick through every condition I have ever been in. IF it get's wet? Dry it off and put a littlel more over the top of it. Some Gauze, 4"x4" you can always cut it down. Swiss Army Knife is my survival med knife, scissors, tweezers all in one.
I can't do the Neosporin anymore. I have to take tha Bacittracin stuff. Asprin and burn ointment. That's 6 things... I never really travel anywear without this type on stuff in the car or in my bag.

[Oscar Wilde]

I have very little knowledge .... what little I did know I forgot and I'm an expert at nothing. That being said, its my understanding that sugar deprives bacteria of enzymes or other molecular matter to sustain itself .... combined with beta dine you have a seemingly sure wound treatment. http://www.thehanddrill.com/sweetblood.html .... http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2007/...gar-speeds-wo/ These two sites shed a bit of light on the use of sugar in combination with other elements for wound care. I've also read that applying raw honey to the injury provides the same benefit. Home remedies such as this aren't promoted as there is no financial gain for the pharmaceutical manufacturers.

[I have heard of Sugar dine for horses but didn't know it could be used on us. Looking forward to reading this.]

We're all carbon base critters and physiologically function the same ....

[also when you say "unwaxed floss", literally dental floss? for suture?]

Yes .... dental floss is pretty tough stuff and multi purpose .... the waxed floss might contaminated the injury so no wax. If your fortunate not to have to do any sewing you have floss for its intended purpose.


O.W.

[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.

[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

[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

[prkchp76]

super glue
ductape
iodine
benedrill
paper towell

[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.

[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]

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

[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.