First Aid

[TNFLineage]

Some of the items mentioned above have expiration dates. It's a good idea to look through the kit every once in awhile to check these. Except for my bp cuff & steth I won't use most anything for years at a time.

 

[Cate&Rob]

Latex gloves

x2 on the Latex Gloves. I keep a couple pair of these (actually the heavier 5 mil "mechanic's" version) in a door pocket of the truck. An important confidence builder for any immediate "hands on" assistance for many situations.

Rob

 

[Clsfly]

Training is an excellent idea, most people are willing to help but are not mentally equipped to do so. As mentioned the local FD or Red Cross have people who will put on training sessions for CPR, 1st aid and AED use and can provide certificates. Not sure you can get all that in one session though. As far as supplies a person could carry enough stuff to outfit an emergency room but is it necessary? Most of us camp in places where emergency response time is relatively short and they show up with an ER on wheels. A basic first aid kit designed for 3-4 people with some heavy trauma supplies should suffice. If you boondock or are a camper using a chainsaw then that's another story, you should bulk up your supplies (hemostatic powder/bandages, battle dressing, tourniquet & forceps) . FYI chainsaws injure over 36,000 people a year usually requiring 100+ stitches. I'm not a die hard prepper but I do have what I need to survive if I have to leave home in a hurry (SHTF) including the heavy trauma supplies. This SHTF discussion for another thread.

 

[Jerryr]

x2 on the Latex Gloves. I keep a couple pair of these (actually the heavier 5 mil "mechanic's" version) in a door pocket of the truck. An important confidence builder for any immediate "hands on" assistance for many situations.

Rob

No Latex gloves or any latex products for us. Nitrile gloves only.

My wife has a severe Latex allergy from years of nursing. Twice she had an anaphylaxis reaction to latex exposure and almost died. Fortunately both times she was at work and surrounded by medical people who reacted immediately.

I lost a good friend who was an anesthesiologist from an allergic anaphylaxis reaction. We keep epipens with us wherever we go.

Almost all hospitals and medical facilities are now latex free because of latex problems.

 

[Steve7]

Nitrile gloves is what we were taught also. My SIL Fire Captain sitting next to me right now said all they use is nitrile because of allergic reactions.

 

[Cate&Rob]

I believe that I misspoke in my earlier comment on keeping gloves handy. The commonly available heavier thickness "mechanic's" gloves are all nitrile. (not latex)

Rob

 

[gbkims]

Good topic, got me to reviewing first aid training & got to check whats in my small 1st aid kit.
Next put an AED on my list of things to buy. I see them running ~ $1200.
Not that much more expensive than tools and gadgets I spend on already.

Helps that the AEDs talk you thru how to use them on someone, more likely spouse or myself.
Also how the AED won't deliver a shock to someone it determines doesn't require it.
I haven't had a CPR / 1st aid class since 2009, before leaving work several years ago.
I do remember CPR can be physically demanding, can't stop it till EMS arrives.

Disclaimer - These are just my notes from my 1st aid classes in 2007, 2009 in Texas, just to show some of what gets taught.
Some CPR methods may have been updated since then.
It's a lot of information to remember(I sure can't), and classes are recommended.


Good Samaritan Laws: No Liability if:
1 Voluntarily provides assistance
2 Expects nothing in return
3 Is not "Grossly Negligent" in rendering 1st Aid

Can't get AIDS fm putting your mouth on a person's mouth
HIV is unstable, it dies in air & saliva contains some acid that helps to kill HIV

Hepatitis B is much more infectious than HIV, stays alive longer(3 days in dried blood) & has a higher concentration in the blood=6-30%, HIV <1%
Hep. B Vaccine doesn't give permanent immunity
Andrea says Hep B can change into Hep C
-Nitrile gloves protect

3 life threating emergencies: Breathing, Bleeding, Poisoning

1st Assess Accident situation to make sure it is Safe for me
SETUP=Stop, Environment, Traffic, Unknown Haz, Protect
Notify people person is hurt
Try to get response from unconsious person
Pick a person to call EMS & to wait for EMS
Check for Breathing by Chin Lift/Hand on forehead
Look, Listen, Feel for Breathing
If no breathing give 2 breaths
Look for signs of circulation - opens eyes, sits up, etc
-Told in 2-07 to skip 1st breaths, goto Chest Compressions
-Told in 3-09 told this still isn't approved by Red Cross


CHOKING
Hemleck Manuver
Ask the person if he can speak, does he need help
Make a fist, find bellybutton put fist just above & grasp fist with other hand & compress his belly Inward & Upward
Pregnant woman put your arms under her armpits & compress against sternum
Tell person to goto Dr. to check for broken ribs
If person goes unconcious, help lower them to ground on their back, ck for breathing, give 1 breath, if breath won't go
Straddle & push 2X with palm between bellybutton & ribs
Ck for breathing again, don't worry about pulse till he's breathing because w/o O2 circulation doesn't matter

INFANT to 1yr, CHILD 1-8yrs
Ck for breathing
Hold in crook of arm supporting head, turn onto belly & push between shoulder blades, turn over push w 2 fingers on chest. DON'T use finger in mouth as probably push object down


4-6 minutes before brain damage fm not breathing, no pulse
Avg response time for EMS in US ~11minutes

Check for pulse (can have pulse for ~1min w/o breathing)

CPR- Only 17-23% of people survive with CPR
AED - Automatic Electric Defibulator 97% effective
AED won't allow a shock unless it determines its required
It will give max of 3 shocks TTL

CPR
CPR Compressions Only = 100 Compressions / minute = FAST
**Likely to break ribs during CPR, continue CPR

If alone give CPR for 1 minute, then call EMS & resume CPR

Hand Placement
Infant & now adults can place hand intersection center of chest & line between nipples

Complications fm CPR
Bruising, broken bones, vomiting fm air pushed into stomach

AED 2-07 Sherri with Cintas
Only way to stop fibrulation is to DeFib them

Move shirt & bra off body where pads go

Turn On AED, follow its directions
Place pads on person, plug them into AED
Place chest pad above nipple line
Pads are interchangable w EMS & other AEDs
Leave pads on - hospital will remove pads w solvent

AED will only give a shock if heart is in fibrulation

Once put pads on Never take it off (has super sticky glue)
Also AED will continue to monitor the person

AED has 5yr / 380 Shocks Batts ~$85 Self ck every day @ 0333

BLEEDING
Telfa Pads are good to put over wounds/scrapes/light burn
Telfa Pads don't stick to the wound

BURNS BURNS
1st Degree: Sunburn, Redness

2nd Degree: Forms Blisters

3rd Degree: Upper Tissue destroyed

4th Degree: entire part of body destroyed, like during War

Burns continue to heat for about 20 minutes
So on 2nd degree, if immediately cool for 20 minutes, or put GelPack, or Juice fm Aloe plant can reduce to 1st degree

HEAT RELATED INJURY
1st -Muscle Cramps

2nd -Heat Exhaustion - Sweating Heavily, splotchy face, headache, nausea
-Get in shade, drink lots of water, cool body

3rd -Heat Stroke - Stop Sweating, body hot, nausea, vomiting
-Can pack core in ice

HEART HEART ATTACK
Women symptoms- Fatigue, Anxiety, back or stomach pain, chest tighness
Men, - Shortness of breath, chest pain/pressure, shoulder/neck pain
Most major heart attacks occur after a meal

Fibrulating - heart is quivering. Pulse then & threadlike/none

Indigestion symptoms similar to heart attack symptons
Stomach & heart are close to each other & Vegas nerve runs behind them & up left shoulder to jaw area. It can be irritated by indigestion.


HYPOTHERMIA
1st symptoms: Chills, uncontrollable shivering
As progresses, hard to walk, talk

Medic-First Aid has to be renewed every 2 years
Instructor said Vinyl doesn't provide protection against viruses, whereas Latex does, latex is a problem for medical workers


SHOCK SHOCK
1st signs: Uneasy look, uncomfortable look, sweating, cold clammy skin
-Lay person down & elevate legs to get blood back to heart
-Keep warm w blankets, don't overheat
-Giving Oxygen is beneficial

Fainting: Blood PSI drops & not enough blood reaches the Brain

 

[SouthTX]

The idea of carrying an AED is very appealing. I did a quick look at Amazon.com and they seem to start around $1200 and go up. Ebay, though, has used and reconditioned units starting at a couple of hundred bucks and going up from there. I have to wonder if a used unit, with fresh battery, might be a good value. Anyone know anything about them?

 

[D2Reid]

Pretty good little refresher Kim and Gene.

Another fun thing is Acute Mountain Sickness, also known as altitude sickness. I am at 7000 feet. When folks from GA FL TX etc come to Park City to ski they often don't take the thinner air into consideration. It is difficult for them to breathe. The climate is drier. They come from relatively warm environment to a cold environment. AMS is essentially oxygen depravation and dehydration. It sneaks up on people.

It's easily prevented by not pushing to hard, drinking lots of water, and drinking less alcohol.

 

[tedzz9]

Pretty good little refresher Kim and Gene.

Another fun thing is Acute Mountain Sickness, also known as altitude sickness. I am at 7000 feet. When folks from GA FL TX etc come to Park City to ski they often don't take the thinner air into consideration. It is difficult for them to breathe. The climate is drier. They come from relatively warm environment to a cold environment. AMS is essentially oxygen depravation and dehydration. It sneaks up on people.

It's easily prevented by not pushing to hard, drinking lots of water, and drinking less alcohol.[/QUOTE]



WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[D2Reid]

and drinking less alcohol.[/QUOTE]

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yea I know, the only upside is you don't need to drink the same amount at altitude to have a similar affect.

 

[Chiefblueman]

So let me get this straight. When you get high you drink less to get as high as you were when you were low? Could be a win - win.

As a lowlander I experienced some of the symptoms of altitude sickness when visiting friends in Denver. They took us to Pikes Peak the next day. Short of breath, ringing ears, headache, weak and a little queasy. Zero altitude to 14,000ft in 24hrs was a bit much.

 

[tedzz9]

Copied from Stroke.org

Use F.A.S.T. to Remember the Warning Signs of a Stroke

F stands for face FACE: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
A stands for arms ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S stands for speech SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?
T stands for time TIME: If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.

 

[DaveMatthewsBand]

My wife and I would attend a CPR class for sure.
This thread has prompted me to look into buying an AED.
Thanks!

 

[counting stars]

We would definitely attend a CPR (etc.) class. Would it be possible to offer this at the Rally?

Another little preparedness task: When we pull into a campground, I locate the nearest hospital, fire dept., police dept., and walk-in clinic -- and jot down their phone #s and addresses, plus log them into my cell maps.

Thanks for the reminder that beefing up our emergency, medical, and SHTF supplies and knowledge is on this year's must-do list. An AED, too. I was trained to use it at my work, but fortunately did not need to use it.

 

[vonzoog]

I notice that on the first page of this thread someone mention that giving breaths of air is no longer required. Not quite true. Also someone else mention that they haven't taken the CPR course since 2009 and was stating things that they had learned and/or knew. We have to be careful on what we state on this forum to others.

As a coach on the high school level for the past 18 years I HAVE TO take CPR classes every two years. Just took the class again last month. The issue about giving breaths has come and gone several times since I have been taking the class. Last month they were teaching to give the burst of breaths again, however it was the individual option do to possible diseases that could be contracted. So this class was taught using the breath technics. However again, it was also stated by the instructor that it was going to be discontinued (again) in the teaching of the class this spring. Reason being blowing air our of your lungs into someone eases lungs would probably generate only 15% oxygen or less. Not of great value compare to risk factors.

Even when I take these classes, which are on the base level, I run home to tell my wife (a registered nurse) all that I have learned again and she hits me with all kinds of information. First responders, nurses, doctors, and those in the medical field are taught a more advance procedures that we are at the base level.

My point being is every two years that I take the class something changes even so slightly. Each class has a new improved (better) AED available with the cost continuing to come down. So yes, everyone should seek out a class and take the course. Even if you never need to preform CPR on a stranger, it may be a love one that will need you help.

 

[DaveMatthewsBand]

I notice that on the first page of this thread someone mention that giving breaths of air is no longer required. Not quite true. Also someone else mention that they haven't taken the CPR course since 2009 and was stating things that they had learned and/or knew. We have to be careful on what we state on this forum to others.

As a coach on the high school level for the past 18 years I HAVE TO take CPR classes every two years. Just took the class again last month. The issue about giving breaths has come and gone several times since I have been taking the class. Last month they were teaching to give the burst of breaths again, however it was the individual option do to possible diseases that could be contracted. So this class was taught using the breath technics. However again, it was also stated by the instructor that it was going to be discontinued (again) in the teaching of the class this spring. Reason being blowing air our of your lungs into someone eases lungs would probably generate only 15% oxygen or less. Not of great value compare to risk factors.

Even when I take these classes, which are on the base level, I run home to tell my wife (a registered nurse) all that I have learned again and she hits me with all kinds of information. First responders, nurses, doctors, and those in the medical field are taught a more advance procedures that we are at the base level.

My point being is every two years that I take the class something changes even so slightly. Each class has a new improved (better) AED available with the cost continuing to come down. So yes, everyone should seek out a class and take the course. Even if you never need to preform CPR on a stranger, it may be a love one that will need you help.

Awesome points, thanks!

 

[how01e]

The idea of carrying an AED is very appealing. I did a quick look at Amazon.com and they seem to start around $1200 and go up. Ebay, though, has used and reconditioned units starting at a couple of hundred bucks and going up from there. I have to wonder if a used unit, with fresh battery, might be a good value. Anyone know anything about them?

First time poster, but I've followed this forum for a bit. I was looking for first aid kit info when I stumbled across this thread.

There's a ton of good info here IMO, but I wanted to suggest that instead of ebay or even Amazon where some of the sales can be from less than reputable distributors, it might be worth looking at some of the major retailers. (moderator removed commercial links as this runs against our rules)

moderator removed content of a commercial nature. The posting member basically suggest shopping at known/good companies in order to likely get good support when/if nneded

Additional moderator comment: members with few (or no) posts who enter URL links get put into a moderation section that requires review before posting. That was the case here.

 

[how01e]

I think you can buy refurbished AEDs for about half price of a new one. Would want to make sure it has new pads and batteries though. I think if it were too old it wouldn't be good, but otherwise the FDA is in oversight now so the refurbs should be good.
Worth having, definitely if you are older or at risk for one reason or another.

 

[how01e]

Considering the amount of time you have to fetch an AED (each minute counts), even if you know where it is in a campground setting it really seems to me you need to have one yourself. Shop carefully for a used refurbished model if you can find one and save about half the cost I think. Just make sure it has been recertified and has new pads and batteries.
Heartfelt best wishes (heh)!