# Serious first aid kit **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 2, 2009, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542 "2009-01-02T02:43:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542/21 "2009-01-03T03:17:52Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > My apologies. :o Not a big deal, really. People here always seem to think I’m a guy. ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpine/32/17813_2.png) [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542/22 "2009-01-03T15:28:54Z")
Carrying a real first aid kit is a good excuse to buy (yet another) pack! The ones I currently use (yes, more than one) aren’t really big enough to carry a reservoir, extra clothes, and the kit I’ve put together. I wear a lumbar pack or a [True North](http://www.truenorthgear.com/product_detail.php?path=0_1&p_id=64)harness type. I’d like to get a bigger one of those - I don’t like wearing full on daypacks and having weight on my shoulders (makes my hands go numb). Mr Alpine will kill me - I must have 6 hiking packs. I have to find my SAM splint still, but I’ve found a headlamp, leatherman, cravats, gauze, tape, bandaids, ace bandage and trauma shears. On order: alcohol wipes and antibiotic stuff, co-flex, non-latex gloves (for small hands - my husband has about a million of them, but they’re LARGE), eye wash, emergency blankets and a closed cell foam pad. I’m taking **outlierrn** ’s quote to heart “Every day hike is 24 hours…” I used to carry all this stuff after my WFR, but I guess I got lax when I’ve come across zero emergencies in the intervening 18 years in spite of lots of backcountry hiking and winter sports. Not even a car accident. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542/23 "2009-01-03T15:40:49Z")
> [@Alpine](#): > > Mr Alpine will kill me … > > my husband… OK, this threw me for a moment. I’d thought **Alpine** was male. But then I remembered that I was thinking of **enipla** , who I always read as ‘alpine’. 😛 A friend gave me a headlamp a few years ago for night kayaking. Haven’t been night kayaking since I got it, but I do use it around the house. (It’s an old house, and the lighting sometimes doesn’t reach to nooks and crannies (or crooks and nannies) when I’m looking for something. I’ll have to pick up another one to carry in the car(s). ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542/24 "2009-01-03T15:52:43Z")
The only addition to all of this I would make is to carry a blanket or two, even if it’s just a couple of those ‘space’ blankets. I also carry hand warmers and a disposable camera in the glove box. ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpine/32/17813_2.png) [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542/25 "2009-01-03T16:01:17Z")
Yep, I’m a chick. Oh yeah, I’ve also got handwarmers, matches and plenty of energy bars. Now we’re cookin’ with gas! ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542/26 "2009-01-03T17:19:17Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > A friend gave me a headlamp a few years ago for night kayaking. Haven’t been night kayaking since I got it, but I do use it around the house. (It’s an old house, and the lighting sometimes doesn’t reach to nooks and crannies (or crooks and nannies) when I’m looking for something. I’ll have to pick up another one to carry in the car(s). They are also great for working on the computer towers when you are crouched under the desk! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542/27 "2009-01-03T17:20:42Z")
‘Computer tower’? I understand the words individually, but… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542/28 "2009-01-03T17:42:19Z")
Duct tape, space blanket, paddling knife, and for extended remote trips, iodine solution, morphine sulfate, penicillin. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542/29 "2009-01-03T17:54:46Z")
Oh, and when I travel to certain countries, my doc supplies me with Cipro and Levaquin, which I then keep in my kit until it expires. They match my hep A vaccines! ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpine/32/17813_2.png) [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542/30 "2009-01-03T19:27:34Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > ‘Computer tower’? I understand the words individually, but… 😛 Just a regular upright desktop computer. I just ordered a new pack for all my FA stuff, as predicted. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542/31 "2009-01-03T19:42:43Z")
> [@Alpine](#): > > Just a regular upright desktop computer. I know. My main computer is a Mac PowerBook G4, and my work computer is an old iMac G3. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpine/32/17813_2.png) [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542/32 "2009-01-03T20:54:18Z")
way to woosh me, eh ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542/33 "2009-01-03T21:27:39Z")
Oh yeah, he’s a bastard… 😉 I’m back on my MacBook, so don’t start… 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542/34 "2009-01-03T21:33:36Z")
Hee hee hee! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542/35 "2009-01-04T03:20:02Z")
When I walked away from my WFR course the condition that really stuck in my mind was anaphylactic shock. Potentially, someone can get stung by a bee in the middle of nowhere and 15 minutes later they’re dead. I categorize an epipen or an epinephrine kit as an essential item in any wilderness first aid kit, provided the responder is trained and certified to administer it. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542/36 "2009-01-04T03:28:33Z")
Anna Phlaxis would be a good Doper name. ---
**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542/37 "2009-01-04T06:45:52Z")
If you decide to go with the oral glucose, remember 2 things. You shouldn’t give it to someone who isn’t awake enough to swallow. Second, it freezes. St. Urho Paramedic ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542/38 "2009-01-04T17:08:59Z")
> [@St.Urho](#): > > If you decide to go with the oral glucose… That was just something I thought of that wouldn’t be in an ‘over the counter’ kit. [This thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=500240) points out the desirability of having CPR masks. We were shown them in my EMT class, but we didn’t use them. ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpine/32/17813_2.png) [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2009, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542/39 "2009-01-04T20:18:10Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > [This thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=500240) points out the desirability of having CPR masks. We were shown them in my EMT class, but we didn’t use them. I found mine when I was digging out the rest of my gear, and thought it would be better to have it in the car than in my new hiking kit. Now I’m not so sure… god, how awful. ---
**Author:** ![Kaboodle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Kaboodle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaboodle)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542/40 "2009-01-05T04:40:05Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > > [@EJsGirl](#): > > > > I know hairdressers who would use Superglue from the nail tech’s station if they cut themselves- immediate stoppage of bleeding and they seemed none the worse for it. > > We should probably mention that it’s not for really deep wounds or big gashes or dirty wounds. The last thing you want to do is seal up the surface of a puncture wound before the inside is healed or clean - that’s asking for nasty infections or abscesses. But yeah, a little clean sharp scissor cut, or, like my daughter’s 1/2 inch clean slice from a sharp corner, after it’s well cleaned out, and glue can be just the ticket. **The same chemical glue is used in emergency rooms** instead of stitches for many small injuries these days, although it probably costs 200X more and is nominally more sterile. (Bolding mine) It’s not quite the same chemical. Medical glue uses “2-octyl-cyanoacrylate”, household glue uses “methyl-2-cyanoacrylate”. From [Cecil’s column](http://http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2187/was-super-glue-invented-to-seal-battle-wounds-in-vietnam) > [@Cecil](#): > > Is it safe to use ordinary household cyanoacrylate glue as a medical glue? According to Reference 7, most cyanoacrylate glues not designed specifically for medical use are formulated from methyl-2-cyanoacrylate, since it produces the strongest bond. Not only can such glues irritate the skin, during polymerization they can generate significant heat, to the point of causing skin burns. I gather this is a problem only if a large area of skin is affected. But to err on the side of safety, you should tell your brother-in-law he should only use medically-approved glue, not the ordinary kind. And always be careful using it Admittedly, I have talked with a few people who have used household superglue to close small cuts with no ill effects. ETA: IANADoctor or Chemical Engineer. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-first-aid-kit/479542.md?page=3)