Let me see your first aid kits!

I have two but am thinking of revamping my home first aid kit.

My home first aid kit is fairly extensive and is probably enough to run a small surgical clinic for a few days if necessary. It fits into a standard small duffel bag.

Home kit:
Bandage
Gauze
Band-aids
Several types of antibiotics along with basic instructions in several languages on how to use them properly (In case I get sick and someone else has to do the reading)
Other basic medications for dealing with common but dangerous symptoms - epinephrine, solbutamol (for asthma cases) etc.
Several types of pain killers (In case someone is allergic to XYZ pain med)
Surgical tools - scissors, scalpel, tubing, clamps, forceps, etc.
Tourniquet (Good quality one)
Sterilization tools - alcohol, povidone iodine, masks, gloves
Stethoscope & BP cuff, both with children's attachments in the same pouch
And some printouts of pages from my favorite medical books on how to deal with certain symptoms, i.e. neck trauma, burns, stings, eye wounds, deep cuts, bone breaks.

My away-kit is what I always carry with me in my laptop bag. It's a woman's makeup bag that I repurposed for the job.
Basic medications - pain killer, stomach upset meds, eye medication, contact lens fluid and a spare case (I don't wear contacts but you'd be surprised how often I end up using this item)
Bandaids and liquid bandage
Safety pins
A single bandage and bandage clip
skin cream for dealing with bug bites and cream for sunburns (in summer)
and some epinephrine (Not for me, just in case)

I have had many chances to use the away kit in the last year, both on myself and on others. A few weeks ago I some how split my thumb open without realizing it. It didn't hurt but it was bleeding a hell of a lot. Glad I had my kit with me. My bag got covered in blood while I fished it out though. Also managed to relieve a 3 year old girl who had a nasty sunburn at a BBQ. The skin cream worked like a charm.

Nothing special, but a couple.

The usual:
Gauze pads and tape. No need for band-aids, just cut this down to size. Works better too. Never out of the right size.
A bleeding stopping spray. Like alum or something, it comes out a powder.
Super glue...well, it's called New Skin or something like that, but it's super glue. Spray and brush. Spray clogs up terribly.
Anti-itch cream
Anti-itch spray
Antibiotic ointment
Peroxide
Scissors
Asthma inhaler
My "kidney stone kit". Some prescription pain pills, Flowmax, Phenergan in case of a kidney stone.

Traveling, mainly meds. A few of each, not a lot.
Gauze, tape, scissors, super glue skin stuff.
Aleve/Tylenol
Asthma inhaler
Benadryl
Sunscreen (during Summer)
Aloe Vera (during Summer)
Pepto Bismol tablets
Pepcid
Anti-diarrhea
Gas relief...a bunch of stomach related stuff, but a lot of driving causes bowel problems. LOL
Towel
Roll of paper towels.
Small kidney stone kit. Wouldn't be the first time I had one on a trip. Riding in a car seems to shake 'em around if there's one ready to go. I don't want to go to a doctor away from home. I know when I've got a rock.

Yes but my wife ( RN ) fills it. Every time I use it there's everything there I need

Beer

There's a small first aid kit in the car, wife must have put it there, but I'm ashamed to admit that I don't even know what's in it.

I still have a large plastic container sitting by the fireplace, a survival box that I started when it flooded really bad around here some time back, that I never finished. I dig in it once in a while when I run out of sardines or batteries, but I really need to finish and maintain it and also put together a real first aid kit.

Just waiting for my mid-life insanity to switch from party-mode to crazy-survivalist-mode (doesn't this happen to all old men?) and then I'll get my crap together, hopefully before it's too late.

Interesting thread, I'm taking notes...

I'd add an eye-bath and sterile water, and maybe a resus mask so you don't have to swap spit.

I'm one my work places first aiders so i've got 3 that are my responsibility (one to be kept in the workshop at all times, one in the staff room (the other end of a 5 acre garden to the workshop) and one in my car. All adhere to the British Standard BS8599-1:2011, and all contain the following

First aid in an emergency x1
Medium first aid dressing, 12 x 12cm - sterile x8
HSE SJA Branded 18cm x 18cm - sterile x2
Disposable triangular bandage, 90 x 90 x 130cm - non-sterile x4
Finger dressing, 3.5 x 3.5cm - sterile x4
Conforming bandage, 7.5cm x 4.5m - single x2
Safety pins assorted sizes - 6 pack x4
Eye pad first aid dressing - sterile x4
Washproof plasters, standard clear, assorted sizes - pack of 10 x10
Sterile Cleansing Wipes (pk 10) x4
Microporous tape, 2.25cm x 10m - single x1
SJS Nitrile Powder Free Gloves (large) x12
Revive-Aid face mask x2 (i also carry one on my keyring at all times just in case)
Disposable heat retaining adult foil blanket x3
Burnshield® dressing - 10x10cm x2
Tuff Kut Scissors (green) x1

Also have dedicated burn kits which have special stuff for burns etc, and eye wash stations. So all told .. ready for any first aid! I check is each one monthly, or after i use it, so its always fully stocked.

O, i also have a boat load of cheap supermarket plasters for myself as i can cut myself on a feather so go through em pretty quick!

Also i dont know about the laws in the US but over here in the UK its actually a VERY bad idea to give out meds to other people, it just opens you up to all sorts of issues, and the paramedics hate it as well as it could very well conflict with stuff they could have otherwise given the person.

Pint of Jack Daniels

Glad I'm not the only one! I keep thinking I need at least a backpack bug out bag. I find myself stashing more and more canned and dried foods for no reason as well. LOL

Kingsfoil, or Athelas in the language of Numénor.

It is mandatory to have a first aid kit in your car here, so there is one in each of our cars plus there is a one in the kitchen cupboard/medicine cabinet I also have a small kit that travels with me it is about the size of a wallet with sterile wipes gauze etc. and a few bandaids plus a week's supply of my stomach pills.

It is also mandatory to carry a fire extinguisher in the car

Have 3 first aid kits in my Honda Odyssey. They fit great in the seat drawers. 2 in my Lexus LS430. one in my Jag.
House has 5, have another one my work chop, actually 2 in there. Have them in both my offices and trash room.

Good point. You also need a lot of study and knowledge before using medications on people, it's not something you can just throw in the medkit and use in an emergency, you have to be on the ball and know your stuff.

In my case, the only people who are going to get medicine from me are people who have no known allergies and generally they're going to be my friends or otherwise connected to me in some way. I also don't give meds to people if there is a viable alternative (Dr. or hospital nearby)
Not too worried about legal ramifications in my case. My medkit was more designed with the idea that if Tokyo and the surrounding area falls over in an earthquake, Dr's are going to be in short supply and we're going to have to make do with what's on hand. Medication supply will dry up very quickly so I keep stocks of meds that work on just about everything. I also have a miniature laboratory for culturing and microscopy but that's not part of my medkit and is way beyond what most people need.

Very important to keep an antidote handy to every medicine you intend on using though. That's why I have a lot of epinephrine and other remedies if someone has an adverse reaction or only learns of an allergy after treatment.
I do think that everyone should study up on medicine and its effects though. In particular, usage of antibiotics and how to reduce or eliminate risk of creating resistant infections.

I would not hesitate to jab someone with an epipen if they were stung by a suzumebachi though. They're hornets the size of a hummingbird and they sting dozens of times without dying. Every year they kill people here. A few other insects like this in Japan. If I see someone swollen up from a sting and they can't breathe anymore, and the ambulance is still 15 miles away, they're going to get injected.


DIY medicine is definitely not something you should do if you have alternatives available. It's only for when you're unable to get medical treatment for whatever reason - out in the mountains, in a disaster, etc.

HOLY CRAP what as size of a hornet !!!!!!

Big enough to carry a 1lb. coconut anyway.

It often amazes me when people in Florida don't keep so much as a gallon of bottled water etc, or go camping hours from the nearest paved road, nevermind town, without so much as some gauze and tape.

First aid kits were obligatory in cards a decade ago,for no good reason,nothing inside would help in a car accident save for a small bruise, and first responders advise people to not touch the wounded so why even bother to make it a legal requirement ? took them too long to get rid of that stupid law.

as for house i have the usual for light wounds :Bandage,Gauze,Band-aids, and always medicine for sickness,diareah,headache,stomach problems (Swollen or acid), i dont know the term but "reaction" medicine for insect bites and such,oils for burnt skin, medical clipers/scissor,a dentist scalpel and medicinal herbs.
nothing apocaliptic,just the usual for everyday sickness and home wounds/acidents.

I've always liked those countries that had laws against "failing to render assistance"

Both my wife and I are first-aid qualified, and have comprehensive kits in both our cars. As for the risk of administering aid and facing prosecution, it's extremely unlikely (especially in English law) as the intention was to help rather than cause harm. If someone's bleeding out, and you apply a tourniquet and they live but lose the limb, no judge is going to find against you.

MORPHINE!!!!! stab stab stab ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh smiles.

I have some peroxide, rubbing alcohol, and an assortment of gauze pads and whatever tape I have laying around.

Hockey tape and paper towels.