BOB Medical Kits

[Kelly Alwood]

I would like to share my thoughts on portable medical kits. I will start by saying that I have several kits that I carry and use. I have a kit that is carry in my EDC (every day carry) bag.
Lets begin by defining the purpose and role of this kit. This kit is a trauma kit. This is not a first aid kit. This is to treat life threatening issues. It is not packed with bandaids or comfort items. This is a kit to keep you or your travel mates alive through extreme adversity and severe injury. Some things will be given up when we bug out, and luxury and comfort are the first two left behind.
The importance of this kit cannot be over stated! Think about this; A survival expert could leave the house and go into the wilderness with nothing at all and be just fine. Again, comfort and luxury are not considered as you left that behind. But, you can manufacture everything you need to survive from the environment EXCEPT medical supplies. I can make rope, knife, shelter, everything but antibiotics, quick clot, narcotic pain relievers, clamps, sutures, etc.
THIS STUFF MUST BE PROCURED AND PACKED.
So, keeping with my adherance to small, lightweight, and multipurpose rules, lets look at some things we could put in our kits.
BTW, these kits can contain a lot of useful things, and still be very small. I will attach a picture of one of mine to show how small and light you can keep these.
The closest thing to a comfort item in my bag is narcotic pain relievers. I obtained a perscription for them. This may be the difference between a person being able to function or not after a traumatic injury. You may be stabilized and have to move out of a danger zone. Without powerful pain meds, most people will not be able to function.
The next thing is a tournaquet. You will notice this on the far left of the picture. It is a SOF tactical tournaquet. It can be applied with one hand..On any appendage.
Then we have a cravat. This has several uses: sling, tournaquet, splint, sponge.
Next is the suture kit. I think for the size and weight it is a must. A wound must be closed after debridment and cleaning.
I have a scalpel. Surgical scissors. Both of wich can be used for the suture job, or cutting your way to a bleeding blood vessel, or chricothyrodomy.
I have a 1cc sringe. I use this to administer the Lidocain with Epinephrine and hydroxyzine in my kit. The lidocaine allows you to suture, and the mix with Epi, helps stop the bleeding.
I carry Hydrocodone for pain managment. I have two surgical gloves in the kit. These can be used for a face mask for cpr, flutter valve for sucking chest wound, or actually wear them. Since we are bugging out with family and or friends, I'm not so worried about contracting something from them, as much as infecting their wound.
I have a hemostat clamp. This is used to immediately stop a severed blood vessel. This would be applied to the artery first, so it can be sutured or tied closed. But once clamped, the person can be moved with this attached and "hanging".
The next piece is a 250ml IV bag, kit, and 18 ga. catheter.
A quick clot sponge is on the outside pocket for immediate deployment. This is an exceptional piece of gear. A must have for any trauma kit. The last piece in this kit is a small role of medical tape.
As you can see the kit is very small and light weight. No reason not to have one. AND to gain the knowledge and skills to use the gear.

[AZ Prepper]

What good first aid books have you come across that you'd recommend for the novice in this area?

[Kelly Alwood]

While checking and repacking my med kits today, I realized I forgot to mention two items in my bag. An Epipin, and a 32 french Naso airway, for both nose and Crich if needed.

[Sgt Prepper]

Great kit! Thanks! What is a good, legal way to get prescriptions Epipin, hydroxyzine etc to put in your med kit?

[Kelly Alwood]

I have found after teaching many classes and preparing many courses, that normally people can get them legally. I got my perscriptions, and my students get them from their doctors; by telling them exactly what you want them for. You would be suprised at how many doctors are in our "group" of like minded preppers. We have also hAd good success with this stocking up a little on everday meds for 72 hour kits as well.

[blbardsley]

THe information about the trauma kit is AWESOME. The only thing I would add is something that may seem obvious, but I run into it a LOT. The kit described above is absolutely USELESS if you lack the knowledge and skill to use it. I cannot recommend highly enough that, if you intend to try to practice emerency medicine in an austere environment, you get some training beforehand. A First Responder, or even better, an Emergency Medical Technician-Basic course is something that is affordable and reasonable short. If all you are looking to do is know how to slap a tourniquet on or maybe a pressure dressing, then there are some pretty good classes that run between one day and a week long. The first time you see an arterial hemmorrhage should not be kneeling in a ditch trying to work on a loved one. Trying to learn trauma management by reading about it is no different that trying to learn how to shoot or pick up a martial art by looking at a website or handbook. It just isn't going to work without some hands-on instruction.
That being said, for the novice I would reccomend any of the Basic Trauma Life Support (BTLS) or Pre-Hospital Life Support (PHTLS) books that are intended to go along with the two day classes of the same name. A good EMT-Basic texbook would also probably be a good investment.Another good choice is called 68W- Advanced Field Crafts Combat Medic Skills. For the more experienced provider, I would recommend the Special Operations Forces Medical Handbook or Ditch Medicine- Advanced Field Proceedures for Emergencies.
If anyone is interested, I'd be happy to give some more recommendations for books or websites.
I appologize if that came off as preachy, but I have seen far too many people with great kit and no skills.

Ad Medicor Proeliator

[Kelly Alwood]

blbardsley is a medic stud. Thank you for your comments. For those who dont him, he is decorated combat medic. Suffice it to say that he knows way more than me, and has years of real life experience. I constantly bug him for advise on these matters. He is my primary mentor in all things medical. I will add my testimony to you that no gear will help you or a loved one survive without propper, formal medical training, which includes a good understanding of anatomy and physiology.
Anything else you would add or change or subtract?

[skiddlyarcus]

Does the expiration date on an epipen need to be followed exactly? I know some medications are effective long past the expiration while others will turn toxic and shouldn't be used. However, what's the story with an epipen? How long will it be effective after it expires?

Also, to get a presciption, what would you recommend for the narcotic pain reliever? Is Oxycodone as good as hydrocodone? (I have some of the oxycodone from a previous injury).

[blbardsley]

The epipen does not become toxic upon passing it's expiration date. It is highly recommended that you get a new one as the potentcy will decline over time, but they expired ones are better than no epi at all.

As far a narcotic pain relief goes, hydrocodone is about as heavy as you want to get for a BOB. Anything more than that and you start have serious LOC (level of consciousness) issues as well as concerns about overdosing. To be honest, I personally would go with Tylenol 3. If you have any sort of narcotic, you are probably going to want to have Narcan, if you can get it, to counteract the effects.

I cannot stress highly enough that you have a prescription for these things. If a Law Enforcement Officer finds this stuff on you and you don't have a prescription, you are going to jail. Don't pass go, don't collect $200. You also really want to try to find a physician that is sympathetic to your cause so that you can discuss your personal medical history and how it might effect your reaction to different medications.

These medications are VERY powerful. I'll get very briefly back on my soapbox and talk about education. Administering any sort of medication, even ones we think of as safe, can have GRAVE consequences under certain consequences. If you plan on making prescription medications part of your kit, be sure to educate yourself thoroughly on their indications, countraindications, and side effects.

[skiddlyarcus]

T
These medications are VERY powerful. I'll get very briefly back on my soapbox and talk about education. Administering any sort of medication, even ones we think of as safe, can have GRAVE consequences under certain consequences. If you plan on making prescription medications part of your kit, be sure to educate yourself thoroughly on their indications, countraindications, and side effects.

Thanks - this is my biggest concern with prescription medications ... I'm not a doctor and I wouldn't know the slightest about what not to give to who. I like the Tylenol idea - I'm more comfortable with that.

[Kelly Alwood]

Bardsley always has the answer. Thanks medic stud.

[Kelly Alwood]

A great BOB medical kit might be the IFAC. We carry these overseas on our person all the time. These kits, combined with the knowledge and proficiency to use them, area a real life saver. Something like this should be in everyones BOB or 72 hour kit. These are made for trauma management and not first aid, which should also be in there somewhere.

[rlewis581]

This is exactly what I was going to ask. Please send me a link to get books, ebooks, and also hands-on training. If someone is hurt you cannot wait until you find someone with this knowledge. How long is the course and how expensive?
Thank you
Rog
rlewis581@yhoo.com

THe information about the trauma kit is AWESOME. The only thing I would add is something that may seem obvious, but I run into it a LOT. The kit described above is absolutely USELESS if you lack the knowledge and skill to use it. I cannot recommend highly enough that, if you intend to try to practice emerency medicine in an austere environment, you get some training beforehand. A First Responder, or even better, an Emergency Medical Technician-Basic course is something that is affordable and reasonable short. If all you are looking to do is know how to slap a tourniquet on or maybe a pressure dressing, then there are some pretty good classes that run between one day and a week long. The first time you see an arterial hemmorrhage should not be kneeling in a ditch trying to work on a loved one. Trying to learn trauma management by reading about it is no different that trying to learn how to shoot or pick up a martial art by looking at a website or handbook. It just isn't going to work without some hands-on instruction.
That being said, for the novice I would reccomend any of the Basic Trauma Life Support (BTLS) or Pre-Hospital Life Support (PHTLS) books that are intended to go along with the two day classes of the same name. A good EMT-Basic texbook would also probably be a good investment.Another good choice is called 68W- Advanced Field Crafts Combat Medic Skills. For the more experienced provider, I would recommend the Special Operations Forces Medical Handbook or Ditch Medicine- Advanced Field Proceedures for Emergencies.
If anyone is interested, I'd be happy to give some more recommendations for books or websites.
I appologize if that came off as preachy, but I have seen far too many people with great kit and no skills.

Ad Medicor Proeliator