First Aid Kit Contents

[Gary110]

Ok guys, I have finally put finger to keyboard and made up a list of things that I believe should be in a Vehicle First Aid kit. There are 3 sections to the kit; firstly the items that I think everyone must have in a kit, secondly the items that you should have, and thirdly the items that would be nice to have in your kit.

Of course this is also dependant on how far you may be travelling from the nearest medical facility, or for how long. I think that the "must haves" are what would really work well for a day at a local track or the dunes, the should haves would be good for a trip into the bush, but still within a couple of hours of a good hospital, and then the "nice to haves" for the serious overlanders up into Africa.

Please, this is not the Alpha and Omega of first aid kits. Many guys have some very good ideas for items in a first aid kit! Lets hear them! And if its really good I will amend the list to include it! I have put the list as an attachment so you can download it and print it a lot more easily, feel free to do so, its a list to help everyone get a kit together as effectively and cheaply as possible. If you feel that there is something on the list that you personally dont need, then leave it out! And if there is something that you personally want to add to it, then thats also ok! This list is just what I have found, in my personal experience as a paramedic in both SA and many African countries, to be what works for me.

What I also must stress though is that everyone does a first aid course. Not because the job says that you have to, or because I say so, but because the life you save could just be that of a loved one. Do the most advanced course that you can afford, the money will never be wasted!

I will also be setting up a document that will help the guys out there with what to do in some of the more common emergencies, and illnesses away from home. Sort of a "Bush medicine for the Layman" type document. I will also post it as an attachment so that it can be downloaded and printed and kept in a folder in the car until needed for reference. However as there is so much that can go wrong and there is so much that I would like to write about that this will take me some time. So just be patient guys, I'll do my best.

Also many thanks to Stan Weakley for all his help and input into this! Much appreciated Stan

First Aid Kit.doc

[Dirk]

Brilliant thank you!

[Stan Weakley]

Well done Gary, I am sure that all forum members appreciate your time and effort. Truly a "service to the community".

I think this is THE definitive list for a first aid kit. I would suggest using this as a check list, each of our requirements and priorities vary. Only take what you are competent and confident to use.

I suggest the moderators await further suggestions and modifications to this list, before making it a sticky and perhaps locking it once Gary is happy.

Stan.

[hbannink]

Thank you very much for the time and effort invested in this brilliant addition to the community

[Willemvan]

Outstanding, thanks for the hard work!

[Spike]

Made "sticky"

[Alansut]

Thanks Gary, now we have a great list but what about training. There are lots of courses on the Forum for taking care of vehicles and the like but how about a first aid course. Not everyone needs the formal courses available but we all must know the basics, is there anyone here who could provive such a course ?

[Gary110]

Hi Alan,

I am a registered American Heart Association first aid instructor, and could offer the course at a big discount to forum members. However the course is not that good for wilderness type medicine, although it does cover CPR and the use of an Automed External Defibrilator (AED). What I will be doing is setting up a "manual" of first aid basics for everyone, and then what I could do in the future is offer a first aid course based on that to forum members at a cost that will only cover my expenses. But this course will not be recognised by any official institution or association, and will therefore be completely "off the record". I will first have to discuss the merits etc. thereof with Dirk, as I dont want to advertise on the forum without being a Commercial Member, and as this would not be my normal business, and I would not be making any profit per se, I really wouldnt want to sign up as a commercial member.

Once I have the "course notes" set up, I will discuss all this with Dirk and see how we can move it forward for the benefit of all forum members. Watch this space...

[Koos Best]

Well done Gary!!!!
will definitely use your list.

Cant wait for the Bush medicine document.

[Alansut]

Thanks Gary, put my name on the list once you have ironed out the logistics. Alan

[Paul Dold]

Multi thanks! Most essential!

[ChrisLab]

Thank you very much Gary
Will certainly make use of this.


Chris.

[AlexFl]

Thanks Gary. That's very kind of you.

[A3AN]

Impressive, thanks for your effort.

[Jolly Green Giant]

Brilliant, thanks Gary.

[HeinrichC]

Thank you for sharing you knowledge, this is brilliant!

[PaulWW]

Thanks for this Gary, very informative

[Stan Weakley]

I am a little surprised and disappointed that forum members have made so few suggestions for Gary's excellent list. He will value further contributions. Many members, although not first aid experts, have many hours of field experience. There is a vast fund of untapped practical experience out there, practical tips and solutions would be valued. For instance, what are the most common ailments that arise in the bush and how do you deal with them? What do you carry to best deal with these?

Regards to all.

Stan.

[Jean Kotze]

Gary and Stan,

Thank you for the info.

[Uys]

Gary :