I am looking to purchase a first aid kit for my caravan. Any recommendations - either one available for purchase, or a list of what should go into it?
Thanks
Rex
Warren-Pat_01 said
10:22 PM Jul 1, 2018
Hi rexboggs,
Some questions - what is your experience in First Aid? Are you looking at minor cuts, burns or something more?
That will tell you what you need.
We carry a comprehensive kit in the car at all times - Pat is a nurse.
And "no" you don't need a full RFDS kit - just something to get you out of trouble. Telstra vehicles carry a kit that is packed in a "lunch box" - the items are renewed on expiry.
At a minimum, you'll need a packet of band-aids, some disinfectant fluid/cream eg Bedadine, surgical scissors, various sized bandaging rolls, sticky plaster, a triangular bandage, some safety pins/clips, perhaps a small tube of saline fluid & the latest St John's First Aid book.
Often you see people selling kits of various sizes in shopping centre hallways - that's where we bought ours.
Desert Dweller said
07:28 AM Jul 2, 2018
It depends whether you're planning to do brain surgery or simply put a band-aid on a cut finger.
How about posting what you think would be a minimum set of contents? I'd prefer to assemble a kit with advice from people with qualifications AND experience. I note (for example) that the RAA St Johns kit doesn't contain antiseptic.
Mike Harding said
01:41 PM Jul 2, 2018
MikeL wrote:
How about posting what you think would be a minimum set of contents?
I did think about that but I'm an electronics engineer with a blood phobia! Anyway... here is my FAK list, the kit is kept in a Tupperwear like box and the following is printed and taped on the inside of the lid and may be read without opening the box, also the other side of the list page may be used to write on.
Another item worth adding is a red permanent marker to mark the site of snake bite on the compression bandages.
----
This First Aid kit belongs to [insert contact details here]
First Aid book Gloves x 1 pair Paper tissues Eye bath Dettol Scissors Antiseptic cream Stingose Stop Itch Oil of cloves Thermometer - 37=normal, 38=high, 40=hospital Safety pins x 2 Tweezers Needle Pencil
Alcohol wipes x 10 Plasters, minor cuts x 30 Leukostrip x 1 pack - modern replacement for stiches Crepe bandages x 2 (75mm wide) Soft gauze bandages x 2 Micropore tape for fixing dressings to skin Wound dressing (10cm x 10cm) x 3 Gauze swab (7.5cm x 7.5cm) x 1 pack
Soluble aspirin (Aspro) for fevers, rheumatic pains and general pain relief - take 3 in water every 4 hours
Paracetamol general pain relief - take 2 every 4 hours
Ibuprofen, anti inflammatory - take 2 every 4 hours
Imodium - for diarrhoea. Take 2 initially, then 1 after each bowel movement
Stemetil - for vomiting. Take 6 per day max. with at least 20 min gaps between tablets
Phenergan - drowsy antihistamine and stop-itch properties.
Tourniquet - should get one! ----
End
MikeL said
02:20 PM Jul 2, 2018
Awesome - thank you. Anyone want to add to this?
I'd suggest
compression bandage (snake bites?)
Normal Aspirin (helpful in case of a suspected MI)
Spray on bandage
Superglue (for glueing sharp cuts together as a quick fix)
and that the thermometer should be a fast one such as a tympanic (ear) one.
Ear wax treatment
Good nail scissors and if you suffer from ingroing nails, softening treatment
>Superglue (for glueing sharp cuts together as a quick fix)
Good point. I recently discovered this was exactly the reason super-glue was developed, for battlefield injuries.
>and that the thermometer should be a fast one such as a tympanic (ear) one.
No, no and thrice no! Stay away from bloody electronics. They sit in your FAK for five years, unused, and then, on the one bloody day you want them, they won't work! The battery is flat of one of the electrolytic capacitors has dried out. Buy a simple, cheap mercury thermometer which has worked since the dawn of time and will continue until end and doesn't need a battery.
Gaylehere said
03:04 PM Jul 2, 2018
Some water (shower) proof dressings. We also have tick tweezers though haven't had to use them.
dabbler said
04:44 PM Jul 2, 2018
A lesson I learned a long time ago now, make sure your first aid kit is clearly identified and easily found. This might help someone else save YOUR life.
buffy61 said
06:38 PM Jul 2, 2018
I am an ICU nurse and all those things are great. Wouldnt bother with topical antiseptic...doesnt really work. Just clean a wound and apply dry dressing. Steri strips are good to have in first aid kit for wounds that may need joining together and you cant get it sutured. If you dont have steri strips you can always cut tape into thin strips and attach to one side of wound...push wound together and attach the other side of strip...it should have a little tension on it. Then cover with dressing.
if you suspect someone is having a heart attack immediately get them to suck a dissolvable aspirin in their mouth. It is anticoagulant and will help break down any clots that may be contributing to chest pain. And immediately find a doctor!
EJP said
11:11 PM Jul 2, 2018
We have a St John 'family' or 'general' type first aid kit which contains most of the abovementioned items and also a first aid handbook which can be helpfull. We replenish it as required. Recently we added a specific snake bite kit which includes instructions, a splint, general bandage, marker pen and pressure bandages with pressure indicators on them which ensures that the correct pressure is applied to the affected limb. Both of these types of kits are available online. The general purpose kit would suffice for snake bite, but we though that a specific kit which can be clipped to a belt or put in a backpack would be benificial. An increase in snake sightings in our area (semi rural) also helped. Aside from having these kits, the knowlege on how to use them is paramount. A recognised first aid course is recomended.
Regards EJP
rexboggs5 said
02:59 PM Jul 3, 2018
Wow, what a collection of responses! Very much appreciated. Lots of good advice in addition to the list of items.
Hello Nomads
I am looking to purchase a first aid kit for my caravan. Any recommendations - either one available for purchase, or a list of what should go into it?
Thanks
Rex
Some questions - what is your experience in First Aid? Are you looking at minor cuts, burns or something more?
That will tell you what you need.
We carry a comprehensive kit in the car at all times - Pat is a nurse.
And "no" you don't need a full RFDS kit - just something to get you out of trouble. Telstra vehicles carry a kit that is packed in a "lunch box" - the items are renewed on expiry.
At a minimum, you'll need a packet of band-aids, some disinfectant fluid/cream eg Bedadine, surgical scissors, various sized bandaging rolls, sticky plaster, a triangular bandage, some safety pins/clips, perhaps a small tube of saline fluid & the latest St John's First Aid book.
Often you see people selling kits of various sizes in shopping centre hallways - that's where we bought ours.
There's a kit for every need.
Some state motoring organizations sell them.
www.raa.com.au/shop/safety-and-car-care/first-aid-kits
Dunno what you'll get for $13:
https://www.aldi.com.au/en/special-buys/special-buys-sat-7-july/saturday-detail-wk27/ps/p/outdoor-first-aid-kit-101pc/
Also two or three of these are *very* worthwhile having in case of snakebite - they have a visual indicator to ensure correct tension:
http://www.homepharmacy.com.au/products/products_view.cfm?ProductID=4576
How about posting what you think would be a minimum set of contents? I'd prefer to assemble a kit with advice from people with qualifications AND experience. I note (for example) that the RAA St Johns kit doesn't contain antiseptic.
I did think about that but I'm an electronics engineer with a blood phobia! Anyway... here is my FAK list, the kit is kept in a Tupperwear like box and the following is printed and taped on the inside of the lid and may be read without opening the box, also the other side of the list page may be used to write on.
Another item worth adding is a red permanent marker to mark the site of snake bite on the compression bandages.
----
This First Aid kit belongs to [insert contact details here]
First Aid book
Gloves x 1 pair
Paper tissues
Eye bath
Dettol
Scissors
Antiseptic cream
Stingose
Stop Itch
Oil of cloves
Thermometer - 37=normal, 38=high, 40=hospital
Safety pins x 2
Tweezers
Needle
Pencil
Alcohol wipes x 10
Plasters, minor cuts x 30
Leukostrip x 1 pack - modern replacement for stiches
Crepe bandages x 2 (75mm wide)
Soft gauze bandages x 2
Micropore tape for fixing dressings to skin
Wound dressing (10cm x 10cm) x 3
Gauze swab (7.5cm x 7.5cm) x 1 pack
Soluble aspirin (Aspro) for fevers, rheumatic pains and
general pain relief - take 3 in water every 4 hours
Paracetamol general pain relief - take 2 every 4 hours
Ibuprofen, anti inflammatory - take 2 every 4 hours
Imodium - for diarrhoea. Take 2 initially, then 1 after
each bowel movement
Stemetil - for vomiting. Take 6 per day max. with at
least 20 min gaps between tablets
Phenergan - drowsy antihistamine and stop-itch properties.
Tourniquet - should get one!
----
End
I'd suggest
compression bandage (snake bites?)
Normal Aspirin (helpful in case of a suspected MI)
Spray on bandage
Superglue (for glueing sharp cuts together as a quick fix)
and that the thermometer should be a fast one such as a tympanic (ear) one.
Ear wax treatment
Good nail scissors and if you suffer from ingroing nails, softening treatment
>compression bandage (snake bites?)
Absolutely! See my earlier post about Setopress.
http://www.homepharmacy.com.au/products/products_view.cfm?ProductID=4576
>Superglue (for glueing sharp cuts together as a quick fix)
Good point. I recently discovered this was exactly the reason super-glue was developed, for battlefield injuries.
>and that the thermometer should be a fast one such as a tympanic (ear) one.
No, no and thrice no! Stay away from bloody electronics. They sit in your FAK for five years, unused, and then, on the one bloody day you want them, they won't work! The battery is flat of one of the electrolytic capacitors has dried out. Buy a simple, cheap mercury thermometer which has worked since the dawn of time and will continue until end and doesn't need a battery.
I am an ICU nurse and all those things are great. Wouldnt bother with topical antiseptic...doesnt really work. Just clean a wound and apply dry dressing. Steri strips are good to have in first aid kit for wounds that may need joining together and you cant get it sutured. If you dont have steri strips you can always cut tape into thin strips and attach to one side of wound...push wound together and attach the other side of strip...it should have a little tension on it. Then cover with dressing.
if you suspect someone is having a heart attack immediately get them to suck a dissolvable aspirin in their mouth. It is anticoagulant and will help break down any clots that may be contributing to chest pain. And immediately find a doctor!
Regards EJP
Thanks and Cheers
Rex