Emergency medical response kit?

[Lost Californian]

My church is just starting up a safety/security group. One of the topics is being ready for injuries. My question is, what is really necessary, and needful, to have on hand for all types of injuries? From splinters and minor cuts (think kids horsing around) to elderly person falling in the icy parking lot, all the way thru and active shooter scene.

What I call basic first aid - Band-Aids, bandages, gauze pads, slings, antibacterials, etc - is easy enough. What more should be included? This is going to be used be general purpose people, not first responder types. Yes, the basic and advanced Red Cross courses will be given, and there are a variety of nurses in the congregation, just not as active team members. Some have asked about tourniquets, but nobody knows what type to get.

Is there a pre-made kit I could purchase? Would probably want 5 such kits, so price is a factor.

Any and all advice about such a kit will be greatly appreciated!

 

[jbombelli]

Here's what I bought and carry in my EDC pack.

Executive Protection Vehicle Kit

This popular kit contains everything you need to address major trauma, minor wounds, and contains a variety of basic topicals and medications for everyday needs.

www.rescue-essentials.com

 

[actaeon277]

Some good info in these threads

Life saving First Aid in a mass casualty situation.

In light of recent attacks with mass casualties we need to think of the aftermath. EMTs and ambulances response times are no faster than police. Most of us think through GGWAG senarios, but it would be a good idea to plan on good guy with a band aid situations too. Are you prepared? I have...

www.indianagunowners.com

First aid EDC

A post re: Orlando, and the need for timely hemorrhage control during these types of incidents got me thinking: If you wear tactical-style pants, it is easy (easier) to carry various component of a first aid kit (tourniquet, bandage, etc). But, what about when you are wearing normal pants...

www.indianagunowners.com

Best first aid kit?

When I was in LE and executive protection I was always issued kits and I came close to buying one at the last Indy gun show. Can anyone recommend a good one for home and travel? I'd like to get one that has surgical supplies. Staple kit, etc. And also gun shot wounds plus the little things like...

www.indianagunowners.com

 

[Shadow01]

I bought a basic bandage kit at walmart then bought additional items on line to upgrade what I had to a kit that would cover everything I thought was reasonable. Much cheaper than buying a complete kit on line. Make a list of traumas you want to have the ability to handle and work from there.

 

[snapping turtle]

Bear independent has nice pre made kits.
Adventure kit or pACK kit (public access casualty kit).

AED might be a nice add also.

If ordering multiple kits for a church I would call them in person. I bet they make a deal

Bear Independent Store

ifak safety security training and preparedness for any level of trauma

www.bearindependent.com

 

[BE Mike]

I'd check with the pros, i.e. EMT, nurse and doctor for suggestions as to items most likely needed. One thing that will need addressing is having someone to weekly check the supplies and replenish as needed. Our church also decided to get two AED's (Automated External Defibrillator) one for the church and one for the church bus.

 

[freekforge]

I went to the hospital on a slow night and asked to talk to a doctor that wasn't busy. I told him what the kit was for and and what he would want done before the pt got to him and he helped me pick out stuff for a kit. I'm not sure if that would work for everyone since I was a cop then but it's worth a shot. I worked dayshift patrol every Sunday for a year so I would hang around the churches in case something happened so I had a dedicated church kit.

Something I think is over looked would be narcan and a tube of icing. Narcan not so much for illicit drugs but I've gave some to an old lady that was confused and accidentally took to many pain pills and ODd. Then the tube of icing for blood sugar dropping the ambulances in the town I worked carried it over glucose gel.

 

[Lost Californian]

Thanks for all the replies, and the links to the kits. Leaning towards getting a generic wall mount first aid kit to hang on the wall, for the little things that happen, and better kits, pre-made or diy, for the more serious injuries.

 

[Destro]

Whatever you decide, make sure you get the real deal.

Many tourniquets are copied overseas and sold on Amazon. They look identical but they aren't.

 

[Devilpig]

There's tons of advice on the normal stuff like tourniquets, Israeli bandages, chest seals and stuff like that. These items you'll probably have to order online from a specialty store, I'll recommend Chinook Medical but there's plenty of others. Don't buy stuff from Amazon...full stop, you're concern is saving lives, not money. Research those things and how to use them.

I'll tell you from personal experience however, that there are great things to buy from CVS or Walgreens. Get the self adhesive wrap (Coband?), that stuff plus packing gauze makes a great substitute for when an Israeli bandage might be too big or you might be out of them. Have lots of extra compressed gauze, most kits (in my opinion) are lacking in it. If this is a kit that's just going to be in a building, it wouldn't hurt to have a razor and shaving cream available to remove chest hair for use of the AED or in applying a chest seals. Wipes are also good to have to wipe away blood if you have to dry the skin off to apply a seal. It's also good to have burn gel on hand as well.

The most important thing is to take accredited courses and learn some anatomy. There is no definitive list of what all is needed but there's a million suggestions you could take, listen to the good and be careful with the overly creative "well it makes sense to me," talk/listen to first responders and ER crew.