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First-Aid Kits

tgf429

Plasterman
How many people carry a first-aid kit on their bikes. Is it better to buy one or make one up yourself? Where did you purchase yours?

Thanks

Tom
 
I purchased one at Dicks Sporting Goods, right before I went to the MOA rally. I figured there was space for one originally on my bike, so I might as well put one there. I didn't actually need to use it, but I'm sure I would have appreciated it, if I had. I was in some pretty remote areas on my ride out, and it would have been hard to get a band-aid, I think. :)
 
Most are pretty general and have a lot of things you don't need while lacking in basics for motorcycle specific emergencies. I made up my own:

FirstAidKit.jpg
 
I have a small first aid kit that fits neatly in the tail compartment of my 650GS. It was one of those freebie give-a-ways during open enrollment for healthcare benefits. It holds all the basics but hopefully I will never need to use it.
 
I carry the one I made up, has bandaids, sterile pads, gauze, tape, scissors, ace bandage, material for a tourniquet, amonia inhalants, sterile wipes, ibuprofin, tylenol, pain killer, arm sling, rubber gloves, snake bite kit. If you haven't done so I recommend you take the red cross course on basic first aid and CPR. you know, stop the bleeding, clear the airway, CPR as needed, treat for shock etc. EMS are usually not far away when called for but if someone is not breathing or has arterial bleeding you might just be able to save them prior to EMS arriving.
 
Kurt, If I ever need first aid, you got the kit. Nice! :thumb
I bought a starter kit from a military surplus store, I've added a couple of things to it, gloves, band-aids, shield for mouth to mouth. Needles and monofilment.
I was a Para-rescue troop in the Military so I'm trained in advanced aid, been a few years, but I still remember.
My kit lives in a pouch in the right bag, used it a few times on myself and others.

Rog
 
EMS is what I do.
kurt1305 has put together a nice package and rgvilla's education suggestions are spot-on, especially for day-trip scenarios.

If you are thinking of following in Greg's or Charley and Ewan's footsteps and circumnavigating the globe, headed down to Baja or setting off on the OBDR I'd recommend the Red Cross' Professional Responder Course. More of an investment in terms of dollars and time but it covers things like splinting and longer-term care that they don't touch in the basic courses.

Steve
 
There are several options when it comes too a first aid kit for portability on a motorcycle.
An inexpensive home made kit can be easily made. You can go to a dollar store and pick up a fanny pack.
I am no way insulting your intelligence. Visit your local fire department or ambulance service and talk to the men and ladies that work the roads. They
are the people that are the ones that can steer you in the right direction in carrying pertinent supplies.
These folks have great knowledge of also using alternative methods for stabilizing an injured rider prior too pre-arrival of EMS personnel. I have worked fire and EMS for 23 years. I never hesitate to educate the public on how to handle and emergency.
Now another thing you must also look at is the fact that we usually ride our bikes where no person has gone before. So in that case. You may be the first link in the chain of survival. I know this first hand when one of my best friends had a deer fall from the side of a mountain in the Coeur D' Alene National Forest. Thank God my friend suffered only minor injuries and a lump in his shorts. We had no cell phone service. Luckily a passer by went home and called 911.
Being in the middle of God's Country it took about 2 hours for the fire department and EMS to find us. My friend was stuck with Father Goose (me). So that is why it is very important for you as riders to educate yourself. If you are interested in getting some education, visit you local Red Cross office or speak to your local hospital staff to point you in the right direction on first aid and CPR classes.
There as been many times that I have utilized civilians that are first aid certified in assistance of a critical patient in the back of my ambulance for patient stabilization. That way we can prepare I.V.'s, cardiac monitor and drug box.
I hope this information will help you.

Take Care & Ride Safe
Pat Carol
 
Jamming said:
Kurt, If I ever need first aid, you got the kit. Nice! :thumb
I bought a starter kit from a military surplus store, I've added a couple of things to it, gloves, band-aids, shield for mouth to mouth. Needles and monofilment.
I was a Para-rescue troop in the Military so I'm trained in advanced aid, been a few years, but I still remember.
My kit lives in a pouch in the right bag, used it a few times on myself and others.

Rog

Thanks! I've learned a thing or two in 20 years as a street medic. :brow
 
Of course I have a FAK on my bike,

or in my backpack. But to be honest (and this is not a pat on the back statement). I carry a really sharp "Spyderco" Rescue Knife. It will cut through just about anything and I have learned in my former ways that "Environmentally" you have just about everything you need to patch up someone or make splints and bandages. Infection control is nice, but in the field emergency managment of life-saving even the best sterile dressing gets contaminated.

I agree with Steve, take classes become better informed and with training you will know what you need that a knife can't fix.

Bandaids are always in short supply and I hate having things like that in a sealed FAK, I always have extras in a little ziplock with some three-in-one neosporin or Bacitracin ointment.

I like the cell-phone as long as the batteries are good. Does everyone know that any Cell Phone with or without a service provider or current contract will call 911 if there is a signal? My wife and I have carried my old cell phones in our vehicles just for this purpose.

The more you know the better it gets... :D

Doc

(EDIT: Tom I forgot to answer your question I bought mine at REI it's made by Adventure Medical Kits and it's called the "Day Tripper". I also have some chemical warm packs for treating hypothermia and a CPR barrier device. All of this fits in the lid (Left Jesse Bag) with other first-responder stuff like road-flares, flashlight and stuff.) HTH - Russ
 
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In a backpack shop I found some special wound covers made especially for road rash wounds. I added several of those to my first aid kit. Don't know much about them but figured they might come in handy. ( hope I never need them) Might have been made for bicyclest originally.
 
Oh yeah- Carry your cell phone on your person, not on the bike. If in an accident and thrown from your bike if the phone survives and you are conscious no need to drag yourself back to your bike to find your phone. Also program in Home on the phone so if unconscious the responder will know who to call. Also carry a card with contact info. Like ATGATT, prepare for the worst.
 
I carry one...

It's a prepackaged unit, I think we may have gotten it at Target or something. Has the bare basics, nothing that you could really use at an accident scene, but enough to take care of minor stuff while away from home. I didn't look at it this season, since I checked it out last fall, but it has band aids, gauze pads, tape, alcohol wipes, small scissors, etc.
 
Doc, I also carry a very sharp Spyderco knife, ever use yours for an emergencey Trach ? In the military kits we used to jump with they had the cheapest scalpels they could find. We all had knifes sharpened to a razors edge for that purpose, unless we could steal some good scapels from the base hospital.

Rog
 
I carry a kit that I picked up at a camping store and added a few important things to it.

I have some notes that are available if you click here

firstaidkit.jpg


Following some other good advice, my wife and I also completed the Red Cross first responders training course.

One first aid tool not shown in the photo... a cell phone to call for real help.
 
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