[hellosailor]

Zanshin, another vote for AMAZON.

I just did the restock on three kits and damned if Amazon isn't cheaper than everyone else by a HUGE amount. Now, it can drive you crazy having boxes arrive from a dozen different sources, but the prices are nuts!

Gauze pads, bandage rolls, kling wrap ("vet" wrap) all typically 1/4 of the price that the big drug chains sell for. Two gauze rolls in CV-Wal-World for $10? No, a dozen rolls for $10 on Amazon. Totally nuts how they can sell and ship at that price.

Antiseptic, aspirin, other "headache" meds? 50 foil packets $10 and at that price, it becomes reasonable to get the individual sealed packets to keep moisture out.

Remember Bactine? An antiseptic and analgesic wash to put on cuts and scrapes? OK, that's 2/3 the store price, but J&J makes a "wound wash" that's the same stuff, even cheaper. Unlike peroxide it doesn't kill healthy tissue. Unlike betadine, it doesn't hide infection under a red color. Unlike saline...it actually kills bugs. Splinter tweezer, big one with a built-in LED light and magnifying glass? Four or five bucks.

Even the bandaids are cheaper, even the genuine ones with pretty pictures and cartoon characters on them, for the folks who don't have tattoos. yet.(G)

A lot of this stuff is coming from hospital and medical supply companies, who have found a good way to "do retail" and sometimes break down the bulk boxes into poly bags. But as long as it is sealed from the maker, who cares? I don't need extra cardboard retail boxes anyway.

One disappointment: I try to organize things in zip-lock pouches, and I try to find "school" supply kinds, in heavy vinyl. Those are hard to find, and some of them are not very good quality. But that's also available on Amazon, and it makes a better way to organize things if your day kit or trauma kit doesn't have all the nice pricey compartments in it. Memo to Santa, I'd like a medic jump kit with all those nice compartments and pouches in it.(G)

 

[hellosailor]

"The only thing I don't like is you never know how fresh it is, and things like anti biotic ointment do have expiration dates. "

I checked reviews for that specifically, and from the ones that got positive q&a's about good expiry dates, I emailed the seller (or posted the q for them) to be sure. It isn't always quick or easy, but you can find out.

And with Amazon's guarantees, if you don't get what you were promised, they'll either take it back, replace it, or refund the purchase & tell you to chuck it.

Just as good as going to the big drugstores, where they tend to put the price sticker over the expired date code.

The five-star merchants tend to move enough volume to keep it fresh.

 

[hellosailor]

If you've got the budget for some serious supplies, I'd suggest an oxygen bottle before the AED. While an AED is "only" useful for cardiac problems, there's no telling who may have no prior history of heart problems but then, surprise, has one. And given that the survival rate for heart attacks decreases about 10% per minute (10 minutes and you're gone) and having the AED present can beat that...certainly nice if you CAN afford it.

 

[hellosailor]

Mike-
As Gary said, you can usually order up the items for a kit, for much less than a pre-packed one. That $800 kit is nicely organized, and for some reason trying to organize things in a DIY kit is always impossible. You need to get a slew of packing cubes or vinyl pouches and then keep fiddling around until you can get things organized, labeled, and stowed. But usually that will cut the price in half.
There's also a lot of stuff in there that you or I would never use, which would only be of use if you asked "Is there a doctor in the house?!" and someone stepped forward.
One of the things that is taught in every first aid training is that you should never exceed your training. Use what you know how to use, resist any temptation to go beyond that. So the stuff most of us are not trained for (needles, IVs, breathing tubes) might as well not be packed, unless you're planning to have it for that doctor who just happens to be passing by without his bag.

How much is it worth to have a pre-packed nicely organized bag, from a quality supplier? In some cases, easily worth what they charge. In others...look at it this way, the same money and some time & effort will buy you one for the boat, one for the house, and one for the car.

 

[hellosailor]

Maybe some of you folks can clear something up for me. For a large skin tear or abrasion, traditionally you cleaned it and covered it, let it scab over and heal "dry".
More recently, sprinkling some quikclot or similar to scab it and seal it quickly.
But now I'm seeing that type of large skin wound treated by covering with a hydrophillic (vaseline-ish) dressing like Dermagran-B instead to heal 'moist'.
What's better for what criteria?

 

[hellosailor]

Thanks, Gary. The ointment dressings are something I had only heard of recently (year ago?) for this purpose. Like so many things (CPR with vs without breathing) there's always something new being suggested, or not.

I draw the line at stitches, unless I really have to do so. Apparently now they are also being "unsuggested" in favor of butterflies whenever possible, due to the butterflies needing much less work, less pain for patient, no problems with the buried part of stitch infecting, no extra trip for removal, etc. I've also compromised there and added medical crazy glue to the kits, again just in case, not for casual use. Apparently crazy glue works, and "real" surgical glue is now sold for veterinary use because it wasn't as flexible as the "new and improved" grade of surgical glue, which of course doubles the price again. I compromised on the veterinary stuff.(G)

 

[hellosailor]

Crazy glue solvent? AKA Acetone, in case someone needs a fast nail job.(G)

The generic stuff will still do better than nothing, but the veterinary & surgical grades are supposed to cause less stinging, and form a more durable bond/seal. If you figure the bottle should last 3-5 years unopened, not so expensive to add one in. Some are packed with single-use tippets for the bottle as well, so you get a fine control then throw it out instead of worrying about the tip clogging. New tip for the next application.

Funny thing about plain crazy glue though. I put some on a shoelace where the aiglet had come off? Figured if I soaked it and let it harden, that would work. Nope, the plain cotton (I think) shoelace actually started smoking and would have caught on fire. "Glue" usually doesn't do that, does it?