What's in your emergency medical kit, if anything?

Joined
Aug 13, 2019
Messages
138
Mine consists of Excedrin! But this may be one area I am flirting with a real problem without a real emergency medical kit.
 
Our rule is that we don't carry anything that we don't know how to use. A few bandaids, some Advil and Tylenol, a couple of larger bandages, a wrap or two for sprains, some Immodium and Pepto-Bismol, Benadryl, some Neosporin. If we break a leg or slice open a vein, we will be offered our choice of those...
 
Trying to pick up epi pens has been problematic. I have a medical appointment in a couple months so I'm going to make up a story about reacting to a bee sting. Others have told me that's how they have received a prescription. I also carry the quick clot, seems like a lightweight solution if the SHTF.
 
We keep it minimalist and tend to live a bit dangerously lol, more than just a FAK but enough FAK stuff for what we have encountered over the decades though I’ve been considering adding a bone saw...

C5C616B7-45AE-4EF2-839C-246941964DEE.jpeg07CB3BDA-6A58-4AD8-8F2E-275A4AFB6AB7.jpeg
Mini Bic

Fatwood

Cotton ball

Ferro rod

Dram of tea tree oil

Cotton swab

Scissors

2x2” gauze pad

33” first aid tape

2 butterfly closures

Safety pin

Nylon upholstery thread

4 sewing needles

600 grit sandpaper

Duct tape

Kenyon tape

Allen key for BD pole locks

Mini compass
 
We do carry an epipen, but that's because I AM allergic to bee stings. And I carry a double, because you might need both doses in the back country. But I don't think faking an allergic reaction will get you a prescription---because when I sought treatment, they did a whole series of injection tests to determine exactly which kinds of bees/yellowjackets/wasps/etc. created the reaction. Only then would they prescribe. That, and being dishonest with your doctor is just not a good idea....grin.

Oh--and if you are allergic, you'll go through a massive series of de-sensitivation injections, years worth, to try to eliminate or mitigate the reaction.
 
Trying to pick up epi pens has been problematic. I have a medical appointment in a couple months so I'm going to make up a story about reacting to a bee sting. Others have told me that's how they have received a prescription. I also carry the quick clot, seems like a lightweight solution if the SHTF.
You can also just tell the Dr. that you are taking up beekeeping. I did take up beekeeping and that is how I got mine, then the problem I ran into was that there seemed to be shortages of epi-pens.
 
One item that I always carry after a chafing incident while hiking the Superstitions in Arizona is lanacaine anti-friction cream. Along with a somewhat standard first aid kid: Bandages, pain medication, immodium, pepto, gauze pads, ace bandage, moleskin, Benadryl, suture kit. I'm sure there is probably some stuff in there that I forgot about.

The most used items are pain medication, lanacaine, stomach medication, and ace bandages.
 
Trying to pick up epi pens has been problematic. I have a medical appointment in a couple months so I'm going to make up a story about reacting to a bee sting. Others have told me that's how they have received a prescription. I also carry the quick clot, seems like a lightweight solution if the SHTF.
Try to get a vial... Single or 10 dose and insulin single syringes. .. cheaper and more usable.
 
You all who carry epi pens, do you have a known allergic action or are you simply erring on the side of caution?

I’ve been stung over the decades many times from bees and wasps while hiking and bike riding and even walking out into my backyard when a bee attracted by the hummingbird feeder hit my neck and stung me recently. It was swollen a bit but nothing serious. I put a little paste of baking soda like my mom always did for me in my youth.

I know reactions can change with age but not sure how much weight to put on this issue. We do have a wilderness area nearby where we have to walk through hordes of wasps taking water along a narrow stream. We have to brush through them for a good 30 yard stretch but have never been stung there. Not protecting a nest perhaps.

I worry more about a fall but a bit of snake bite anti-venom might be proper where we live. Probably expensive though. Arizona has recently legalized recreational weed. So perhaps good for medicinal purposes only...since we never take any kind of pain meds or snake bite medicine. You know, just in case...
 
Snake antivenom has to be kept cool..... Weed is still illegal on federal property no matter what state. I have epi just cause I have a bunch for my wildland fire EMT job.
 
@Wyatt Carson Just as an emergency backup. We had a local resident stung on the drive home a few years back. That his wife knew, he had never reacted before but died on the drive. This and a few other similar cases have prompted me to want some. I just read that I can buy it at a reasonable price in Canada, so when the border re-opens, I'll head over there, if my doc won't prescribe it here.

I'll just have to remain calm when re-entering the US. :)
 
@Wyatt Carson Just as an emergency backup. We had a local resident stung on the drive home a few years back. That his wife knew, he had never reacted before but died on the drive. This and a few other similar cases have prompted me to want some. I just read that I can buy it at a reasonable price in Canada, so when the border re-opens, I'll head over there, if my doc won't prescribe it here.

I'll just have to remain calm when re-entering the US. :)

Thanks, very similar to some of the other statements I’ve heard. Good to get it from one so close to the result.
 
Aspirin, couple band aids, couple blister cover things, and quick clot. Anything happens that requires more than that, well, hope the SOS button on the inReach works.
 
I don't know, maybe I have been a risk taker, I've brought very little on my trips in the Adirondacks...and now that I want to venture out further and longer in wilder places, and getting older, I should be learning about the minimum first aid kit I should be bringing.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top