James,
The letter “First Aid Kits Are not Enough” is a great example of the need for all of us to lay in a large supply of real first aid equipment! The place I would recommend everyone start is the Israeli Battle Dressing (known as the “Emergency Bandage” here in the U.S., and as “IBDs” in military and police circles). They generally go for $5-6 on the net, and can be had cheaper in quantity. I know I can’t go to any drug store and secure first aid materials that will do what it does for $5! IBDs are manufactured and distributed by PerSys Medical of Texas, and they have a free “how to apply” video on their site, which is available directly from them as a CD-ROM, all for free. There are many other bandages like it on the market, (CinchTight, etc.), and all I’ve tried will work. But, I find the IBD to be the best over-all design and easiest to apply, so that’s what me and mine have standardized to. However, the point here is that while Red Cross First Aid is a wonderful program, and 4×4 gauze pads have their place, those things are only a basic foundation when it comes to serious wound treatment. Learning the proper application of a military grade trauma dressing should be a high priority for every member of the family! We should own large amounts of such dressings and carrying them with us at all times! (I carry six in my vehicle and one in my coat.) Here is an article about the Tucson, Arizona, mass shooting, describing why. – Bill from Ohio
Sir:
I have very extensive medical and first aid kits. Among the items I have stored are alcohol, betadine, iodine, witch hazel, and hydrogen peroxide. I kept the various liquids in the manufacturer’s original plastic bottles. I then stored the bottles in the gasketed, air tight, water and crush proof, green metal cans with which we are all so familiar. The cans have been stored in the house, at a fairly constant moderate temperature. Apparently hydrogen peroxide is much more volatile than I realized. I recently checked my supplies and found that the peroxide in nearly every bottle had eaten its way thru the plastic and leaked into the can. In one case the peroxide had then eaten right through the metal can itself. I’ve had no problem with any of the other liquids. A friend of mine has had the same problem with the peroxide he had in his b.o.b., after less than a year of storage. He also had kept the bag and contents in his house. For now on we will both be keeping our hydrogen peroxide in containers separate from all other supplies. And we will be checking it much more often for bottle integrity. – Jim in Ohio