MySwag.org The Off-road Camper Trailer Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Paul (SA) on July 20, 2012, 02:47:05 PM
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Is there an official approval system for FAKs?
How do u know ur buying quality and not something below par? I am sure we all agree this is one area you don't want second best gear.
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GLC sells them http://myswag.org/forum/index.php?topic=18584 (http://myswag.org/forum/index.php?topic=18584)
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Beat me too it D4D.
Workplace First Aid kits are usually classified as either Level 1 (suitable for ,<25 employees) or Level 2 (>25 employees).
Extra modules are added on dependant on the workplace requirements (spills kits, snake bite bandages, Splints, etc).
This link gives an idea, but hopefully GLC will answer also.
http://www.firstaid-safetytraining.com.au/products/first-aid-kids/workplace-compliant-level-1-first-aid-kits.html (http://www.firstaid-safetytraining.com.au/products/first-aid-kids/workplace-compliant-level-1-first-aid-kits.html)
Cheers.
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I guess I am referring to a quality standard more than anything.
How do you know that a FAK you buy from the internet does not contain poor quality products?
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Hard to pass up 'GLC' .....member on this forum.
I have bought a bit of gear from him.... quality stuff, always quick to respond and post...... have a look at his web page;
http://www.givelifecenter.com/ (http://www.givelifecenter.com/)
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I am not familiar with the standards but I would have thought that the size of the organisation (more or less than 25) has more to do with how often you have to re-stock, rather than what's in the kit. As Mace says, tailor the kit to your needs. Eg. a house builder might need to deal with snake bite but have less exposure to chemical spills.
Quality is a relative thing. The medical scissors in your first aid kit don't need to be made to the same standard as those used by a surgeon. However I've heard that some packaged dressings from some parts of the world are not always sterile, and that should be an absolute requirement. Probably the main difference between cheap and expensive kits is not the contents but the quality of the bag or case, and that is the most likely thing that is going to wear out and let you down. It is also something you're not going to be able to assess looking at pictures on eBay. It sounds like GLC's kits have impressed those MySwag members that have bought them.
Dr Patr80l.
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Thanks guys.
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Have a look at the St Johns site.
http://www.stjohnsa.com.au/shop/ (http://www.stjohnsa.com.au/shop/)
We use them for our work utes etc.
remember you need to know the basics on use as well.
Donald Duck bandaids are pretty important if you have lill ones around
Cheers.
Titch
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I think the problem with first aid kits is they are designed for Workplace Health and Safety or for Trauma. They don't have enough of the ordinary things Band aids etc and stuff to patch you up if you are 100 miles from town. I started with a large Trafalgar kit from Repco for around $150 or so and filled it with all sorts of things based on my experience living in the bush. Also bought a few extra bits from a first aid supply company at our 4WD club one night and a small $30 kit to leave in the car or take walking as the big one lives in the van. Probably spent well over $100 adding stuff to the kit.
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I bought 1 for each family member one year for Xmas. We have one in the car and one in the camper. I think it's also important to have an Instruction Book for FA as well as quality product, as not everyone who'll need to use it will be FA Trained. I've added my personal touch to ours. Things that I know we use as well to compliment what "they" think we'll use.
Don't forget you'll need your prescription drugs (spares in the FAK) and the prescriptions themselves when travelling far from home.
As we have dogs, I also include things in the FAK for them. ;D
Kit_e
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I bought 1 for each family member one year for Xmas.
Kit_e
What a great idea :cup:
:cheers:
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Hi Swaggers
The RFDS is also always happy to speak to people about First Aid Kits, and I am sure they still sell them. I am biased, living extremely remote, but I reckon with their knowledge base, they are capable of covering all basic needs when travelling remote, and the best part is, they are non profit, so after overheads, the monies go back into the RFDS.
Regards
Tjupurula
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The RFDS is also always happy to speak to people about First Aid Kits, and I am sure they still sell them
Bumma
http://supportus.flyingdoctor.org.au/search/?SearchText=first%20aid%20kit (http://supportus.flyingdoctor.org.au/search/?SearchText=first%20aid%20kit)
Your search - "first aid kit" - did not return any results.
But they do have a tape measure, and ruler and pencil kit. :(
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What a great idea :cup:
:cheers:
Thanks ;D I got ones worth $100 for $25 so it was a great saving for me too.
We are a camping family so I knew they wouldn't be unwanted gifts.
I even personalised them a bit too for them. EG: Dad has dry eyes alot, so got him some drops for theirs / both Mum & Dad are older and ache alot, so got them a small tube of linament for the kit / tampons for the sisters one. Every extra I put in was appreciated on camp at some time or another and that makes for Warm & Fuzzy Kit_e & Family.
One year I'll buy a full resupply for each - as I have one too, so I'll know when they require it
Kit_e
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Top idea Kit_e. I bought the St. John's ones for both cars, one for the house and one for the boat. (The GLC one's are HEAPS cheaper and look like they have just as much stuff). I also have different stuff in each one.
Given the base level of knowledge that most of us have, I think it's a good idea to unpack and repack every first aid kit. The kit would be useless to you if you pulled it out the first time, didn't know where anything was and didn't know what anything was for.
For the boat kit, I added sea sick tabs and ginger pills, hydration packs, more sunscreen and blankets. For the wife's car, I added a warning triangle so that you can put it in the road in case of stopping to assist at an accident. In the Prado's one, I added sea sick tabs, sunscreen and hydration packs too, as well as a few extra instant cold packs. And in the house one, I also added the instant cold packs.
There are 6 things I add to every FAK as well.
Condoms x 6 (No, not what you are thinking :-*). Get the non-lubed. These are great for covering protruding foreign objects or carrying water. They're also good if someone loses a finger or toe. Keeps them clean in transit, if necessary)
Tampons - Great for stopping bleeding in really large wounds or plugging a slow leak (boat of camper)
Donald Duck plasters - already mentioned and absolutely critical ;D
Small LED torch and extra batteries - disaster never strikes when it's nice and sunny and in case you need to see into a wound or in a mouth (or to get a buzzing bug out of an ear.
Lighter or matches - in case the torch doesn't work or you need heat for whatever reason.
Sharpie write anywhere texter. It is impossible to label the skin of someone's arm (if you need to) with a pencil :)
Also, because we are generally adventurers and head out of civilisation, let me share two military-style tips with you for arranging your FAK and using it in the "wild".
First and foremost - go for a quick run. Just 1km or even only 100m, but run hard so that you are out of breath, then immediately open your FAK and get to everything. (i.e. unpack it). If the mud hits the fan in the bush or at the campsite, you will need to get into your kit when you are absolutely wired with adrenaline. (Some of us are wired for fight and some for flight, but all of us can function with a little training). If you then find that the kit is hard to navigate - get a different bag. The first one I bought from St. Johns is now my bag of 4x4 bits for this reason and has been replaced by a hard box-type kit and I can get to the thermal blankets at the bottom of the kit in just 5 secs.
I would also suggest that you unpack your FAK and do 2 things: When you get it and write down the expiry dates of things like Panadol and eye flushes and put a label on the outside of the kit (Easy if it's a box-kind, or use a spare sheet of material and the Sharpie to label the other kind. (This makes it easier to replace expired stuff and easier to check the kit before each trip). The second thing is very important: If you unpack something and you don't know what it would be used for or how to use it - throw it away or learn from a professional what it is used for.
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Hi Swaggers
The RFDS is also always happy to speak to people about First Aid Kits, and I am sure they still sell them. I am biased, living extremely remote, but I reckon with their knowledge base, they are capable of covering all basic needs when travelling remote, and the best part is, they are non profit, so after overheads, the monies go back into the RFDS.
Regards
Tjupurula
The RFDS Medical Chest is not something you can buy. It is issued to properties and I grew up with one. It contains a lot of prescription drugs (antibiotics, morphine etc). On occasion, we were asked to supply stuff from it to people on other properties. My FAK Has been augmented with as much as I can remember about its contents without the prescription drugs plus what we used all the time when living 90 miles from home to patch us up when we did something silly. One day I will make a list of my FAK kit contents.
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I brought the St Johns off road kit (on sale at BCF with money going to Marine rescue) and will add to this from the tips that you all have made. Hopeing never to use the kit .
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Got a little disappointed in the contents of most 1st aid kits, too much gauze and bandage when there are a lot of better alternatives, I'm no doctor or formally trained medic but this outfit has served us well for many years.
it's all about burns, stings, injurues to feet hands and eyes and no particular alliegance to any brand, just using what works best for the job
This 1st kit is kept in the car or in camp
ITEMS USES
TABLETS
Andrumin for Motion Sickness
Imodium for Diahorrea treatment
Kwells for Motion Sickness
Polaramine for Hayfever, Bites, Itches (adults & larger children)
Telfast for Hayfever, Bites, Itches (small children- better for their tummies)
CREAMS & LIQUIDS
Bandaid Healing Gel for Burns, Scalds, Sunburn, cuts
Bushman Insect Repellent
Calomine Lotion for Bites, Itches, has other uses
Cibavision Eye Drops for Eye Irritation
Lip Balm Aloe-vera 30+
Medi-Pulv Powder Antiseptic
Paw Paw Cream
Re-Hydration Gel for Mild burns, Sunburn, dry skin
Stingose Gel for Stings, itches, bites
GENERAL
Araldite small pack
Cotton Buds
Cotton Wool
Elastic Tape Bandage for Sprains & cuts
Kleenex
Matches for Remove leeches, sterilize, start a fire.light farts
Nail Clippers
Needle tipped probe for Extracting splinters etc
Retracting razor knife
Safety Pins
Salt & Pepper You never know!
Scissors Straight
Scissors Curved
Sewing Kit NOT for stiching up skin!
Soap small hotel style pack Cleanup before attending to wounds, leech proofing etc
String
Superglue
Toothpicks
Tweezers
BANDAGES & DRESSINGS
Alcohol Prep
Band-Aid Advanced Healing Incorporates gel technology (located in the tough strips pack)
Band-Aid Plastic strips Standard healing strip
Band-Aid Tough Strips various shapes for fingers & toes Waterblock Waterproof band-aid
Elastic Bandage Sprains, snake bites, broken bones
Elastoplast band-aids Standard healing strip
Elastoplast dot band-aids special shape
Elastoplast fabric bandages Cut to size 8cm x 10 cm
Elastoplast Non-Stick dressings 7.5cm x 5.0cm includes tape
Elastoplast toe strips for stubbed toes, fingertips
Light Gauze bandage Wound dressing
OpSite waterproof bandage 9.5cm x 8.5cm
OpSite waterproof bandage 6.5cm x 5cm
Sterile Gauze In sealed foil pack
This next one is always in the backpack for hiking (sometimes overnight hikes)
TABLETS
Imodium Diahorrea treatment
Kwells Motion Sickness
Polaramine Hayfever, Bites, Itches (adults & children)
Codral Cold tablets Runny nose, flu
CREAMS & LIQUIDS
Stingose Gel Stings, itches, bites
Zovirax Cold sores
Voltaren Aches, Sprains
GENERAL
Comb
Cigarette lighter
Cotton Buds
Cotton Wool
Elastic Tape Bandage Sprains & cuts
Kleenex
Matches Remove leeches, sterilize, start a fire
Magnifying Glass
Nail Clippers includes knife & scissors
Needle tipped probe Extracting splinters etc
Retracting razor knife
Safety Pins
Salt & Pepper You never know!
Scissors Straight
Sewing Kit
Soap small hotel style pack Cleanup before attending to wounds etc
Tick removal kit small & large size
Toothbrush
Toothpicks
Tweezers
BANDAGES & DRESSINGS
Band-Aid Advanced Healing Incorporates gel technology (located in the tough strips pack)
Breath-Right strips blocked nose etc
Elastic Bandage Sprains, snake bites, broken bones
Elastoplast band-aids Standard long healing strip, trim to size
Pressure Bandage Ankle
Pressure Bandage Knee
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The RFDS Medical Chest is not something you can buy. It is issued to properties and I grew up with one. It contains a lot of prescription drugs (antibiotics, morphine etc). On occasion, we were asked to supply stuff from it to people on other properties. My FAK Has been augmented with as much as I can remember about its contents without the prescription drugs plus what we used all the time when living 90 miles from home to patch us up when we did something silly. One day I will make a list of my FAK kit contents.
Thanks for that information Rod. We have an RFDS kit which is used only in any search and rescue tasks, which has been very rare as of late thankfully. I am only involved in that as I have UHF, HF and VHF set up in my house, for any desert rescue needs, as well as having UHF x 2, HF and Satellite phone in my vehicle. The First Aid Kit is always kept secure unless we need to send it out with searching vehicles.
Regards
Tjupurula
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Catch of the day has kits for $20 today.
http://www.catchoftheday.com.au/ (http://www.catchoftheday.com.au/)
Cheers.
Titch
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sorry been away for a little while, in response to the OP.
ALL first aid kits are supposed to be TGA certified and should meet the AS 2675-1983.
Unfortunately the standards are a guideline only and as such a lot of kit designers simply work on the basis near enough is good enough.
We work on the basis that if we wouldn't use it then it hasn't been designed right, the advantage we have over a lot of others is that we do use them as well as design them :)
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I personally use St Johns Ambulance Kits. I have found them to be good for the task.
Mine has been expanded slightly to include things that are more likey to be used and a couple of things for road crash trauma etc. I have it in the car all the time and it is contained in a pelican case these days so it can bounce around till its hearts content. It is also important to service your first aid kit as some items have expiry dates etc. I keep my emergency first aid kit and my safety grab bag with all the other stuff separate (the grab bag has a smaller personal first aid kit inside it). This way if you rock up to a car accident etc and render assistance you can just grab your first aid kit and not have to be shuffling through the other stuff etc to find it.
Also do a Senior First aid course they are worth every penny when you come across someone that may need your assistance.
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Also handy is a couple of small poptop water bottles 150/200ml for medication, wound flushing and a large syringe 20/50ml for wound flushing or suctioning.
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that is what I mean by ensuring we can trust our kits, our designers dont sit in an office and pretend to know what we are doing, we use our kits and on occasion when we find there is something we needed or is suggested then we improve on them.
The problem with a lot of kits is that they feel they must add items to their kits. we try to make sure that that is only an optional extra of their choice.
oh by the way the reason I have been missing :)
Russell V Sheep (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlUruPBcePM#ws)
the bag on the back had a neck splint and ice packs added to a 4 X 4 kit but otherwise fairly standard. Sheep went to sleep as it wasnt going to recover from that incident
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Ouch! Glad you came out alright
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Ouch! Glad you came out alright
Mmmm lamb sangas... :D
more to the point, was the bike ok??? that was always my concern when riding!
PS.. why did that bloke run all that way back instead of turning around and riding back!!
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we keep hanging it on him as well over that, but people do strange things when under pressure, thankfully we had a few people who had been trained by us so reacted quickly and positively in getting things sorted. I was still conscious so able to help as well.
bike was ok, rode it 1 hour later and was all good, I wound up going to the quacks, and they pretty well kept doing the same as we had been, just got great pain killers as well. Had I not have gotten the ice onto it straight away and kept icing throughout I think there was a high chance I was going to be a bit of a hoppit. was starting to compartmentalise so it would have needed draining at the least. But all in all was a good outcome and very pleased I came out better off than the sheep.
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I have one of the survival FAK's - http://www.my-firstaidkit.com/ (http://www.my-firstaidkit.com/) and were so impressed with them I bought two. I really like the layout of the kit, it folds up to be very compact yet you can fit a huge amount of stuff in them. I also added glowsticks, a flint lighter, superglue and aquatabs in the kit.
After some of the contents were past expiry I restocked from GLC - very happy with their service and the stuff was of good quality.
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Just received my 2 x blue bag First Aid Kits from GLC, they look great.
Thanks GLC!