what should be in every tech bag?

[TTLWHKR]

Speaking of dogs...

Wait. Nevermind

 

[fm_emt]

Exactly.


I shop mainly in this category:
Business/IND>Specialty Medical>EMT

All quality stuff? A small O2 tank & spare ice packs would be great to have. I just don't want some unsafe/stolen O2 tank that will fail if tested.

 

[TTLWHKR]

I buy tanks & regulators and donate them to local EMS and fire...

You have to use your own discretion. Someone may be a great, honest seller; another may not. As with any oxygen tank, if it's not new, and you don't know the history...Have it tested.

 

[BrandoEMT]

Ok, since I just joined this community this thread is way far ahead of me. I don't have time to read all of the posts but I skimmed them. If you want a ditch bag remember, who is going to use this the most? YOU!!! Buy a bag that is big enough for your vehicle and usage. You'll probably want many personal things such as over the counter pain meds, Band Aids and Neosporin (that's my favorite). If you work for a service I'd just (acquire) items that you need from them. Otherwise a couple trauma pads, many 4x4s, tape, trauma shears, flashlight, emergency blanket, candy bars? Just think to your environment.

Me? I'm from Minnesota I need to have winter weather things in mind too.

Truthfully I as many others have too much STUFF(keyword) in my kit. I have a Maxi-Medic bag from galls.com and have it stuffed with things that my boss tossed at me.

Right now I think my kit weighs about 15lbs since I am in Colorado right now and I figured with a 2,000 mile round trip there's bound to be something.

Anyway, think about practical things. If you want hand powered suction use a .99 turkey baster, and some tongue depressors rather than finger splints as splints...Remember, the key is CHEAP...I figure, if they are dying they don't care if it's sterile, as long as it's clean it's fine.


Just my 2 cents.

Brando

 

[TTLWHKR]

I used 18"x1" aluminum finger splints. Just because... Cut it, tape the edge, bend it, and you have a splint that offers double sided support.

Examples:

 

[BrandoEMT]

Question, I reviewed another agency's bag and I'm curious...how many tongue depressors does a person need? This bag had about 60 tongue depressors, no MCI I have ever heard of had so many pts that required fingers to be splinted. Personally I'd just use a twig or such. Oh well.

B

 

[MMiz]

Question, I reviewed another agency's bag and I'm curious...how many tongue depressors does a person need? This bag had about 60 tongue depressors, no MCI I have ever heard of had so many pts that required fingers to be splinted. Personally I'd just use a twig or such. Oh well.

B

I know we don't carry them in our BLS bags. We don't even carry any finger splints. We're the ambulance. If they call for a broken finger, which has happened, you better believe they're going to be a pt. refusal.

I carry finger splints in my own kit simply because I had some crazy college roomates.

 

[TTLWHKR]

We don't carry any

 

[Jon]

A note about carring OTC pharmacutical products... we, as EMT's, can't even give the stuff out... When my service does events, our APAP, etc only comes out if we have a doc onsite.

I worked for a service where I took my bag from my car and used it on the rig... because we had no jump bag.... the state passed the ambulance company with a fishing tackle box with 4x4's... All the supplies were sealed in cabinets.

be careful about keeping "personal stuff" in the jump bag... I keep mine in a ziploc bag near the top... so I can pull them out if needed.

Jon

 

[BrandoEMT]

I guess when I say personal stuff I mean what you are going to use the most. By no means am I suggesting using things such as meds or any advanced tools. I'm trying to say that a ditch bag is used mostly for personal use so you should pack a bag to that idea. But carry things that are covered under your scope of practice without Medical Director supervision. Good Samaritan Law covers a lot and as long as you don't do McGyver medicine you'll be fine.

B

 

[squid]

"Ditch bag"? Cool.

Mine is also my personal first aid kit, of course, which is probably what it mainly gets used for. I keep my aspirin, benadryl, sugar candy and stuff in a little nylon bag, so no one will see it and ask for some if I can't give it out, but I share it with my crew. I also keep some random personal things, like hand sanitizer, safety glasses, moleskin, and toilet paper, in there because you just never know. And a flashlight, extra socks and toque (it gets mightly cold here), and stuff like that that I could use on scene. Also one of those little pocket guides to ALS care, mostly because it has a space to keep notes and it has a good list of drugs. Also, who would want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere with nothing to read?

 

[Jon]

I guess when I say personal stuff I mean what you are going to use the most. By no means am I suggesting using things such as meds or any advanced tools. I'm trying to say that a ditch bag is used mostly for personal use so you should pack a bag to that idea. But carry things that are covered under your scope of practice without Medical Director supervision. Good Samaritan Law covers a lot and as long as you don't do McGyver medicine you'll be fine.

B

McGyver medicine?

That's how EMS got started... and have YOU ever splinted a fracture with a tree branch?

Gotta love Boy Scouts...

I'm just posting a warning about carrying pharmacuticals... be careful about how they are packed, and don't dispense them....

 

[BrandoEMT]

Hells ya, I'm an Eagle Scout! Everything I learned that is useful I learned from Boy Scouts!!!