Roadside Accident 1st Responder Kit

Driving our highways is a dangerous endeavor that we do every day. Most of us will witness an accident, or worse be in one by the time we are 34 if we start driving by 16. There are 10,000,000 accidents a year according to insurance companies. Recently I was witness to a motorcycle accident where the victim had several broken bones, including a compound fracture.

It was a horrible scene, and the accident was right in front of me on the highway. I stopped my car and put on the flashers. One thing you realize when you walk up to an accident victim is they need comforting, and they need your calm if you can give it. If you are in a major city, the ambulance is just a few minutes away, but still those minutes can be important for their survival and their state of mind.

The kit I made is small, something I can grab and bring to the victim without effort. You can make a kit like this and keep it in your glove box. Make one for every vehicle, they are inexpensive enough and can help someone in need.

When you see an accident - Grab your phone and the kit and make your way to a victim. Sometimes there are more than one, so you'll hopefully have others helping so you don't have to triage the scene.

When you get to the victim -

You don't want to move the victim unless you have to. But you need to evaluate and communicate with them. Do the following with the victim:

1. Do a visual of their body, see if there is any arterial bleeding and use pressure to stop. There is of course much more you can do as a first responder, but this is an instructable for everyone. Everyone at the very least should know how to apply pressure to stop bleeding.

2. Tell them the ambulance is coming and to take it easy and don't move. (of course make sure this is the case, your first step is to call if no one else seems to be doing so)

3. Give them your name, and ask for theirs. Ask if they need you to call anyone for them. Remember just because they are conscious at that moment, does not mean they will be when the Ambulance arrives. Family members might have vital information to help EMT's and Paramedics when they arrive. Notifying their family is important and with the way phones lock now days, it could be difficult to get this information later.

4. Provide a blanket to them and make them as comfortable as possible without moving them too much.

At the same time all this is happening, more than likely there will be others that want to help. Provide them with the break and glow sticks if it's night time and ask them to make sure the area is secure from more accidents.

I'm sure others are more qualified than myself for advice on 1st responding, particularly EMT's and Paramedics. I'm hoping with a little bit of prep others won't feel intimidated with helping on a scene. I'd welcome any comments!

Step 1: Kit Side 1

Iodine prep pads for cleaning

Gauze

Easy wrap rolls

Blankets

Step 2: Kit Side 2

Scissors

Glass Breaker Knife

Flashlight

Sterile Gloves

Tourniquet

Ammonia Smelling Snaps

Celox Blood Clotting Agent

Flashlight

Comments

[JumpingJackie]

I never thought to have a First Aid Kit in my car. But ofcourse. Will get one asap.

[CollinS2]

Can't believe these answers here, ...

this is called a "first aid kit". And it is mandatory in every car in over 200 countries worlwide.

Glad to know, that someone reinvented this accross the atlantic :-)

https://www.google.de/search?q=first+aid+kit&safe=off&biw=1626&bih=1206&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwiyhcz9j9bJAhXB_Q4KHeaxD7EQsAQITg

[PhilB6]

It's meant to be a kit you would grab when walking up to an accident scene. I don't want a kit with everything in it, we have ambulances within 10 minutes. In my vehicle I have more extensive support tools and first aid, but this is the kit I will grab when walking up to a car accident. I published it with the hope that other readers would be motivated to make a similar one to give them confidence to help someone in need. I welcome any constructive criticism, rather than ridicule.

[CollinS2]

Sorry, couldn't help it, and excuse my lack of knowledge.

-- Taking wrsexton and you into account it is a good idea to get this kit onto the scope of people that were not trained to be first responders.

[PhilB6]

No Worries :)

[wrsexton]

CollinS2, that's a bit harsh. Yes, we have first aid kits. No, they're not mandatory in cars here because we don't choose to train drivers as first responders. Is that the best choice? Maybe not, but we are still a free country and we can make our own choices. There is nowhere on a highway in America an ambulance can't be in 15 minutes. We don't have political boundaries to deal with in emergency response. You deal with the quirks of your country and we'll deal with ours.

[jbcol1]

Good kit the only thing I would say is you don't want to use iodine. Many folks have severe allergic reactions to iodine. (Seafood allergies are due to iodine)

Thanks!

[PhilB6]

ok got it!

[Boomer1]

Good kit. I carry one that is like that, but more personalized for myself as I spend a lot of time out in the woods and far from help.

Good things to carry are...Knowledge.

Get basic first aid training from your local EMA, EMT's, etc. You can even take courses at your local Salvation Army. CERT is a good program to go through as they will give you plenty of hands on training.

also....

1. Nitrile Gloves. No need contaminating an open wound and also to keep yourself safe. Also, you wouldn't want to use latex gloves on someone that is allergic to them.

2. Gauze pads & Tape. You can do a whole lot with just these, as most wounds need the application of pressure and some absorption for clotting to occur more quickly.

3. Tourniquet. It is very important to carry one, but...use only in a situation where there is blood flow from a cut that cannot be stopped with pressure, like from an artery or a severed limb. And write down the time you apply it. There is a shelf life when using one and after 2-3 hours without blood flow necrosis will start and might endanger muscle tissue. So make sure to tell the EMT's that one is applied.

Keep the victim calm, most accident victims will be compliant, some might be going into shock, and some might be freaking out. But mostly if you stay calm they will too.

[PhilB6]

Thank you, good info the gloves I have are Nitrile.. I didn't quite get the significance of Nitrile with Alergies, I do now.

I agree on training, EMT courses are fun and serious at the same time, and 1st aid courses are a must.

[jsorr]

I was a paramedic for 30 years and taught EMTs in Florida and I feel qualified to comment on this first aid kit. First, I applaud the effort to want to help accident victims. The law (federal law) covers you from most liability in stopping to help accident victims under the Good Samaritan Act. However, any gear, equipment or medicines you carry and use can get you into trouble if the use of these things causes injury or increased injury to the victim. You should not use iodine on open wounds (or hydrogen peroxide for that matter). These medicines can cause tissue damage when used by the untrained person. The hospital will totally clean all wounds. Ammonia inhalants are ok for an ill person but so much for an accident victim who may have sustained a neck injury and is jolted into consciousness by inhaling ammonia. Always suspect a neck injury and anything you do to or for the victim must be done with the awareness that the victim may be negatively affected by your actions. Even a conscious, walking victim may have a neck injury. I don't think you should be concerned with anything except: is the victim bleeding out? And is the victim breathing? You can do mouth to mouth (with a rescue mask) and help control bleeding. Control the major bleeding before you breath for them. If you don't, you will be doing mouth to mouth on a dead person who cannot be revived because of massive blood loss. If you want to carry a tool, carry a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope and learn how to use it. Protecting the victim's neck, airway and being able to give rescue personnel the victim's pulse and blood pressure when you first contacted them are the best things you can do. By the way, the blood pressure cuff makes a great tourniquet. Never apply a tourniquet unless you know how to do it properly. The coagulating powder is relatively new and it seems like a fairly harmless, potentially helpful tool to stop bleeding. Prop the victim's feet up unless you suspect a broken leg. Keep victim warm.

If the victim is a family member or you are a long time from getting help, you may want to rethink the above. Your family members probably won't sue you and if you are a long way from a hospital (like camping in the woods or mountains) you may have to take riskier chances to save an accident victim. Even to sewing up open wounds. Flashlight, yes; gloves, yes; scissors, yes; glass breaker, yes; clotting agent, yes; tourniquet, BP Cuff is better, learn how and when to use it. Remember, if you drag a victim from a vehicle you could cripple them for life. Weigh the risk. Is the car burning or smoking or leaking fuel? If you can safely disconnect the battery, do it.

[PhilB6]

Thank you for the detailed reply. I'm going to get a compact Stethoscope from Amazon, about $16 and practice a bit with it. I was also thinking of adding a Sam Splint for a quick cervical collar. I see some extraction collars but they seem rather bulky to be in a car kit, but no doubt necessary. Also good point on noting when a tourniquet is applied, I'll add a Pen to the kit as well.

Disconnecting the battery is an excellent idea, in my vehicle I do have cable cutters for that but I heard it creates some issues later for the car owner if the car is a minor accident, would definitely want to just disconnect it with a tool

All the suing is a shame, when I got my EMT back in the early 90's they warned me to be careful on accident scenes.

[DIY Hacks and How Tos]

Really this something that everyone should have in their cars.