Keep your First Aid Kits updated

arunforu1 · 17th April 2007, 10:10

Dear BHPians,

How many of us keep our first aid kits updated(relacing expired medicines).

You all are concious people & i am sure everyone is following it, unfortunately i didnt.

On friday 13 April, i along with my friends, parked our cars at Huda gymkhana club-gurgaon, for a weekend get together, there was a function going on & till the time we came out, many people have parked there cars in a highly irresponsible manner just behind our cars.

at 11:00pm in night, this was really frustating, so we went on a walk. To my surprise on the footpath, some idiot has installed Barbed Wire at the eye level(i am 5'11"). It was so dark, that i could not see it, fortunately i was wearing spectacles.

The barbed wire was hit at specs first, then made a 2 inch long nasty cut under my right eye(i was fortunate that my eye is intact). It was bleeding profusely, i headed for my car, but unfortunately the first Aid ointment was well past its expiry date.

driven one hour to delhi, went to the hospital with a swollen eye & a deep cut, got first aid only 1:30 hours after the incident.

So guys, i have realised now, how important is it to keep first aid kit updated, have learnt a lesson.

Please check your first-aid kits today & have it in your car.

benbsb29 · 17th April 2007, 12:08

Hi Arun,
Hope your eye is fine now.
Having first aid kits and its contents updated is something that we all need to do, although one tends to overlook that at times.

Barbed wire at such a height?? What was beyond that barbed fence?

arunforu1 · 18th April 2007, 11:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Hi Arun,
Hope your eye is fine now.
Having first aid kits and its contents updated is something that we all need to do, although one tends to overlook that at times.

Barbed wire at such a height?? What was beyond that barbed fence?

its funny that a single barbed wire at that hight & that too on footpath(i hope footpath are meant for walking hahahaha)...& nothing beyond that, but the parking space.

my eye is fine now, but scar will be there for a long time.

caliper · 12th June 2007, 01:04

Speaking of first aid kits, when it says "unsterilized" on the gauze pad, are there pads you can buy which are sterilized?

Or how do you sterilize the pad?

mohit · 12th June 2007, 01:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by caliper

Speaking of first aid kits, when it says "unsterilized" on the gauze pad, are there pads you can buy which are sterilized?

Or how do you sterilize the pad?

You can get sterilized pads. They generally come in a sealed packing. IIRC, they are called surgical pads. Remember buying some in Pune once.

.anshuman · 12th June 2007, 03:42

but why did u drive to delhi for first aid? there are good hospitals in gurgaon,minutes from huda gymkhana club.

rishibravo · 12th June 2007, 07:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by arunforu1

Dear BHPians,

How many of us keep our first aid kits updated(relacing expired medicines).
..........................
You all are concious people & i am sure everyone is following it, unfortunately i didnt.

Please check your first-aid kits today & have it in your car.

I hope your are fine now Arun. Thanks for such a sound advice. I think I need to upgrade my first aid box.

vikram_d · 12th June 2007, 08:15

Well according to a few doctors I know if an ointment tube has never been opened and it has expired then you can still use that ointment. The only thing that happens to most of the general medicines post expiry is that they loose their healing efficiency a little bit. So if that tube has never been used before then you still go ahead and use it in an emergency which your case clearly was.

Note: Of course it always helps to keep your kit up to date.

esteem_lover · 12th June 2007, 08:46

A good reminder for most folks. BTW, are you sure the barbed wire was at eye level & on the footpath ? It was late in the night, you know ?

arunforu1 · 12th June 2007, 10:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

A good reminder for most folks. BTW, are you sure the barbed wire was at eye level & on the footpath ? It was late in the night, you know ?

yes i am quite sure coz,me & my friend rechecked it....it was indeed at eye level, i dont know who was the stupid fellow to install it at that level, that too on footpath, worst thing was nothing below it.

thank god my specs saved my eye.

i am perfectly alright now, the scar has healed fully, leaving a slight mark which is now hardly noticeable.

arunforu1 · 12th June 2007, 11:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by .anshuman

but why did u drive to delhi for first aid? there are good hospitals in gurgaon,minutes from huda gymkhana club.

you are right, there are lot of hospitals near by, but nothing striked at that moment & i headed straight for home in delhi.As i was already late, parents were shouting over the phone, adding up some idiot parked his car in a manner that i could not take it out & then got the scratched eye, funny.

As soon as i returned for ointment, mr. irresponsible had removed his car, so first thing struck was to head home(i was silly), but it happens hahahaha. So got treatment at a hospital near my home.

caliper · 12th June 2007, 18:30

Although car/motorcycle dealers provide a kit in name only as an afterthought, what should be in a real first aid or emergency kit that would actually come in handy in an accident?

Sterilized gauze pad
Potable water
Ointment
Savlon

what else?

ajitkommini · 13th June 2007, 15:44

Very good thread. It's true not only for car first aid kit but at home too. I learned this the hard way last evening when I tried using a band-aid that had (apparently) lost it's stickiness totally. Not sure if it's because of expiry date or improper storage / heat etc. but none of the band-aids in the pack would stick!

gd1418 · 13th June 2007, 20:55

My two pennies worth:

Although my first aid kit is not updated in both my vehicles (I'll do so very shortly) I noticed something in fine print (which we don't read at all) on certain items mentioned that they need to be stored in cool dry place.

Now, with the vehicle standing in the open the inside temperature reaches above 50+ C during these months. Even in winter, I've noticed on my temp gauge that mercury rises to 35 during daytime although outside is much much cooler.

What is one supposed to do in such cases?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajitkommini

Very good thread. It's true not only for car first aid kit but at home too. I learned this the hard way last evening when I tried using a band-aid that had (apparently) lost it's stickiness totally. Not sure if it's because of expiry date or improper storage / heat etc. but none of the band-aids in the pack would stick!

arunforu1 · 14th June 2007, 11:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by gd1418

My two pennies worth:

Although my first aid kit is not updated in both my vehicles (I'll do so very shortly) I noticed something in fine print (which we don't read at all) on certain items mentioned that they need to be stored in cool dry place.

Now, with the vehicle standing in the open the inside temperature reaches above 50+ C during these months. Even in winter, I've noticed on my temp gauge that mercury rises to 35 during daytime although outside is much much cooler.

What is one supposed to do in such cases?

very pratical querry.

i think we should keep first aid kit in boot, as there is no greenhouse effect there, due to lack of sunlight in boot.It is always cooler than cabin of car parked in sun. European cars provide space for first aid kit in boot.

Alternative is to make a small kit & carry it along with your bad/brief case(may not be practical idea for all)

Good input gd1418

17th April 2007, 10:10	#1
arunforu1 BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Delhi Posts: 254 Thanked: 7 Times	Keep your First Aid Kits updated Dear BHPians, How many of us keep our first aid kits updated(relacing expired medicines). You all are concious people & i am sure everyone is following it, unfortunately i didnt. On friday 13 April, i along with my friends, parked our cars at Huda gymkhana club-gurgaon, for a weekend get together, there was a function going on & till the time we came out, many people have parked there cars in a highly irresponsible manner just behind our cars. at 11:00pm in night, this was really frustating, so we went on a walk. To my surprise on the footpath, some idiot has installed Barbed Wire at the eye level(i am 5'11"). It was so dark, that i could not see it, fortunately i was wearing spectacles. The barbed wire was hit at specs first, then made a 2 inch long nasty cut under my right eye(i was fortunate that my eye is intact). It was bleeding profusely, i headed for my car, but unfortunately the first Aid ointment was well past its expiry date. driven one hour to delhi, went to the hospital with a swollen eye & a deep cut, got first aid only 1:30 hours after the incident. So guys, i have realised now, how important is it to keep first aid kit updated, have learnt a lesson. Please check your first-aid kits today & have it in your car.
	(2) Thanks

17th April 2007, 12:08	#2
benbsb29 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Brisbane Posts: 9,968 Thanked: 13,220 Times View My Garage	Hi Arun, Hope your eye is fine now. Having first aid kits and its contents updated is something that we all need to do, although one tends to overlook that at times. Barbed wire at such a height?? What was beyond that barbed fence?
	() Thanks

12th June 2007, 01:04	#4
caliper BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: India Posts: 160 Thanked: 3 Times	Speaking of first aid kits, when it says "unsterilized" on the gauze pad, are there pads you can buy which are sterilized? Or how do you sterilize the pad?
	() Thanks

12th June 2007, 03:42	#6
.anshuman Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Good-Gaon Posts: 7,763 Thanked: 11,064 Times View My Garage	but why did u drive to delhi for first aid? there are good hospitals in gurgaon,minutes from huda gymkhana club.
	() Thanks

12th June 2007, 08:15	#8
vikram_d Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,427 Thanked: 1,185 Times	Well according to a few doctors I know if an ointment tube has never been opened and it has expired then you can still use that ointment. The only thing that happens to most of the general medicines post expiry is that they loose their healing efficiency a little bit. So if that tube has never been used before then you still go ahead and use it in an emergency which your case clearly was. Note: Of course it always helps to keep your kit up to date. Last edited by vikram_d : 12th June 2007 at 08:17.
	() Thanks

12th June 2007, 08:46	#9
esteem_lover Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Madras/Py Posts: 7,556 Thanked: 502 Times View My Garage	A good reminder for most folks. BTW, are you sure the barbed wire was at eye level & on the footpath ? It was late in the night, you know ?
	() Thanks

12th June 2007, 18:30	#12
caliper BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: India Posts: 160 Thanked: 3 Times	Although car/motorcycle dealers provide a kit in name only as an afterthought, what should be in a real first aid or emergency kit that would actually come in handy in an accident? Sterilized gauze pad Potable water Ointment Savlon what else?
	() Thanks

13th June 2007, 15:44	#13
ajitkommini BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 490 Thanked: 124 Times	Very good thread. It's true not only for car first aid kit but at home too. I learned this the hard way last evening when I tried using a band-aid that had (apparently) lost it's stickiness totally. Not sure if it's because of expiry date or improper storage / heat etc. but none of the band-aids in the pack would stick!
	() Thanks