The $100 DIY FAK Challenge (Update)

[Thor]

I got this idea from the food storage forum.

What can you get for $100 dollars.

Well here's a FAK I built today spending $100 dollars, including the bag, and all the internal packing materials. Well okay I actually spent $104 dollars but it was close enough.

Everything you see, with the exception of the re-hydration tabs, was purchased today from Walmart and CVS.

Now mind you, I still plan to purchase some IZZYs and some SAM Splints, as well as a couple of ACSs. So in the end it will go over $100 dollars but this is a good start I thought.

[macandcheese]

Very cool kit, nice job.

[claren]

That -is- a good, basic kit. Nice bag, too.

Ditch the rubbing alcohol, though. Useless. Never put it into wounds.

[aus.templar]

very nice basic kit for 100bucks....

[Thor]

That -is- a good, basic kit. Nice bag, too.

Ditch the rubbing alcohol, though. Useless. Never put it into wounds.

Rubbing alcohol is not for wounds, it is for the hands which will be dealing with the wounds.

[aus.templar]

That -is- a good, basic kit. Nice bag, too.

Ditch the rubbing alcohol, though. Useless. Never put it into wounds.

Rubbing alcohol is not for wounds, it is for the hands which will be dealing with the wounds.

oooo0o0o0o0OOOOOO0o0o0o0ooo You got served!

but true though, you dont wanna pour that stuff into a wound but you dont wanna stick your big ol' dirty paws into the wound either

[KMAC179]

not bad bro. Nice and simple. I love the tackle box organizer ideas, I just can never turn form into function in my case.

[Rock2Fox]

I love the organization of the kit; mine definitely needs a makeover. It is an old backpack with labeled ziplock bags full of supplies - ugly - but cheap. Anyhow, yours is motivating me to find a better system for my FA supplies.

Why is rubbing alcohol verboten for FA/ wound care?

[Stormrider]

Very nice kit!

Why is rubbing alcohol verboten for FA/ wound care?

IIRC it destroys tissue.

[yale]

Nice kit. When I was a Medical first Responder and then EMT-Basic for the Volunteer Fire Department I put together a similar kit using a fishing takle bag and the same plastic organizers from the Wal-mart sporting goods section. Like you, I seperated the componants into the different boxes. This bag served me well for many years.

[docyoung]

2 forms of ibuprofen ...



rationale?

[shawn]

You should try these guys for meds. They come individually packaged and cheap. It would save you a lot of space you are now using for packages.

http://www.chinookmed.com/cgi-bin/item/ ... ----------

http://www.chinookmed.com/cgi-bin/category/s-otc

Shawn

[Thor]

Nice kit. When I was a Medical first Responder and then EMT-Basic for the Volunteer Fire Department I put together a similar kit using a fishing takle bag and the same plastic organizers from the Wal-mart sporting goods section. Like you, I seperated the componants into the different boxes. This bag served me well for many years.

LOL yeah this is not my first rodeo.

I was a volunteer firefighter back when I was in college. "Company 3, Bay District" . . . Lexington Park Maryland.

[Dogan]

Nice, especially for $100. Updates? Where's your light?

[TheChemist]

Very nice kit! But I've noticed a lot of IFAK's lack super glue or DermaBond. My mom (a surgeon) showed me the miracles that shit works in emergency situations. We were on a family hike, I was young, running around like a tard and busted my forehead open. It was close to an inch long and all the way to the skull. A dash of peroxide, then she held the cut closed and super glued the skin together. The trick is to use it like a liquid bandage. I didn't even need stitches. Just a suggestion.

[Phaedrus]

Isn't peroxide cytotoxic? I wouldn't think you'd want to apply that to a deep cut.

[TheChemist]

Isn't peroxide cytotoxic? I wouldn't think you'd want to apply that to a deep cut.

Yes it is. But since it was not a cut on a fleshy area, and immediately rinsed with saline, it was fine. Also, (with H202) cytotoxicity is diminished in low temperatures. We were in northern Cali in November, so it was a bit chilly. Still not the BEST solution, but given the circumstances there weren't many options.

[Phaedrus]

Ah, thanks. Good info to know. Before I "knew better" I cleaned cuts & scrapes with peroxide, sometimes even alcohol, and I'm still alive.

[Frank]

Ah, thanks. Good info to know. Before I "knew better" I cleaned cuts & scrapes with peroxide, sometimes even alcohol, and I'm still alive.

wouldnt the damage be minimal to none?

[Thor]

I really like this kit! for the money I think you did very well, my only question was your placement of the trauma dressings and the tape in different containers? was this done for a reason or would they simply not fit?

Hey thanks doc. Yeah the placement was strictly due to space issues.

The kit has expanded a lot since I took those pics. I'll take some new pics later.

[Lugnut]

This is a great topic. Would love to see other suggestions for a $100 FAK.

[Thor]

Update on the kit,

So this started at a 100 dollar kit but has morphed over the last couple of years. I have added many items I have seen referenced here.

It's hard to calculate, but the total cost of this kit today is probably about $200, but it was very painless to build as it was done over time. I still think for the money it's better then any pre-made kit out there. But I would like a couple of suggestions on things which should probably be added.

The Sock Monkey is my daughters contribution to the kit.

[Firemedic-D]

Hi,
nice Kit - what's in the prefilled syringes?

Firemedic-D

[Thor]

Hi,
nice Kit - what's in the prefilled syringes?

Firemedic-D

Normal saline for wound wash. I know bottled water or a larger bottle of NS would be better, but until I get a bigger bag space issues dictate the syringes work better 'cause you can stuff them into the leftover space.