How much med supplies should we be stocking???

[justanothergunnut]

I think that many people don't realize exactly how much medical supplies we may go through in a post SHTF world.. Lots of us stock bandages,gauze,tape etc. but I have a feeling most of us don't properly comprehend the MOUNTAIN of supplies that get used even for basic extended wound care much less prolonged care. Heaven forbid you have to deal with multiple cases of dysentery or cholera. Im talking rolled gauze by the bucket load, bed pads, gloves by the case, sterile saline for wound irrigation, cleaning supplies, bed pans, not to mention bedding and all the supplies needed for handling human waste and hygiene on and on it goes.. Medical pros kick in here. Emt's, nurses or any one with any kind of advanced experience in this field. Ever had more than one member of your family with a bad flu AT THE SAME TIME?? imagine that magnified with all the other stresses you may have to deal with just trying to survive.. Not pleasant to think about for sure but that is a very real possibility..

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Gloves rot over time especially in extremes which will become the norm after no or sporadic power I made that mistake early on. Some things like many liquids can go bad so only so much can be done in areas. The rest is like everything else I work on it like the steak one bite at a time and try to keep a balance between it and everything else that needs storage and purchasing.

[justanothergunnut]

agreed but knowing this we should be taking measures to deal with these known storage issues. Just because it is difficult doesnt mean we shouldnt do it. Chlorine can be stored and just because gloves rot doesnt mean we cant increase our stores of other basic supplies.. how long will iodine last? what about sealed containers of alcohol?? or learning to distill other alcohol? How about just having the ability to clean improvised bandages??

[Patriotic Sheepdog]

Okay, I'll chime in with my two cents...

Bandages of all types-as many as you can store
Small bandages should be stocked more as most things will be small, cuts, scraps, etc. It wouldn't hurt to have several hundred or thousands of bandaids depending on group size.
Antibiotic creams-Bacitracin, Neosporin, Polysporin. I prefer Polysporin and bacitracin. Neomycin, the main ingredient in Neosporin was the allergen of the year a few years back. I see new neomycin allergies almost on a weekly basis. Store more than you think you'll need.
HALO, Aschermans, etc., for tension pneumothorax. This is a hard one as location will play a big role. If you're more urban, then you may see more firefights. If you live on a farm ten miles from your nearest neighbor, not so much.
Sutures-get many and learn the techniques. May want some anesthesia as well.
Dental supplies-yep, get some
Splints-sprains/strains and potential fractures. Get some SAM splints and learn how to use them.
Antibiotics-yep, get some
IV fluids and supplies-you should have some as it can be used for many problems besides trauma...severe dehydration is just one that may be present due to diarrhea, or prolonged vomiting. Learn how to start IVs and when and how to monitor your patient.
Advil, Tylenol, Benadryl, etc. Get as much as you can.

Bottom line I guess is get what you can and keep stocking med supplies. Learn how and when to use them. You may need more supplies than someone else due to your situation, location and group size. There will be many people that are not in shape or never really used that chainsaw that will be getting injured. Remember, what we consider minor today could be major tomorrow if there is no ER. Set up guidelines for your group such as no one goes barefoot outside, when operating a chainsaw or climbing a ladder a spotter will be present, etc. Prevention will be key.

Just some thoughts on the fly. If I think of anything else, I'll add it later.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Patriotic Sheepdog]

Just something to think about...we won't have this...



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Rmplstlskn]

The movie I saw recently, The IMPOSSIBLE, shows a good example of disaster triage in hospitals overrun with injured... If you can do most things yourself, just short of surgery, you would be much better off... But as PS posted above, not many can prepare to do real surgery on a patient messed up as the guy in the pic... That guy would die in a PAW...

[Patriotic Sheepdog]

I have a feeling there will be many deaths from stupid stuff in a PAW situation. When I say stupid I mean stuff that with a little prep work things could be different. Tetanus from a puncture wound, diarrhea like I said above, exposure (heat and cold) injuries, head injuries (external lacerations not internal bleeds) from falls, knife cuts (both self inflicted and from an aggressor) and severe infections from simple scrapes/lacerations would be some that with the proper medical supplies the outcomes could be good.

Bandages, topical antibiotics, oral antibiotics, IV supplies, medical training and prevention plans are some things you should be prepping/planning for.

Of course gunshot wounds are another story.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Rmplstlskn]

I have always weighted my prep spending more heavily on the medical supplies side, for it is one area that is not easily fudged or adaptable, if you want sterility and minimal risk of infections, but it is also one of the most costly, and I am always looking for bargains and closeouts of medical supplies. The pictures of the people in the tornadoes path in OK, as well as first hand witness from many members here of the medical injuries, it has indeed re-motivated me to be aware of items and to replace items I am running low on as I pull from kits over the years for various boo-boo's...

Thanks for the reminder to be vigilant, PS...

[justanothergunnut]

a while back my wife was sick with a virus.. purging from both ends.. not pretty.. she became so short on electrolytes she passed out and hit her head.. the next 24 hours of here in the hospital was hell to witness and we were surrounded by trained , skilled professionals with the best gear and plenty of supplies.. It occurred to me then while I was there with here in the emergency room that we don't stock NEARLY enough medical supplies.. When someone is loosing fluids at the rate she was it becomes VERY scary.. it took them almost 12 hours to get her stabilized in the ER. She was on every IV you could imagine.. Post event... SHE WOULD HAVE DIED!!! without that level of medical care,, she would have died.. I need to get to that level of medical proficiency.. IV therapy is not magic, we can all gain this level of skill.. I suggest you do... I KNOW I WILL!!

[mtgrandma]

wow. That's really something to think about. I'd better work on this area.

[justanothergunnut]

SERIOUSLY.. just the cleaning supplies you would use to take care of multiple simultaneous cases of food poisoning, serious stomach flu, dysentery, CHOLERA.. Not to be graphic but consider the logistics of taking care of someone who CANT get out of bed to use the bathroom and they have to "go" several times and hour..Imagine if the virus was contagious?? I got the same virus as my wife , though thankfully not nearly as bad and 24 hours after she had started to recover. What if we both got it at the same time??? Cholera is a huge fear in post event environments.. I am of the mindset that preventative procedures would go a very long way here however, it is a possibility I intend to at least get more serious about preparing for.. Do a search for Cholera cot or bed.. WARNING some sites have graphic images.. Not a pretty thing to think about i know but better to think about it now then when you are having to deal with it..

[Grinnan Barrett]

If you are your loved ones has long term medication needs try to get your doctor to put them on generic forms of the medications. Use the Walmart or other discount pharmacies to fill 90 day at a time for $10. FIll them every month for 90 days. build up at least a year's supply or more. Use the oldest first and keep them in a refrigerator in a dry box to extend the life of the meds. The toughest of the RX items is going to be high dollar cancer drugs or Hard to store items like Diabetes Insulin. You can have all the bandaids in the world but without RX for critical conditions you are in a world of hurt.

Don't forget generic Musinex, Anti-diarrhea caplets, Potassium tablets, Aspirin, acetaminophen, Antiacids, fiber pills (to keep your stomach going when you don't get enough fiber in your diet), all these in generic forms.

Don't forget a good mouthwash. The advance form or Listerine makes one heck of a disinfectant.

Have plans to build a small distilling unit to make alcohol. Not to drink but to use to clean wounds with. YOu may be on your on for some time. A corn supply and a still can make a world of difference and also make for a great barter item. You need some mason jars to put the end product in.

White sheets and other white cloth come in really handy for make shift bandages. Learn to make soap to clean with. store as much as you can first but be ready to be on your own again in the future.

For cleaning and disinfecting go to your local janitorial supply and find a really good 256 dilution multiquat disinfectant. Be sure it has kill claims against HIV, Human Coronavirus (Sars) and MRSA in all forms (Hospital, Community based etc.) The 256 refers to it being mixed at 1/2 ounce per gallon. a gallon will make 256 gallons of end use product. This is a neutral product so it will not harm most hard surfaces and needs to be wiped down after drying.

Buy a big cast iron pot or two or three to boil water in. Clean water is going to be a must for sanitation.

These things are in addition to the standard first aid and minor surgery items. Not a complete list but off the top of the head this would be my list. GB

[Patriotic Sheepdog]

a while back my wife was sick with a virus.. purging from both ends.. not pretty.. she became so short on electrolytes she passed out and hit her head.. the next 24 hours of here in the hospital was hell to witness and we were surrounded by trained , skilled professionals with the best gear and plenty of supplies.. It occurred to me then while I was there with here in the emergency room that we don't stock NEARLY enough medical supplies.. When someone is loosing fluids at the rate she was it becomes VERY scary.. it took them almost 12 hours to get her stabilized in the ER. She was on every IV you could imagine.. Post event... SHE WOULD HAVE DIED!!! without that level of medical care,, she would have died.. I need to get to that level of medical proficiency.. IV therapy is not magic, we can all gain this level of skill.. I suggest you do... I KNOW I WILL!!

I get a kick out of the classes that teach you how to start an IV. Okay they are fine and everything, but really, I can teach a teenager the skills to start and IV in probably an hour or two. The real skill is knowing when it is appropriate, what type of fluid is needed and the rate of the fluid you will be infusing. When you are losing fluid like your wife was, she was not only losing fluid volume but was also losing some key electrolytes. Those electrolytes are key for muscles (heart is a muscle) and other critical functions. If she was that fluid depleted, they were probably monitoring her blood work for electrolytes and adding what was needed to the IV bag. The fluid was probably being infused at a specific rate to bring those electrolytes back up to normal. Unfortunately, we won't have those capabilities, so that is where experience will be key. Too much fluid in some situations can put your patient into fluid overload which could possibly be worse than what you were trying to correct. You may have to titrate the IV fluid rate based on your patients vital signs, lung sounds, heart sounds and neurological status. I applaud you for seeing what we will be missing in a PAW, and the fact that you need additional training. I would guess that most people that have taken an IV class a year ago would not be very proficient at it today. Those IV arms are great for practice, but when someone is hemorrhaging or sick with the flu and vomiting and such (like your wife), their veins are going to be very hard to find especially when all you have practiced on is a rubber arm or a group mate with normal vital signs. You do have the capability to perform an intraosseous infusion, central line or a cut down, right? LOL, just kidding.... Keep attending classes. Start with the basics and practice continually. I have been in medicine treating patients for 30+ years and I can tell you experience counts but even with my experience there will be times that in a PAW I will only be able to do so much. Patients die today with the best equipment, so they will die in a PAW without equipment. Get that into your mind now, as we all will see death when TSHTF. The best scenario would be to try and find someone that is in medicine, vet them and get them into your group. If that is not an option, take classes, volunteer at the hospital (you may not be able to do things, but you may see things and can learn), join your Fire Department as a volunteer, CERT, etc. get out and experience patients sick, wounded and dying. Sorry to be a Debbie downer about the death stuff, but that will be reality if it gets to that PAW place.

Sorry for the thread drift but felt that it was important to say since we were talking about supplies and training.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[goatlady]

Never hurts to also learn some "alternative" methods especially the use of herbs, in certain situations they really do work as well as coventoinal medications and unlike conventional meds that will eventually run out and be totally unavailable, herbal preps most usually can be made with very basic ingredients and kept replenished for a lifetime.

Don't forget casting material for broken bones plus the means to remove same.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Never hurts to also learn some "alternative" methods especially the use of herbs, in certain situations they really do work as well as coventoinal medications and unlike conventional meds that will eventually run out and be totally unavailable, herbal preps most usually can be made with very basic ingredients and kept replenished for a lifetime.

We have someone coming in soon to teach us more very soon