Buying a Trauma/Oxygen bag

[tigershell339]

I am looking to make a purchase of a new trauma bag. Since I can't find many bags in local stores to look at in person, I am hoping other people can give me some reviews and advice on bags they have used or seen.

I do stand-by work on film/tv sets, where I have to carry all my own equipment with me. I don't have an ambulance so store stuff in, so I am the exception to the rule of not having to carry everything in the jump bag. I often don't even have my own car nearby, so that isn't an option for anything more than extra cold packs. I currently carry:

1) an oxygen duffel bag for my Jumbo D tank and the masks, BVM, etc with it.

2) a medium size trauma bag, that holds everything I use daily and need lots of like cold packs, band-aids. It also holds the rarely used BLS trauma supplies.

3) Plastic toolbox, which holds misc supplies like sunscreen, hand sanitizer and things that I can't fit into the trauma bag

4) Cardboard splints, the largest being 24'' long

I am looking for a bag that can condense the bags down as much as possible. I have been looking at combination oxygen/trauma bags. In order to fit the splints into the bag, I have been mainly considering longer, rectangular ones. I need something big enough to hold a lot, but that I can still carry without difficulty. Price is also a concern for me too.

I've been strongly considering these 2 bags:

Ferno Saver Bag

Savelives.com bag

[Chief1C]

I find I rarely need any supplies. I bet it's been about nine years since I've used more than gloves and a CPR mask. That was only b/c a car wrecked into a pole right across the street from our driveway, and there were five patients. Two were hemorrhaging quite badly from head wounds.

Unless you're providing a service, that you're getting paid for..and you will need all that stuff... (like Craft Service-First Aid/Set Medical/etc as your resume indicates)

I'd go with a small box, maybe a Flambeau 1872 or 2072. No worries of fluids or bio stuff soiling plastic, at least not if you clean it off. They're a good size to hold a nice amount of first aid, CPR and vitals obtaining equipment. I'd sooner go with a box, than any type of fabric, even that antimicrobial fabric will wear and tear. Nix the splints, go with a couple unitized boxes of wire splints, or a flat packed SAM. Put the sun screen in your glove box, you won't need that for 99.999% of emergencies. Nix the cold packs, they can wait till the ambulance arrives, if they can't, start removing clothing. Bandaids... Keep like five, throw the rest in with the sun block.

[tigershell339]

I am providing the "set medic" service, so I do have to have all the trauma supplies that I know I will likely never need, BUT I'm being paid to have them and be prepared for the true emergency. Most of my job is to take care of minor injuries, like bruises and paper cuts.

To clarify, the sunscreen isn't personal, I carry it for the crew members to use (at their own discrecion). I carry a lot of misc things like that people forget and need on a film set (tissues, the hand santaizer etc).

I can't get rid of the ice packs, because that (and band-aids) are the only thing I can guarantee (from experience) I will need on a daily basis. Most people I provide first-aid to just need simple things like ice-packs for a bruised elbow or something similar and they wouldn't usually want/need and ambulance called for that. The ice packs are not for major traumas.

[spenac]

Always check ebay. A lot of people realize they have no need for them and sometimes you can get a bargain.

[Chief1C]

Well, if you're looking to carry mass volume, try for one of the Thomas bags w/ the wheels and pull handle. Or just a regular travel duffel w/ wheels, keep several small bags inside.

[Richard B the EMT]

May I suggest something like Home Depot? They have large top loading bins with wheels, that you can put whatever you want into them, and can wheel them to the tent, or whatever, that you would be operating out of.

I am presuming that you are wanting to set up for something like a lighting gaffer falling off of a light bridge, or something, but get the majority of calls being paper cuts.

If not Home Depot, some similar type store, perhaps?

I also think I have seen wheeled bins of this generic type at Costco, Staples, and other office supply stores, so you might also want to check them out.

[CodeBlueEMT]

L.A. Rescue makes a nice bag. The one I use holds a D tank easily and has lots of space for everything else. It's not a bag you want to carry for extended periods of time.

Shayne

[firespec35]

I am a big fan of the Statpacks setup. We use the Stealth bags for our trauma bags at the Palace of Auburn Hills (BIG A list concert/NBA venue) The backpack style is very comfortable and when open lends itself to being very accessable. They have modules to secure a "D" tank in them and if judicious and efficent in your space planning you can fit everything you need in one