Do you have a first aid kit in car?

biko

So I finally got round to buy a first aid kit for the car, after happening upon it on ebay. Hope I never have to use it, on myself or any other.
It got me thinking, I never seen anyone else with one in the car.
Does anyone here have one?
Do you know how to use it?

Owen

I have a decent first aid kit, and a fire extinguisher.

Tabnabs

I have one and have basic first aid training so could use it. Having said that, I inherited from my old mum and lots of the kit must be approaching 30yrs and has never been used, only replaced what needed to. But a blanket would be a good addition.

Tabnabs

ned78 wrote:

I have a decent first aid kit, and a fire extinguisher.

Out of interest, what kind of extinguisher (foam, CO2 etc)?

Owen

Powder based, bought in Halfords.

biko

I got an extinguisher in Aldi for 9.99 a while back.

crosstownk

First aid kit and a fire extinguisher too. I got them in some motor factors years ago before driving to Europe. I'm thinking maybe I should check the dates on the stuff in the first aid kit as I bought it over 7 years ago!

Does anybody know if a fire extinguisher has a limited life span. I know the ones here at the office are checked yearly.

peasant

When I did my drivin licence(s) a first aid course was part of the requirements, same as carrying a first aid kit in the car (you can get a fine for not having one, even the NCT (equivalent) checks it) ..in Germany, that is.

Ever since I carry a kit in the car but have never needed it in earnest (just minor, non traffic related cuts and bruises).
The first aid skills are a bit sketchy by now, though ...and I'd be weary of using them here, in case I get sued for my efforts afterwards.

cormie

biko wrote:

So I finally got round to buy a first aid kit for the car, after happening upon it on ebay. Hope I never have to use it, on myself or any other.
It got me thinking, I never seen anyone else with one in the car.
Does anyone here have one?
Do you know how to use it?

Why did you pick that one Biko? I've been meaning to get one myself!

Wonder are there any first aid/breakdown/fire extinguisher packs?

Elessar

Yep, they come as standard in BMWs. Though I'm First Responder trained with OMAC so I'll generally have my much better equipped first-aid bag in the boot.

jhegarty

Elessar wrote:

Yep, they come as standard in BMWs. Though I'm First Responder trained with OMAC so I'll generally have my much better equipped first-aid bag in the boot.

Have one of said standard BMW ones... but never opened it too look inside

galah

I am surprised it's not compulsory here...then again...ah well...

I have one in my car (along with a high vis vest (try saying that if you're German! ;-)), a car jack, and one of those rescue triangle thingies - but only because I, too, got my license in Germania, where things like that are drummed into you. Along with a compulsory first aid course.

(never needed the first aid kit, though - apart from the gloves, to dye my hair ;-))

And ALDI sold a good version last week (I think it was...). Maybe they'll have it on special again at some point.

scitpo

I got fined e5 in Germany by some hick cop as its compulsory over there. He was just pissed off that he didnt find any drugs in our car.

copacetic

comes std in audis too, you might not have seen them biko as cars with them as std have a hiding place for them. mine is in a compartment under passenger seat.

biko

cormie wrote:

Why did you pick that one Biko? I've been meaning to get one myself!

Wonder are there any first aid/breakdown/fire extinguisher packs?

I just picked the one that had the most things in it. You're more likely to use it for other things than severe crashes (fingers crossed) so it should be good for scrapes, small burns, broken finger bones, ...
You may want to keep an eye on Aldi/Lidl as well as they do a lot of cheap stuff as well.
I got my eyes on this

PaddyFagan

crosstownk wrote:

Does anybody know if a fire extinguisher has a limited life span. I know the ones here at the office are checked yearly.

The ones for cars and/or domestic use have a fixed life-span - a "Best Before" date will typically be stamped on it somewhere. (They may well work after this date, but....)

The kind used in offices etc are a different kind of beast (they're refillable for a start) and should be checked annually - they will need to be replaced (or at least parts of them will) and refilled, but they have a typical shelf life that's much longer than the domestic sort.

Paddy

PS I'm the chief fire warden (I know, I know) for work - the stuff above is drawn from my (limited) training.... I'm not a fireman......

biko

On the cannister should be a date and a gauge with red/green.
When the needle is not in green any more - time to refill/buy new.

Stephen

Speaking of fire extinguishers... http://www.lidl.ie/ie/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20070806.p.FireExtinguisher

Fey!

I have a basic BMW kit attached to the passenger seat (bought on ebay, as they tend to disappear out of the cars here, including many new cars), and have a slightly better one in the boot (an aldi one with a few extras thrown in, including tweezers, a triangular bandage, and alcohol swabs). Also have a powder extinguisher in the boot (aldi in one car, atlantic homecare in the other). Also have Red Cross first aid training - €50 for a 6 class course that you redo every couple of years; well worth doing for everyone.

wet-paint

Damn, I had to vote no, but I've been meanign to put one in for about three months now. Yeah, REC3 course done, looking to advance the quals as well. A decent addition too is a space blanket and bivi bag, or sleeping bag. Go through the standard first aid kit, and try adding things like non lubricated condoms (Make for great water carriers, and will cover a mashed up finger nicely,) tampons( great for nose bleeds) or sanitary towels ( same idea, only have a dead handy sticky side too). Mars bar or dairy milk, and a cheap wooly hat. Throw them all in a 5l drybag, keep beside the tyre changing kit. I also have disprin in mine, but it's for personal use, when I have to sleep in the car and wake up with a hangover. High viz vest also a good idea.

I also have a 25m throw bag and specialised rescue and pin kit in the boot, but it's cos I'm into kayaking and stuff, but keep spares in the car, they might come in handy somewhere somewhen, if I'm driving by and witness an accident.
SRT course FTW.

MarkN

The Audi one is fairly ok, a decent enough amount of stuff in it and a great compartment for hiding stuff under the seat too!

richie_rvf

Have one too, BMW, it was replaced at the last service as it is a 'life' item.

Richie.

Captain Slow IRL

I have one but I don't have any band-aids in it!
All the rest of the bandages are pretty big - if I had to use them, I'd probably be going straight to hospital