Had to use my truck med bag..

[Mike]

...unfortunately it was on myself.

I was out finishing up clearing a fence row today with the chainsaw and I was almost done. I had been cutting the small trees abut 3/4 the way through and pushing them over to cut the last bit so they would fall to the side of the fence we were collecting them on to haul off.

I had about 5 trees to go when I cut into the tree. I did the same thing I had been doing all morning. I reached up to push the tree over and I guess I got in a hurry. I dropped the chainsaw down before the chain stopped running and I cut through the pants I was wearing and into the front my thigh.

I cut the saw off and yelled to my buddy to grab the red bag in my truck and throw it to me. After he got the bag I told him to get the truck ready to go. I ripped the leg off my pants and got my VOK out of the bag. A few minutes later I was bandaged up and controlling the bleeding.

My buddy pulled up with the truck and we were off to the ER. I was able to walk into triage and got them up to speed as to what was going on with my injury. Removed my bandage and replaced it with one of theirs. A bit later I got called back to have the doc stitch me up.

So overall I got some stitches, a lesson in paying attention to the task at hand, and a great feeling of relief that I had the materials at hand to deal with the situation that came up.

-Mike

[Guest tnfireman]

Glad you are OK

[MacGyver]

Chainsaws and table saws scare me to death every time I use them.

Healthy fear is good I guess. Glad you're okay.

[Mike]

Thanks.

For those of you who don't, I would highly recommend carrying at minimum a basic trauma kit. I had mine close by and had my bleeding under control in just a few minutes. It made the trip to the ER much less stressful than had I been bleeding all over the place.

Put it together, have access to it, know how to use it.

Edited August 22, 2010 by Mike

[Raoul]

Good job. Glad you're OK.

[dralarms]

Thanks.

For those of you who don't, I would highly recommend carrying at minimum a basic trauma kit. I had mine close by and had my bleeding under control in just a few minutes. It made the trip to the ER much less stressful than had I been bleeding all over the place.

Put it together, have access to it, know how to use it.

How about give us a good list of stuff to have.

[DaveTN]

, a lesson in paying attention to the task at hand,

Is this a theme? Just couldn’t let Kegger out do you huh?

[Guest Letereat!]

Thats why I always wear the chaps when I am running the Sthil. You can get em at mayos for 60, mabey 80 bucks at most now. There is a 6 and a 9 layer. Cox power and supply on old Broadway has a brand that has an actual layer of Kevlar stiched in. Its the difference between a real pain in the ass and an "whew that was close"! moment!

: Cox Power & Supply

Street: 4678 Old Broadway Street

Knoxville, tn 37918-1991

Phone: (865) 688-7314

That is fortunate the chain wasen't rippen at full speed and even better that you were fully prepared with an aid bag. Running the saw is right up there with shootin as far as gettin the Hee Man juices flowin. I was just thinking of the junk i gotta clean up in the back yard today.

[dralarms]

Thats why I always wear the chaps when I am running the Sthil. You can get em at mayos for 60, mabey 80 bucks at most now. There is a 6 and a 9 layer. Cox power and supply on old Broadway has a brand that has an actual layer of Kevlar stiched in. Its the difference between a real pain in the ass and an "whew that was close"! moment!

: Cox Power & Supply

Street: 4678 Old Broadway Street

Knoxville, tn 37918-1991

Phone: (865) 688-7314

That is fortunate the chain wasen't rippen at full speed and even better that you were fully prepared with an aid bag. Running the saw is right up there with shootin as far as gettin the Hee Man juices flowin. I was just thinking of the junk i gotta clean up in the back yard today.

I'll never admit this to the wife, but when I got my new Sthil she said "here, get these, just to be safe". What she had was a pair of those "chaps" bright orange and what I thought was the ugliest crap I had ever seen. Well a coupleof months later I was helping her father chop up some wood and hit my leg with the saw, running about 1/4 speed, got a nice gash on the chaps but they saved my leg. She never has asked me where the hole came from, I use them while weeding also, keeps the legs protected from flying rocks and crap from the weed trimmer.

[56FordGuy]

Welcome to Labonville.com - Logging Supplies and Safety Apparel

Labonville Safety Clothing & Accessories - Labonville Inc.

Glad you had the med kit. Now get a pair of these.

[Guest Letereat!]

Labonville, Thanks Ford guy. Thats the brand that has the layer of kevlar sewn in. I got one of those and one of the Mayos 9 layer brand.

DRalarms, another great example of why they are worth every penny.

I am with Mcgyver too there is always a part of me that is scared poopless when I run my saw. It is such a powerful tool with the ability to literally lop a limb off in no time flat. and all it takes is a split second, a trip, slip or a brief moment of attention lapse.

[Guest db99wj]

Glad to were prepared! My neighbor did that on my tree last year when it got blown over. He cut through, pulled back and missed catching it. Came down on his knee. H didn't feel it due to him already being in a wheelchair, but it bled pretty good, nasty jagged cut. We wrapped a rag around it with some gauze and off h went to the VA.

[MacGyver]

When I was in college I ran a machine shop for the engineering school. We had a big old radial arm saw that had been donated to us when it's owner literally cut his arm off with it. Every time I ever used it, it was like staring down a killer. It wasn't some story your mom made up about a kid breaking his back on a trampoline, or some kid blowing his fingers off with firecrackers. You knew that this saw had run on a guy and cut his arm off before he ever knew what had happened. Gives me the willies just typing it.

The really amazing thing to me is truly how fast accidents can happen. The Boy Scouts are right about being prepared.

Good save, Mike.

[Guest jackdm3]

Damn it, man! Do I have to say it?

Pics, or it didn't happen. By the way. Can ya get those med bags with goodies. Like Morphine?!

[Punisher84]

What all do you keep in yours Mike? I have enough stuff in mine to where I can keep myself alive, but I'm always looking to what others carry. I agree post up that list!

Glad you're OK bud.

[Kegger]

SPOTLIGHT RANGER!!!!!! lol

No, really, glad to know you are okay man.

[G27]

Chainsaws and table saws scare me to death every time I use them.

This.

I'm a hobbyist wood-worker (here's my latest endeavor):

and table saws scare the friggen crap outta me...

Glad you're okay.

Very much this. Betting you'll have a nice scar...

[tntnixon]

You're more man than me if you can use that 4.0 Ethilon on yourself. I can stitch someone else but not myself. If you can get a holt of some 1% lidocaine for your bag, you wouldn't be sorry.

[Guest Bronker]

You're more man than me if you can use that 4.0 Ethilon on yourself. I can stitch someone else but not myself. If you can get a holt of some 1% lidocaine for your bag, you wouldn't be sorry.

That's what I was thinking...you had the ethilon, so I assumed you had the capability and willingness to do the job yourself? Otherwise, why would you carry suturing material? Gotta be careful about chainsaw cuts, they are very dirty and have mangled edges. I have personally cleaned up some messes pulling ER duty.

And for the record, I have sutured my person.

[tntnixon]

And for the record, I have sutured my person.

Without lidocaine? I've pulled fishing hooks through my hand but I numbed myself up pretty good.

[Guest Bronker]

Without lidocaine? I've pulled fishing hooks through my hand but I numbed myself up pretty good.

No. Had lidocaine. But I was 50 miles from the nearest road, in the BigHorn Mountains of Wyoming trailing cattle.

Not exactly a surgical suite...but I was prepared.

[pitt2magic]

Glad that you are OK. I know that i am going to sound like a wuss but I hate chain saws, i bought a new one last year and it still hasnt been used. I have this fear of doing exactly what you did or worse. I am an ER nurse and have seen way too many chain saw accidents. Guess I will just work over time and pay someone else to run the saw.

[tntnixon]

Glad that you are OK. I know that i am going to sound like a wuss but I hate chain saws, i bought a new one last year and it still hasnt been used. I have this fear of doing exactly what you did or worse. I am an ER nurse and have seen way too many chain saw accidents. Guess I will just work over time and pay someone else to run the saw.

That's what I say when it comes to getting on a ladder. I used to be able to go up them until a buddy of mine fell off a 6 footer and was out of work for 12 weeks. Chainsaws don't scare me as much because I am extremely careful, almost girlishly so.

[Mike]

I'll try to answer all of these.

Pictures. I have none yet. I'll grab one when I change the dressing next if you really want to see.

As far as what is in my bag. This is in no particular order.

The only meds I have are benadryl and a bottle of 200mg advil.

2 tourniquets

2 rolls of compressed gauze

1 large H bandage

2 rolls of celox impregnated gauze

1 14g catheter

1 nasopharyngeal airway

2 large safety pins

1 minor surgery kit, scalpel, hemostats, etc.

1 5-0 ps-2 suture

1 4-0 p-3 suture

4 cyalume chemlights

1 small bottle of iodine

Trauma shears

Petrolatum gauze

1 stream light stylus flashlight

1 basic, non-trauma first aid kit. Bandaids, etc.

1 hydration bladder

1 esbit stove

1 stainless cup

1 glock field knife

Water purification tablets

4 clif bars

That's all I think. The bag is a maxpedition falcon II, I think. It hold a lot for it's size and it stores well in my truck. Plus it's bright red so when I ask someone to grab "the red bag" out of my truck it isn't hard to figure out.

I've stitched myself up before. No lidocaine. It sucks. A lot.

Bronker, I have no reservations about sticking myself if necessary. However under the circumstances, I had the bleeding controlled and I was only 20 minutes from Williamson medical center. So I chose to go where I could have it done with the aid of some local anesthesia.

I'd like to have some lidocaine on hand but I worry about it's shelf life and efficacy due to the environment it would see. My bag sits in my truck most year round. Extreme heat and cold cycles.

Any advice on storage?

Mike

Edited August 23, 2010 by Mike
Can't spell.

[safeandsecure]

And for the record, I have sutured my person.

Yep. Sometimes, we have to do what we have to do. But we don't have to like it ...

I keep a well-stocked bag myself. Had to use parts of it on a few occasions ... on myself and on others.

But I HATE having to even get it out, much less use anything in it.

If you know an EMT or Paramedic, that would be a good source to help you stock it. I don't carry emergency meds, but there's aspirin, etc. there as well. Along with bandages, stitching supplies, oxygen ... more stuff than I'll ever need (I sincerely hope and pray). But if I need it, I got it.

I'd also suggest some edumacation on how to use the stuff, unless you have some medical training. Several rural counties have Medical First Responder programs, and the training is usually first-rate, for instance. Bronker (or someone else on here) may have other, better suggestions on training.