Changing the subject just a little bit, how long past the expiration date can you hang onto certain items, like quik clot, etc. and expect it to function like it should. As long as it has never been opened of course.

Thanks to all of you, lots of good info.

For what its worth, the day after I posted this I picked up a new LG range for my wife and dumped my MIL's old dishwasher. When I threw the dishwasher out of the truck I cut the crap out of my left hand. I grabbed the Johnson & Johnson emergency medical kit from my truck and it was packed full of WORTHLESS items like 300 bandaides and other crap I didn't need. I ended up wrapping the wound in napkins and wrapping it in tape. It wasn't ideal, but it worked. I probably could have used 10-20 stitches, but I just elected to fix it up with what I had at home. Don't laugh, but I usually keep a maxi-pad in the glove box with a wife and two daughters just in case, but apparently someone needed it and did not replace it. Time to restock and retool!

quote:

Originally posted by BigCity:
Changing the subject just a little bit, how long past the expiration date can you hang onto certain items, like quik clot, etc. and expect it to function like it should. As long as it has never been opened of course.

As long as it has not lost its air seal, it should be good. The coating on the combat gauze can dry out.

The protein based ones don’t react well to humidity.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:


Added: An opinion about the “SWAT-T” tourniquet. I have taken a few classes that exposed the students to that tourniquet that is simply a length of a wide rubber strip with markings to help show when it has been applied tightly enough. Even in a classroom setting I found applying the device properly to be very difficult, and can only imagine what it would be like in a trauma situation. The SWAT-T may be better than nothing in some circumstances, but if I’m going to rely on having a tourniquet, I’ll have one that I know will work and doesn’t require gorilla fingers to apply. Again, though, I would be very interested in contrary opinions.

The SWAT-T is good for children and dogs, not so much for adults.