General Purpose First Aid Kit, Rigid
First Aid Kit, General Purpose, Rigid Case.
The steel box 12-unit vehicle first aid kit of World War II and the 1950s was replaced by the "First Aid Kit, General Purpose, Rigid Case" (FSN 6545-922-1200, later changed to NSN 6545-00-922-1200). This kit was typically bracket-mounted in a vehicle for emeergency use by the vehicle operator or passangers.
The General Purpose First Aid Kit, Rigid was produced in a series of variants:
- Steel box, olive drab, white paper label afixed to top with red printed "6545-922-1200 / First Aid Kit / the Medical Department symbol / General Purpose 12 Unit" FSN 6545-922-1200
- Steel box, olive drab, black painted Medical Department symbol, no other lettering, inside label and instructions FSN 6545-922-1200
- Plastic box, olive drab, black painted embossed letters "NSN 6545-00-922-1200 / First Aid Kit / General Purpose" with a white square containing a red cross to the right, inside label and instructions (photo, left)
The boxes had tight fitting lids with waterproof seal, lid clamps and a handle or mounting point. The size of the plastic box was specified as 3 in. high x 5-13/16 in. deep x 8-7/32 in. wide. The Medical Department symbol consists of a caduceus and the letters US.
NSN 6545-00-922-1200, "First Aid Kit, General Purpose, Rigid Case" was replaced by NSN 6545-01-521-8515 (same nomenclature) which was then replaced by 6545-01-534-0779 (First Aid Kit, General Purpose). The latter kit is intended to cover a wider range of requirements (vehicles, aircraft, watercraft, life rafts, ... ) than the earlier NSNs.
Contents of the General Purpose First Aid Kit
| Item | NSN | Qty/Kit |
|---|---|---|
| Iodine | 6505-00-148-7096 | 10 |
| Field dressing | 6510-00-159-4883 | 3 |
| Field compress | 6510-00-200-3075 | 1 |
| Gauze bandage, 3-in x 18-ft | 6510-00-200-3185 | 2 |
| Triangle bandage, 37-in x 37-in x 52-in | 6510-00-201-1755 | 1 |
| Adhesive bandage 3/4-in x 3-in | 6510-00-913-7909 | 18 |
| Rolled elastic bandage, 2-in x 12-ft | 6510-00-935-5820 | 1 |
| Surgical tape, 1-in x 54-in | 6510-01-060-1639 | 3 |
| Petrolatum gauze, 3-in x 36-in | 6510-01-112-6414 | 3 |
| Surgical blade | 6515-00-754-0426 | 1 |
| Scissors | 6515-00-935-7138 | 1 |
| Exam glove | 6515-01-364-8554 | 4 |
| Dental bag | 6520-00-926-9041 | 1 |
| Eye dressing | 6545-00-853-6309 | 1 |
| Case | 6545-00-113-3722 | 1 |
Other Forms of the General Purpose First Aid Kit
The General Purpose First Aid Kit, Rigid was the most common kit, but there were a number of other kits with the same or similar names, purpose and contents. These include:
- First Aid Kit, General Purpose, Flexible Case. Similar to contents above but in a nylon bag that could be mounted on LTD studs in an aircraft, similar to the WW II Kit, First Aid, Aeronautic. NSN 6545-01-521-8519 or 6545-01-533-7043
- First Aid Kit, General Purpose, Rigid Case. Larger kit with greater variety of contents in a wider/deeper tub (10x10x8.25 in.), for emergency use on small watercraft, airborne and seaborne large life rafts, and buildings. NSN 6545-00-116-1410, 6545-01-521-8511 or 6545-01-534-0079.
Find More Information on the Web
There are many fine websites that have additional information on this topic, too many to list here and too many to keep up with as they come and go. Use this Google web search form to get an up to date report of what's out there.
For good results, try entering this: general purpose first aid kit. Then click the Search button.
