FIRST AID KITS
Only a dope would venture beyond medical help and not take a first aid kit with him. Remember, a cut or burn at home is an inconvenience but in the bush it could lead to a serious problem.
Over the counter kits are okay if that's your only choice but I very much prefer to assemble them myself.
Nobody knows what I need more then I do!
Pack what you think you'll need based on the terrain and weather and remember to include individual "special" requirements members of the group might have.
For example I carry Mydol and Nitro spray depending on who might be hiking with me.
This is my standard kit, It has everything I might need to handle "basic" medical incidents.
Change the contents every year to ensure your supplies are fresh and bags are still water tight.
This small kit slips into my hydration pack.
Just for cleaning and dressing simple cuts, scrapes. It also has some antihistamine for allergies or insect sting.I don't ask too much of it, if the possibility for more supplies is ever suspected I move up to the larger kit and don't mess around.
For vehicles or base camp where weight and size are not issues but numbers of patients are, I use a rather larger kit.
This is a military "Butt" bag. It is a handy sized carrier for all that large stuff you just can't put into a backpack.It also has room for the numerous "single use" items like rolls of tape and bandages that you'll hopefully have enough of in stock.
Man if it ain't in here I don't want to have to deal with it. Short of gun shot wounds and radiation burns you can pretty much get what you need out of this bag of magic tricks.
Meds, Scalpels, Tourniquets, Gauze, Packing, Anti-biotic, gels, creams, powders and pills.
Hemostats, cauterizing device, skin stapler (and puller) suture material, thermometer, some Q-tips, sting/bite kit and a partridge in a pear tree. All sterile and wrapped to keep it that way.
The outside of the kit sports a window that I have slid an alert card into, it contains:
Names, ages and address of everyone in the hiking party as well as medical information and special allergies and blood type. This card could be used by rescue members to speed treatment and pass on to helicopter medivac crews or hospital staff.
Emergency contact numbers are on the reverse side.
Last but not least, know how to use the kits you carry, study and practice. Some great reading.
Safe Travels
RJ
