FIRST-AID KITS

Published on 14/03/2015 by admin

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Last modified 14/03/2015

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FIRST-AID KITS

First-aid kits should be designed according to the environment to be encountered, number of travelers, medical training of the party leaders, and distance from sophisticated medical care. The following lists include items that could be included to deal effectively with the most common problems. They are not camping lists (shelter, food, toiletries, and the like). Basic survival supplies must be adequate. The more multipurpose your selections, the less the weight of your pack.

In all cases, what you should carry depends on your predetermined needs. As you review the sections of this book, you will be able to decide what to carry. For instance, a day hiker need not carry a portable traction splint, but a rock climber on a lengthy expedition should consider bringing one along. A scuba diver should carry a bottle of vinegar to pour on a jellyfish sting. Select the items that make sense for your group or expedition. Carry a realistic quantity of supplies; you should be prepared to treat more than one person at a time. Specific medications to choose from are described in Appendix 1 and throughout the book. Remember to bring along pediatric doses (in liquid form, if necessary) when traveling with children.

First-aid supplies should be packed to be readily accessible, and marked clearly to allow rapid identification. The supplies must be carried in a container(s) that can withstand physical abuse, extremes of temperature, and exposure to water. On boating, rafting, or diving adventures, carry medical supplies in a plastic (a Pelican Case, Storm Case, or Otter Box, for example) or metal container equipped with a rubber O-ring gasket for a tight, waterproof seal, or store the supplies in a “dry bag.” Use Ziploc-type bags within the kit for extra material and to sort your supplies. For instance, it is helpful to partition supplies into modules “for wound care,” “for an allergic reaction,” and so forth.

Carry a small notepad and waterproof writing instrument. A preprinted first-aid report form, designed for use on mountain or backcountry expeditions, is a convenient way to record a victim’s medical condition and treatment, while serving as a good checklist for proper evaluation. Space is usually provided for a written rescue request to be carried by a messenger in an emergency.

Before the trip, show all members of the expedition where the medical supplies are stored and explain how they are to be used.

An excellent selection of first-aid kits is available in stores and by mail order from Chinook Medical Gear, Inc. (www.chinookmed.com).

BASIC SUPPLIES

Brand names are shown to indicate representative products, not to indicate that these are the only products that may be used. Quality, availability, cost, and preference will influence which specific products you choose. Before you embark on an outdoor expedition, go through the relevant sections of this book and this list carefully, and make a decision to include or exclude these items from your medical kit.

GENERAL SUPPLIES

• Medical guidebook

• First-aid report form

• Pencil or pen with small notepad

• Steel sewing needle

• Safety pins

• Needle-nose pliers with wire cutter

• Sharp folding knife

• Disposable scalpels (#11 and/or #12 blades)

• Paramedic or emergency medical technician (EMT) shears (scissors)

• Swiss Army knife or Leatherman-type tool

• Seam ripper

• Sharp-pointed surgical scissors

• Bandage scissors

• Splinter forceps (tweezers)

• Standard oral thermometer: digital, mercury, or alcohol

• Low-reading hypothermia thermometer

• Wooden tongue depressors (“tongue blades”)

• Rolled duct tape (3 in × 1 yd, or 91 cm)

• ⅛- to ¼-inch-diameter braided nylon cord (minimum 10 ft, or 3 m)

• Water bottle (such as Nalgene ½ to 1 liter)

• Blue “baby bulb” or “turkey baster” suction device

• Waterproof flashlight (such as Pelican MityLite)

• Headlamp (and spare batteries)—preferably with floodlight and flash settings, able to withstand moisture and temperature extremes

• Cyalume fluorescent light sticks

• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) mouth barrier or pocket mask (such as a Microshield X-L Mouth Barrier or NuMask CPRKIT)

• Sterile (hypoallergenic or latex) surgical gloves; if you are allergic to latex, bring other (such as nonlatex synthetic) nonpermeable gloves

• Signal mirror

• Waterproof matches

• Fine-mesh head net or travel tent to repel insects

• Oral rehydration salts or Cera Lyte 70 oral electrolyte powder

• Rubber cement

• Urine pregnancy test

WOUND CARE—PREPARATIONS AND DRESSINGS

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