Adding to gaffa tape.
Cling film is amazing stuff for cuts and burns, especially outdoors as it's water proof too.
Cling film is amazing stuff for cuts and burns, especially outdoors as it's water proof too.
First Aid in the field
- Thread starter Zammo
- Start date
This type of question pops up from time to time, and I always give much the same reply, get trained, practice, and carry kit you really can use and not just kit you have read the theory of use on, this can be dangerous. In the words of Clint Eastwood, "Every man should know his limitations" 
Tried it once and to be honest i wasnt that impressed with it. I preffer to use some betadine to clean the wound and then apply a dressing, it gives far more protection to the wound.
I have never had to try when camping,but several at various occasions,for I live outside of city in small village 30 min from nearest hospital.
7 years old kid was shot with air gun in leg,that was the worst,pellet went 4"in the thigh muscles doctor said later.I used military field dressing I had.Scary part was that it was kid kept asking"Will I die now?".
Other was minor cuts at vineyard,and once had to put man in recovery position.
And i think I should take some course,it was long time ago,some 20 yrs ago,when I took one.
7 years old kid was shot with air gun in leg,that was the worst,pellet went 4"in the thigh muscles doctor said later.I used military field dressing I had.Scary part was that it was kid kept asking"Will I die now?".
Other was minor cuts at vineyard,and once had to put man in recovery position.
And i think I should take some course,it was long time ago,some 20 yrs ago,when I took one.
used it several times on injuries around the eye (shell cases into the face normally) to hold the skin together where no dressing would stick - dont think I'd carry it in a lightweight kit though.
outside the mil I have glued, stuck and sutured several large cuts and strapped up a few breaks here and there prior to shipping off to A&E. reducing dislocated fingers became a common occurance when I used to climb a lot.
last week we had a baby on the plane succumb to heatstoke before we landed (people should leave kids under 6 at home in my opinion as they cant remember anything of the holiday anyway) and a girl on a trip who fainted from the same after keeping her water bottle tucked into the luggage rack on her quad for 2 hours in 50 degree heat. her boyfirend wasn't much better so my camelbak full of ice and water came in handy
everyone we got to know in the hotel last week went down sick including me and my missus so I got one of the waiters to scrounge me up some salt and sugar sachets to help them rehydrate. from what I could learn 3 babies had to be shipped off to hospital due to the heat and infections along with several children.
It must be said though that too many minor incidences are shipped off to A&E when they could be treated at home.
The comments about the distance to nearest hospital made me smile
Up in the north of Finland, collecting a prescription from the nearest chemist can be a 200 mile round trip.
And the poor folks who live in Utsjoki have to drive 300 miles to the nearest maternity hospital to give birth.
Waters broke darling? You could have given me 7 hours notice
Up in the north of Finland, collecting a prescription from the nearest chemist can be a 200 mile round trip.
And the poor folks who live in Utsjoki have to drive 300 miles to the nearest maternity hospital to give birth.
Waters broke darling? You could have given me 7 hours notice
A thirteen-year-old boy had a nasty slip on a trip to Snowdonia and ended up with a big gask on his forehead. I used an Army field dressing and my mobile to call up the boys who know. Incredibly enough, Mountain Rascue showed up in about ten minutes (they'd been treating a bloke with a broken leg around the corner but came to us because it was a head injury!), followed by the big yellow chopper from the RAF. The kid was whisked off Tryfan and to Bangor hospital where he was put back together by a visiting plastic surgeon. A superb and dazzlingly efficient service from the Rescue boys.
To get back to the point, the Army field dressing was brilliant - sterile, easy to sort out and stemmed the flow of blood retty effectively. Apart from that, the little sealed 'pods' of sterile saline are very useful as is a stuff called Soluchrom which is only available on the continent.
To get back to the point, the Army field dressing was brilliant - sterile, easy to sort out and stemmed the flow of blood retty effectively. Apart from that, the little sealed 'pods' of sterile saline are very useful as is a stuff called Soluchrom which is only available on the continent.
Another vote for gaffer tape from me.
A close friend of mine broke his tibia on cribbyn, we taped his leg up and managed to walk him down, very slowly.
Fantastic stuff!
I'm also a big fan of the "First Field Dressing" Tiley is on about. Very versatile.
The packaging is excellent for stopping or at least slowing heavy bleeds, hold the empty packaging, (sterile side facing wound), against the wound and apply pressure, either by hand or by applying the field dressing tightly over the wrapper. The dressing alone has potential to soak up more blood than it will stop, and can hold up to 1 pint of blood.
A tourniquet around the neck is also good for stopping head bleeds apparantly.
A close friend of mine broke his tibia on cribbyn, we taped his leg up and managed to walk him down, very slowly.
Fantastic stuff!
I'm also a big fan of the "First Field Dressing" Tiley is on about. Very versatile.
The packaging is excellent for stopping or at least slowing heavy bleeds, hold the empty packaging, (sterile side facing wound), against the wound and apply pressure, either by hand or by applying the field dressing tightly over the wrapper. The dressing alone has potential to soak up more blood than it will stop, and can hold up to 1 pint of blood.
A tourniquet around the neck is also good for stopping head bleeds apparantly.
As well as breathing and general living
Seriously though, I cant endorse this suggestion
As well as breathing and general living
Seriously though, I cant endorse this suggestion
Depends on who the casualty is.
I've had to deal with many types of injury both during and after my military service. Served in the Falklands during the conflict so dealt with all sorts there from missing bits to see through bits, I'm now a trainer with the Red Cross and you can never tell when you'll need something. I tend to carry a small bum bag kit with gloves, crepe bandages, 3 different size dressings 2 of each, plasters, mediwipes, small scissors, Hypostop, Aspirin for heart attack and paracetamol, also immodium, and micropore with a space blanket and a few safety pins. Any larger items I can manufacture from surroundings like splints. If I need stiff neck collar I wouldn't move the casualty just monitor. Most important item is mobile phone to call for assistance, possible medivac. Came across a walker on the hills couple of years back who had fallen off a ledge ....down 20ft...landed on a fence...which had sliced through the thigh into the bone which was showing, even though I was in a 4 x 4 at the time we called for ambulance and in the meantime put a towel round the injury and applied pressure with a belt. You only need the basics if your out alone or with a mate. Obviously something larger when out as a group of cadets or scouts or some such. Important thing is ....like bushcraft stop.... think .....if you aint got it .....improvise, knowledge is more important...know what to do. Get yourself on a course then decide what you need!
Does this help?
Does this help?
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