First Aid - Why and What to carry!

[eskimo]

I know this is a subject which has probably been approached quite a few times but I feel it is something we need to keep at the top of our prioritys.

3 days ago whilst out camping I had a momentary lapse of concentration whilst cutting firewood (aided by heavy wind/rain in my face) and ended up sticking my newly sharpened axe through my left wrist slicing open a main artery. I was over 2 hours walk from where I had left my Jeep and bleeding quite fast.
Strangely I felt absolutly no pain and (thank god) had decided to take a first aid kit with me for the first time ever. I was always under the impression that if I had an accident, I could quite easily treat it by using natures tools all around me,but let me tell you one thing... when you have blood pumping out of your arm at an alarming rate, you struggle to find time to have a nice walk and find patch of Sphagnum. Luckily I had the first aid kit in the top of my bergen and in under a minute had applied a torneque, gauze and large field dressing.

Although by the time I got back to my Jeep I was exausted and feeling bloody awful, I managed to drive the additional 5 miles to our local A&E who fixed me up good and proper. I now have 8 stitches in my wrist and a tingling sensation in all my fingers. I really don't mean to sound patronising to all of you who carry first aid etc with you, but if theres one person reading this who doesn't, please head my warning and get yourself down to your local chemist/outdoor store and buy one. I only decided to purchase one after watching a dvd by Peter Gawleta (Birchtree Productions) and even then I only spent £8.99 on it that very same morning.

Anyway I now have a week off work and have been told I lost between 1.5 and 2 pints of blood and also that the feeling will return to my fingers in time. With this time I have decided to do my research and build a substantial first aid kit to take on my future expeditions. After speaking to a few friends who are in the medical profession I have come up with the following list and would love to hear your input on what you would leave out or add to it when finalising this kit.

FIRST AID KIT
-------------------
70ml ALGINATE SPRAY (Stops bleeding fast by clotting blood)
2 x LARGE WOUND DRESSINGS 18x18cm
2 x MEDIUM WOUND DRESSINGS 12x12cm
1 x SMALL FINGER DRESSING 4cm x 4cm
12 x 3M STERI-STRIPS (To close large cuts/laserations aka butterfly stitches)
STERILE EMERGENCY EYEWASH 20 ml
6 x 7.5 x 7.5cm GAUZE SWABS (8 PLY)
ASSORTED PLASTERS
ASSORTED SAFETY PINS
2 x TRIANGULAR BANDAGES
3.5" SPLINTER/GAUZE TWEEZERS
1x MICROPOROUS TAPE 2.5cm x 10m
3M ANTISEPTIC HANDWASH
2 pckts STERILISED LATEX GLOVES

Anyway thanks for reading this and bear in mind the total weight of the kit above is less than 700g and could quite possible save yours or someone elses life.

 

[BOD]

Glad you made it out eskimo!

Your experience highlights what we were discussing not so long ago - the need to have a "FIRST AID KIT" available not sissy stuff like hand wipes and gloves

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?p=217831#post217831

having done much less severe injuries to myself than you and with the experience of fumbling in other people's FAKs I now think you should separate the really important stuff and leave the other stuff in the back pack.

It would really help us if you tell us where you kept your FAK; how easiliy you were able to get stuff out; apply the torniquet; secure the pressure bandage etc. and give us your recommendations.


That would be better for a discussion than the usual stuff about whether iodine is better over H2O2 as an antiseptic or how much "X" brand FAKs cost.

Have some rep for handling the situation being prepared and for telling us

 

[leemann]

Thats reason enough why I carry a first aid kit. Glad you made it out ok.

Lee

 

[fred gordon]

Harrowing stories indeed and I'm glad you made it OK. Just proves the point of having a good, fully stocked kit.I am always paranoid about my First Aid kit and I carry the full Mountain Leaders kit + one or two extra bits I feel I might need. I'm off to the wilds of Torridon in a few minutes so I'd best go and check the kit!

 

[leon-1]

Welcome to BCUK eskimo, glad to hear your fixed up.


First aid kits can be a troublesome subject, actually more the contents, I always advocate carrying one when out and about. The contents of a kit are however very much a matter dictated by levels of experience and expertise (if you don't know how to use it why carry it?), using a piece of kit that you are not trained to use may make the situation worse.

The equipment that you have in your first aid kit however is very much down to earth, good list and a good first post

 

[BorderReiver]

Glad you made it.

One of the most important things for first aid is a mobile 'phone.

You were lucky to be able to reach help but if you had collapsed on your way to hospital you would probably have died.

With that sort of injury it would be best to let the ambulance service come to you,while you concentrate on stemming the blood flow.

Please note,I'm NOT saying take a 'phone instead of but as well as a well thought out FAK.

 

[scoops_uk]

Thanks for sharing your list eskimo.

I carry a Lifesystems mountain kit as a matter of course. Although it was a decent kit to start with I've modified it quite a bit, mainly thinning down duplication to include other items instead but I'm not happy that I've got it right and was planning a revamp. The trouble is deciding what is the right stuff so your medical friends list and any suggestions here would be very useful!

Glad to hear your OK

Scoops_uk

 

[John Dixon]

Hi just a few things i have picked up on the way, one or two big field dressings and a role of Gaffer tape, can fix anything from a lung puncture to a severed limb. You can emobilise a limb and its water resistant and easy to use with one hand. A pair of gloves is essential if its not you you are treating, he may have Hep. or you could cause an infection, especialy if the patients is a long way from medical services.

As for a mobile phone they can be a great help but more often than not if you are in the out doors i.e twenty minute or so walk form the road. that means you will need to give grid refferences and it takes quite a while to stretcher people over that distance. Dont rely on them many people have contacted the mountain rescue on them and given the wrong Grid ref or could not give precise direction and have sat there waiting for hours when they could of evaced themselves. I rescued one guy who even walked up a 700 meter peak to get a signal, instead of heading down to the road. It took us 2 1/2 hours to get to him. Where if he had walked to the nearest road we would have been with hime in next to no time.

But most of all i recommend doing a first aid course. One that is based around the outdoors is of real help. if i am preaching to the converted i am sorry.

But Gaffer tape and a few dressings can save your life oh and fix your boat or boots and so on......

 

[Mr_Rimps]

To reiterate whats already been said, glad to hear to made it out Eskimo. The fact you patched yourself up and kept a level head is a great credit to your resolve and survival instinct. Well done.

In addition to your list I also carry duct/gaffer tape(good for blister prevention too), dental floss (very strong thread), needles, scissors, pain killers, imodium, tweesers, small bottle of iodine (only use if you know how to), vet wrap, super glue(again, know how to use it), lip balm and a wilderness first aid booklet.

It has been mentioned before, only take what you know how to use and take what is appropriate for the activity you are doing.

By the way...Welcome to BCUK

Andy

 

[rik_uk3]

I know this is a subject which has probably been approached quite a few times but I feel it is something we need to keep at the top of our prioritys.

3 days ago whilst out camping I had a momentary lapse of concentration whilst cutting firewood (aided by heavy wind/rain in my face) and ended up sticking my newly sharpened axe through my left wrist slicing open a main artery. I was over 2 hours walk from where I had left my Jeep and bleeding quite fast.
Strangely I felt absolutly no pain and (thank god) had decided to take a first aid kit with me for the first time ever. I was always under the impression that if I had an accident, I could quite easily treat it by using natures tools all around me,but let me tell you one thing... when you have blood pumping out of your arm at an alarming rate, you struggle to find time to have a nice walk and find patch of Sphagnum. Luckily I had the first aid kit in the top of my bergen and in under a minute had applied a torneque, gauze and large field dressing.

Although by the time I got back to my Jeep I was exausted and feeling bloody awful, I managed to drive the additional 5 miles to our local A&E who fixed me up good and proper. I now have 8 stitches in my wrist and a tingling sensation in all my fingers. I really don't mean to sound patronising to all of you who carry first aid etc with you, but if theres one person reading this who doesn't, please head my warning and get yourself down to your local chemist/outdoor store and buy one. I only decided to purchase one after watching a dvd by Peter Gawleta (Birchtree Productions) and even then I only spent £8.99 on it that very same morning.

Anyway I now have a week off work and have been told I lost between 1.5 and 2 pints of blood and also that the feeling will return to my fingers in time. With this time I have decided to do my research and build a substantial first aid kit to take on my future expeditions. After speaking to a few friends who are in the medical profession I have come up with the following list and would love to hear your input on what you would leave out or add to it when finalising this kit.

FIRST AID KIT
-------------------
70ml ALGINATE SPRAY (Stops bleeding fast by clotting blood)
2 x LARGE WOUND DRESSINGS 18x18cm
2 x MEDIUM WOUND DRESSINGS 12x12cm
1 x SMALL FINGER DRESSING 4cm x 4cm
12 x 3M STERI-STRIPS (To close large cuts/laserations aka butterfly stitches)
STERILE EMERGENCY EYEWASH 20 ml
6 x 7.5 x 7.5cm GAUZE SWABS (8 PLY)
ASSORTED PLASTERS
ASSORTED SAFETY PINS
2 x TRIANGULAR BANDAGES
3.5" SPLINTER/GAUZE TWEEZERS
1x MICROPOROUS TAPE 2.5cm x 10m
3M ANTISEPTIC HANDWASH
2 pckts STERILISED LATEX GLOVES

Anyway thanks for reading this and bear in mind the total weight of the kit above is less than 700g and could quite possible save yours or someone elses life.

Eskimo, your kit is about right, nothing too fancy and it will do the job. People must remember that "First Aid" = initial aid to a victim. Your job as a first aider is to
1. Ensure your safety when helping others, a dead first aider is useless

2. Maintain airway

3. Use CPR if (and make sure its only IF) needed

4. Control blood loss

5. Get help

Sorry to sound critical, but there are way too many people running around carrying a lot more gear than they need have no "real" idea how to use and could do more harm than good in the long term unless they can prioritise a situation and get the help needed.

I'm sorry to sound negative on this, but instead of talking about what kit to carry, the first question should be what training should you get, and then practise what you learn there; putting a bandage on looks easy, doing it right is not always so. Learn the skills, and practise on a regular basis.

No offense meant to anyone, but please do the training, practise what you learn, and realise the limitations of your skills; doing this helps lead to a happy outcome

PS, update your training courses at least every two years.

 

[philaw]

I just did the basic one day first aid course last week, and got a lot out of it. I'd been meaning to do it for ages and had my own wake-up call when I saw a car accident and wished I could've helped.

Work paid for it, and yours might do the same. It's worth asking!

 

[rik_uk3]

Its worth asking you employer to send you on a course, remember, you need a first aider on duty at work all the time. Even at the hospital, qualified Nurses don't count as first aiders unless they have completed the training, and the ward still has to have a first aid kit on hand.

The dark winter nights are perfect for looking at a night course with St.John's or other providers near you.

 

[bilko]

I managed to sideswipe my left middle finger with my axe whilst cutting kindling for one of my boys a while ago. I didn't hurt one bit. I distinctly remember a voice in my head saying " don't look and it will be fine ". As soon as i looked blood seeped out and then i thought " how am i going to drive the car to hospital with this!.
After a short period of fuzziness and my 14 yr old son looking at me strangely i wandered to my nearby pack. I got the FAK out relising i was spilling blood everywhere and grabbed the plasters. Not the best choice i know but i squeezed a huge plater over the wound and made a complete hash of it. So much so that blood was everywhere and it slipped off. I panicked a little and grabbed another whilst sucking the finger clean of blood. Even trying to unwrap a plaster can be difficult with one hand.. Anyway i covered the cut and it stopped bleeding but the whole thing made me feel realy lousey so i packed up and we went home. I thanked God for how lucky i was not to have taken my finger off and vowed to respect my sharps and never use them without full concentration.
My work does a FAK course so i think i'll get my name down.

In total i must have lost 5 of 6 teaspoons of blood which goes to show how useless i may have been had i had your misfortune. Although i carry wht i consider to be an adequate FAK it's suprising how even the easiest of tasks falls by the way when you are injured. Training is something that can counter this.
Glad you made it buddy!

 

[Mr_Rimps]

I teach the use of knife Axe and saw for Scouts. The axe is probably one of the most dangerous tools a scout (and leader) can use. We have pretty strict guide lines. Touch wood - I haven't been involved with an axe injury.

A couple of phrases I use during teaching is " An Axe (knife or saw) is completely safe until you forget that it is dangerous" and "Respect your tools."

I think that airing your horror stories with an axe serves as a warning and good teaching aid for others. I'm glad the out come for you bilko was a happy one too.

A bit off the original topic: sorry

 

[BOD]

I managed to sideswipe my left middle finger with my axe whilst cutting kindling for one of my boys a while ago. I didn't hurt one bit. I distinctly remember a voice in my head saying " don't look and it will be fine ". As soon as i looked blood seeped out and then i thought " how am i going to drive the car to hospital with this!.
After a short period of fuzziness and my 14 yr old son looking at me strangely i wandered to my nearby pack. I got the FAK out relising i was spilling blood everywhere and grabbed the plasters. Not the best choice i know but i squeezed a huge plater over the wound and made a complete hash of it. So much so that blood was everywhere and it slipped off. I panicked a little and grabbed another whilst sucking the finger clean of blood. Even trying to unwrap a plaster can be difficult with one hand.. Anyway i covered the cut and it stopped bleeding but the whole thing made me feel realy lousey so i packed up and we went home. I thanked God for how lucky i was not to have taken my finger off and vowed to respect my sharps and never use them without full concentration.
My work does a FAK course so i think i'll get my name down.

In total i must have lost 5 of 6 teaspoons of blood which goes to show how useless i may have been had i had your misfortune. Although i carry wht i consider to be an adequate FAK it's suprising how even the easiest of tasks falls by the way when you are injured. Training is something that can counter this.
Glad you made it buddy!

What most First Aid courses do not teach you or give you an opportunity to practice is to give yourself first aid.

I think that this is the priority for people who go into the woods alone like we do.