What are the worst-case-scenario hiking situations?

[haptalaon]

I'm trying to put together a first aid kit for my husband, who goes up the mountain twice a day with the dog over winter. I've tried this before & haven't had success at making him take it, but also I feel like any problem small enough to be solved with a little box of plasters he can walk himself down the mountain with. There have been cases where he's slipped in mud and needed my assistance getting down.

So I'm thinking of making one themed around absolute 'worst case scenario' crises (plus training in how to actually use the things). Situations where 1. he can't power through it and get down, and 2. where he might need to do first aid faster than I (or others) can get up to him.

What would you add to this list?

• catastrophic bleeding (emergency bandage)
• sprained or broken ankle/leg (???)
• dodgy knees (tubular bandage)
• extremely cold & wet / can't move due to injury (emergency survival bag)

plus

• carabiner (to secure the dog's lead round a tree, so he can focus on first aid)
• flashing beacon (for being spotted)
• hand sanitiser

(& Does anyone know a good 'wilderness first aid' book or course, that I can look at the contents page for more ideas)

What I'm finding online is quite a lot of lists of 'stuff', but I think it'd help my brain better to have a list of use cases (from whence you choose the stuff). Otherwise I'm just giving him weight, without a clear idea of what the things are for.

 

[Herman30]

Most important; is there cell coverage so he can call for help?

A sturdy staff to lean on if one leg/ankle is injured.

 

[Pattree]

I would not look beyond the traditional hikers first aid kit (FAK)
It is natural to be concerned where you cannot directly predict outcome but once you go beyond what a triangular bandage and a wound dressing can do it usually involves two people.
His phone is the most useful tool.
His skill and experience will do most of the work in keeping him safe, as will his trust in his abilities and limitations.

 

[haptalaon]

Most important; is there cell coverage so he can call for help?

Yes, but not reliably - acceptable but patchy. He's never tried calling me and it hasn't got through, but it can sound crackly; and the internet comes and goes.

 

[Paul_B]

One point, if he's on his own then quite possibly a lot of worst case scenarios he may well not be in a position to treat. I don't mean to be negative but worst case scenario kit probably gets used on other people not yourself. What you're likely kitting up for is walking wounded for your husband to use on himself and extra kit for more serious incidents involving others. I'd hate to rely on having to apply first aid for a major bleed on myself or a head injury when I might not be thinking straight.

Just a thought but perhaps one of those devices that detects an accident and alerts ICE contacts that you've had an accident and where?

 

[haptalaon]

One point, if he's on his own then quite possibly a lot of worst case scenarios he may well not be in a position to treat. I don't mean to be negative but worst case scenario kit probably gets used on other people not yourself. What you're likely kitting up for is walking wounded for your husband to use on himself and extra kit for more serious incidents involving others. I'd hate to rely on having to apply first aid for a major bleed on myself or a head injury when I might not be thinking straight.

Just a thought but perhaps one of those devices that detects an accident and alerts ICE contacts that you've had an accident and where?

Not negative at all It's really helpful - I don't know what I don't know, if that makes sense, I'm just trying to Imagine The Scenarios - so if the scenario is, he probably can't self-administer serious wound care, that is useful to know

(for example, it means probably I need to learn the first aid skills anticipating using them on him)

I think a personal locator beacon or satellite-powered phone is probably out of budget for the likely level of risk, but it is a good idea

 

[Wildgoose]

Size of the kit is probably going to be a factor here. You can turn an entire daysack into a worst case scenario kit but would he carry it?
Would a smaller kit - but one that can be put in a pocket and forgotten about be better?

 

[Broch]

Like all risk assessments you need to define the 'events', the outcomes of such events, the likelihood/probability of that outcome, the severity of it, and what mitigation can be put in place to prevent it or deal with it.

Many people plan for the 'worst case' scenario when in fact, the likelihood is very small. For example, the likelihood of arterial bleeding when hillwalking requiring compression bandages and/or tourniquet are very low - he may well fall and hit his head and bleed badly (another outcome of the event 'to fall') but it is unlikely that he will be in a condition to deal with it himself.

From my own experience, the most likely scenarios when hillwalking are: sprained or broken ankle (sprain being much more likely); sprained or broken wrist (from falling); grazes and minor cuts (typically to hands, knees, and shins); cold and damp leading to hypothermia; sunstroke and overheating leading to hyperthermia; dehydration; and fatigue. Everything else is either 'unlikely' or requires third person extraction.

My favourite first aid book, which includes first aid kit lists in the back, is this one:

 

[Mesquite]

The worst case scenario would him going out for a walk and not coming back.

Do you have any idea what path he took, how long he'll be, an agreed time for when you should start being concerned and when you should start contacting the emergency services?

These are the sort of thing to bear in mind when going for lone walks.

 

[Wander]

A phone to call for help.
If mobile coverage is poor then a satellite phone?

How old is he?
60s? 70s?
Still young and fit?
As suggested above - a simple first aid kit in a small ruck sack should do. Something to reduce swelling and inflammation if he gets a sprain (e.g. ibuprofen), and small flask and stove to make a warm drink, a protective silvery blanket thing (minds gone blank - can't remember the proper name) or something similar, a few plasters and clean dressings, a crepe bandage.
Realistically that should be enough.
Most important thing, for if it gets really bad, is a phone. Get a satellite phone if mobile coverage is bad.
As suggested above, maybe an agreed 'if not home by x then call someone' plan, and an agreed route.

Forgive me asking, but are you worrying too much? If it's that dangerous and such contingencies are needed for a simple dog walk then should he be taking such a route, twice a day, in winter? Is the problem with him or you worrying too much? Worth asking yourself.

Is he going up the mountain just for exercise and to walk the dog? In which case, if such preparation is needed, then maybe find a safer route until the decent weather returns.
Or is it work related? Which may make it less of an option and understandable why one needs to be properly prepared.

 

[Tantalus]

Really think you should look into some kind of tracking device, either for him or for the dog (or maybe both?)
Let's face it a couple of paracetamol and an elastoplast isnt going to help if he stumbles and breaks an ankle.
Couple of possibilities here but there are dozens of others if you start googling. https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-trackers/

 

[TLM]

Just a reminder that a text message goes through much more reliably than a voice call. Then we just need an app that picks up the sat location from ones phone and ties that to few lines text and sends that.

 

[GNJC]

Antihistamines, ibuprofen and some micropore tape, which will fix a hell of a lot - it's the Duck-tape of first-aid; + always have spare toilet paper, in case your guts need it...

Many people get bogged down with the 'but what ifs...' yet that leads to the madness of trying to cater for all possible situations. If he's in the hills he should have a kisu or emergency blanket anyway.

In all honesty, if he is alone and anything happens, and it is more than a basic kit can cope with, it is unlikely that anything will be more useful than sat' phone.

 

[oldtimer]

Don't think only of planning only for cold and wet weather. My wife had an episode of heat exhaustion when a walk took longer than expected and, on another occasion, I was caught out when an expected spring turned out to be dry. Both times a reserve of water, water purifying tablets and rehydration mix proved invaluable.

 

[forrestdweller]

if he's going out alone in winter i'd suggest a space blanket and some tea lights to make a "palmer furnace"...

 

[Ystranc]

Rather than giving him an extra large FAK which he may or may not be able to use on himself in an emergency I would suggest he carry an epirb. They’re not reliant on cell phone signal and can be used to direct emergency responders directly to him if need be. Some simply need to be registered while others have additional features such as text communication by satellite uplink, remote triggering or tracking which need a monthly subscription.

 

[grainweevil]

Just a reminder that a text message goes through much more reliably than a voice call.

In light of which, maybe suggest he register his mobile for the emergencySMS service. Can't hurt - could help.

 

[SaraR]

In light of which, maybe suggest he register his mobile for the emergencySMS service. Can't hurt - could help.

I was going to suggest this too.

 

[SaraR]

Don't know what size dog you have but it's more likely to get injured and harder to deal with.
A roll of vet wrap in a pocket might be a good idea and a plan for if he has to carry the dog out.
Having had to carry one of mine (9 kg) in my arms for only 0.5 km on the roads once, I now always make sure there is/can be made space in a backpack on longer walks, especially over rough ground.

 

[Woody girl]

One question not so far asked is, how far away from home does he go?
Is it a five mile walk, or ten, for instance.