First Aid Kits What do you Carry?

[Robbo]

One other thing I take with me is charcoal capsules.

They serve many purposes...

Robbo

[frank_in_oz]

What about a generator to power the electric shaver........

[Nuts]

Crikey... Are you expecting to come across a plane crash

I'll leave mine at home and just come walking with you guys (Sth)

[corvus]

Nuts no we are just prepared for what if !! We did not achive our Scouting Awards Sth and I (Queens Scout) for being maybe, but Being Prepared .

[sthughes]

You forgot the mirror unless you carry one to shave with and comb your hair

No I don't - thought I'd borrow yours when you're done trimming your moustache! Why do you think I wear a hat!

One other thing I take with me is charcoal capsules.
They serve many purposes...

Robbo

What purposes?? I googled them and basically it just comes up talking about them stopping flatulence! What else do they do?

What about a generator to power the electric shaver........

Nah it's a battery one! Will last over a week till things get a bit slow.

Crikey... Are you expecting to come across a plane crash

I'll leave mine at home and just come walking with you guys (Sth)

Well I hadn't thought of that - do you think I should throw in a fire extinguisher for just that eventuality?

Don't leave yours behind we'll still need it to fix up the rescue helicopter pilot in case he crashes when coming to rescue the plane crash survivors - gotta be brepared and all

Seriously I've never paid much attention to whats in my kit - I just knew there was plenty and didn't think much beyond that! I added stuff I thought of that I should have along the way (like leukoplast). I'm thinking perhaps a slightly smaller setup for day walks might be in order now I've read my post and realised just how much is in there. So for a day walk how does this sound:

- 1 x Book "Emergency First Aid - a Quick Guide" (I do carry this casue it's been so long since I did a course)
- snap locks
- 1 x Bricanyl (asthma medication)
- 5 x Band Aids (like the good ones not "plastic strips")
- 1 x 25mm x 5m Roll of Leukoplast
- 1 x Eye pad
- 1 x Triangular Bandage
- 1 x Scissors
- 1 x Tweezers
- 1 x Allereze Tablets
- 2 x Nurefen Plus Tablets
- 1 x Thermal Blanket
- 1 x 75mm x 100mm non-adherent absorbent dressings
- 2 x nitrile examination powder free gloves blue 245mm textured
- 1 x Face Shield
- 2 x Antiseptic swabs
- 1 x Note Pad
- 1 x Pencil
- 1 x 50mm x 1.5m Crep Bandage
- 1 x 75mm x ?m long bandage (like the brown type for sprains etc.)

That get's me down to 422 grams - so less than half weight!

[Tony]

My first aid kit, I derived at this kit from talking to a doctor friend (sport medicine specialist), going to several talks on first aid and doing a lot of reading on the topic and years of experience.

Most of my walking is 1-4 day walks and it is very unusual to see anyone else as a lot of my walking is off track.

Rubber gloves x 1 pair
CPR mask ( from training if unable to revive quickly, patent probably will not survive)
Gauze swab x 1
Bandaids x 6
Butterfly wound closure strips x 4
Blister pads various sizes x 6
Antiseptic towelette x 3
Anti fungal cream (for itchy feet)
Pressure bandage x 1 (after reading an article in Wild about treating snake bites I will increase this to two or three, this is the most probable serious injury, I have nearly been bitten by a Brown snake several times)
Panadine x 10 (if I am taking the only first aid kit I might throw in more pain killers)
Nurofen x 12
Gastro-stop x 12 plus instructions for use (this is one that is missing from other lists and I think it is a very important one, it has saved me big time once)
Micropur water treatment x 12 (will treat 12 liters)
Personal meds x 4 tabs
Tweezers from my Pocket Knife
needle for splinters

I have complied this list of what first aid (what I can remember) I have treated or have happened to me over the years

Blisters foot (most common and now days since I started using custom Orthotics very rare to get blisters)
Toothache (not me)
Gastric attack (me)
Headache (me and others)
Anti fungal foot treatment (me)
Mild Hypothermia x 2 (not me)
Sprained wrist Cross country skiing (skied out) (me)
Broken thumb Cross country skiing (skied out) (me)
Knee ligament damage, managed to walk out (not me)

Some major incidences that have happened to people I know
Knee ligament damage x 2, XC skiing both managed to ski out but needed knee reconstructions.
Boiling water down a boot, badly blistered foot.

Tony

[Penguin]

Part of my first aid kit is to take my GP with me on most long walks. Oh and we often have an A&E nurse. Still haver not found a use for the dairy farmer.....

[corvus]

Hey nuts tampons may well make good swabs therefore being dual purpose,as a 1/2 baked 1/2 Geordie I dont expect you to know much about Scouting but let me just say that it takes lots of time and effort for a young person to achieve the "Queen's Scout "award and I respect those who attained it.
Jings Crivvens (Scots for f 'n ing ell ) I hope I never have you as trip leader on any of my walks what with your no this and that in a FA kit and no electronic gear ,just as well I still remember the semaphore I learnt as Scout and can still light a fire rubbing two or three sticks together.

[corvus]

Would that be your walking stick
c

[johnw]

The following news item appeared on my radar this morning. I usually carry one of the elasticised compression bandages that they're referring to (mine is a "SetoPress" pressure immobilisation bandage -AKA "snakebite bandage"):

http://bigpondnews.com/articles/National/2009/06/25/Calls_for_snakebite_first_aid_change_345664.html

Calls for snakebite first aid change

"Thursday, June 25, 2009 05:50am
Bandages in many Australian first aid kits recommended as a first response to snakebite can do little to halt the poison's spread, experts have warned.

Crepe bandages do not exert enough pressure on the poisoned limb, and they offer little benefit beyond preventing movement.

'(The) first aid bandages currently available in many first aid kits may actually not enable Australians to alter the outcome of a bite beyond the potential benefit of immobilisation,' a Northern Territory-based study has found.

This was the case 'even (when) strictly following the current Australian Resuscitation Council guidelines for snakebite'.

Professor Bart Currie and medical student Elizabeth Canale, from the Royal Darwin Hospital, conducted the study along with Associate Professor Geoff Isbister from the Tropical Toxinology Program at the Menzies School of Health Research.

They tested the ability of about 100 people - including nurses, ambulance paramedics and people living in snake-prone areas - to effectively apply a crepe bandage to treat snakebite.

The bandages were found to be 'consistently inferior' to elasticised bandages when it came to generating enough pressure to stop the poison spreading.

Even when applied properly, the bandages were found to 'quickly lose any effective pressure' when exposed to the equivalent of a 30-minute ride in an ambulance.

The study calls for improved snakebite training for health workers, a review of treatment guidelines and also an 'official vetting of the quality of bandages that are sold as first aid for snakebite'.

'We recommend that pressure bandaging with immobilisation should continue to be promoted as the standard for Australia,' the researchers say.

'However, we also recommend that immediate changes be made to written guidelines in Australia, noting the inadequacy of standard crepe bandages and that elasticised bandages are superior'.

The research is to be presented on Thursday at the Winter Symposium of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, in Darwin."

[adventurescape]

Emergency blankets are practically useless. Its a sheet. The better alternative is a bag style silvered thing with a draw string and hood. Traps heat better and I think 2 people will fit in there. Hypothermia treatment is chuck a warm, healthy person in the bag with the chilled one and hopefully they both emerge at least lukewarm and somewhat better acquainted.
Seriously, the blankets are a waste of space. They offer very little protection from wind or rain and evaporative heat loss.

[sthughes]

Crepe bandages do not exert enough pressure on the poisoned limb, and they offer little benefit beyond preventing movement.

This doesn't surprise me really, but makes me question: What are the benefits of crepe over elasticized bandages? Should we just turf the crepe and only carry elasticized bandages?

Seriously, the blankets are a waste of space.

Emergency blankets are practically useless

I've sometimes wondered about their effectiveness, but having never had a need to try one out I didn't know.
Have you had some experience with them (and their failure)? Or have you found some research? If so please do share.

I imagine a reflective bag would be better, certainly easier to seal the wind and damp out. With the right size sheet style blanket you can wrap a victim up pretty snuggly and tape up the closure fairly well, however not so easy to do to yourself I imagine.

Just remember emergency blankets can be used for so much more than just keeping warm as well. Given their tiny size and weight even a little effectiveness combined with their other uses makes something along their lines worthwhile in my opinion, be it a blanket or bag.

Do you carry the bag variety adventurescape? If so how much does it weigh? How big? How much? Where from?

[corvus]

I believe that "emergency blankets" are useful as they can be used to keep a patient warmer just by wrapping around the head and shoulders especially if they are in Shock as opposed to suffering from Hypothermia which I think we are more likely to be dealing with rather than Hypothermia .
I also believe that "Hypothermia Rescue Bags"are very good if they are available however a sleeping bag will in most instances do the same thing taking care not overheat the patient and ensuring they are insulated from the ground .
c

[Ent]

Content removed by poster

[adventurescape]

The bag is effectively a shelter if the unexpected happens. In the event of a knee or ankle injury in difficult terrain, which seems like one of the most frequent walking injuries, the victim can rug up, jump in and await help. Whether walking solo or in a group, this is a scenario that could occur. It can save a group or individual carrying a tent on day walks and do a far more effective job of avoiding or treating hypothermia than a blanket for the sake of less than 100 grams. If a bad change in weather occurs whilst awaiting rescue, the victim is somewhat safer. I want some kitchen scales, but it may encourage OCD behaviour in my packing!

My statements are based on scenarios and the effectiveness of the two items that are similar, but I think one is far more versatile than the other. They cost between $10 and $15. I have seen them at PP and Allgoods. My guess at weight would be between 80 and !20 gms. They would make a great emergency poncho with some creative cutting, better than a pack liner. It just makes sense to me to carry this instead of a sheet. It seems logical to take something that does the same thing better for a minimal difference in weight. The bag creates a vapour barrier as it is, a sheet requires much more work and takes more time to do the same less effectively.

Sam

[tasadam]

I just listed my first aid kit in a light-weight topic, here.
At the risk of cross-posting, I will add the guts of it here.

PLB, registered and details of trip intentions logged. Kept in the pack in the top pocket. Any trip away from camp / away from the pack, and the PLB was put in the chest pocket of my windstopper jacket. Also, while in the tent, the PLB was always kept on the floor of the tent near the door, on the left, so that we both know where to find it in a hurry if we were unlucky enough to need it. (Every second could count in a real emergency, so why not do what you can eh?)

Swiss pocket knife has a toothpick and tweezers.

DEET, sunscreen, also a tube of skin moisturizer cream (I normally walk with my wife).

On to the First Aid kit.
Total weight 383 grams.
Two Glad sandwich bags, put in a palstic shopping bag and tied up with 2 rubber bands.
Put that in a shopping bag with a rubber band.
Put that in a shopping bag with 2 rubber bands.

Inside the sandwich bags -
(as I unwrap it beside me here...)
Bag 1 -
Tube of Betadine
Roll of Leukoplast (like elastoplast) - this has many uses but is rarely used. Last time I used it was to tape a heal that "might" have been getting a blister.
2 x "Heavy weight Crepe bandage" - long bandage 7.5cm x 2.3 metres unstretched. Good for snakebite, limb splinting, other such uses
Quantity of tablets -
- Panamax (good for headache / mild non-agressive pain relief)
- Nurofen Plus (good for more intense pain relief)
- Panadeine Forte (good for severe pain relief but the codeine may make one less stable on feet if tripping on it so mindful of careful use)
- Maxolon (for settling a tummy that wants to vomit)
- Antihistamine tablets (two types - small ones, one or two tablets a few times a day [may make you drowsy], also larger tablets, one a day and they don't make you drowsy)
(Normally would only have one type but just discovered the "non drowsy" ones)
- Nurofen (as an anti-inflammatory. Good to help settle inflamed knees if it happens, and the like. A couple with dinner and they work overnight, the knees can be good to go again. Perhaps a couple again with breakfast if it's going to be a non knee-friendly day.)

Quantity of all tablets included depends on duration and intensity / remoteness of walk.

Bag 2 -
Conforming Elastic gauze bandage, 5cm x 4 metres stretched / 1.5M unstretched
Conforming Elastic gauze bandage, 7.5cm x 4 metres stretched / 1.5M unstretched
Emery board for nails
Scalpel blade with a couple of pins with large heads (good for digging foreign objects from skin / wounds)
Tube of SM33 gel (for mouth ulcers)
Quantity of Hypafix, a sheet of thin gauze-like stuff which has a peel-off sticky side, ok for direct application on wounds but prefer to put a gauze or similar on open wounds)
"Handy" brand No. 5609 Triangular bandage, 110 x 110 x 155 cm
Quantity of sterile single use non-adherent absorbent dressings (to put over open wounds before taping or using the Hypafix to attach) (qty 5 @ 5x5cm, qty 1 @ 7.5 x 10cm)
Qty sterile gauze swabs
A plastic bag containing a large number of normal band aids and elastoplast type band aids, and waterproof ones as well, also a quantity of cotton wool buds (on sticks) to clean out ears and the like.
Two tiny packets of salt like what they have in fast food shops. Likely use for replenishing body of salt if diet was inadequate. Also, if a leech got into a place where the "fingernail scrape to remove" method was not possible, a salt solution could be made.

[Lindsay]

This is an interesting subject. It seems everyone pretty much agrees on the basics but opinions begin to diverge when it comes to the extra 'nice to have' stuff. I have carried the following kit in Australia and overseas and so far it has proved adequate.

2x crepe bandages
2x gauze bandages
1x triangular bandage
1x wound dressing
1x elastic ankle support
1x eye pad
2x gauze pads
1x sterile dressing
10x assorted blister pads
12 x skin closures
12x assorted band aids
1x adhesive tape
12x cotton buds
12x ibuprofen tabs
12x naprogesic tabs ( yes I know this is usually used for period pain but the doc said it would also do wonders for my inflamed Achilles tendon )
10x antihistamine tabs
20x anti-diarrhoea tabs
10x mylanta tabs
1x betadine cream
1x stingose spray
2x small plastic bags
1x latex gloves
1x cpr mask
magnifying glass
scissors
tweezers
splinter probe

The whole thing weighs 460g, but I could reduce that if I replaced the heavy canvas pouch (100g) with something else. I will get round to this one day.

The survival bag I put in with my emergency equipment rather than first aid.

[Nuts]

six grams

[tasadam]

Nah, just had a bit of trouble figuring something out. A bent needle? Where did you score that? And floss, are they all the same or do you recommend that one?

[tomberli]

Emergency blankets are practically useless. Its a sheet.

I definitely disagree with you there. I have used them on a few occasions and they can make a huge difference for a hypothermic person. You'd still wanna have a sleeping bag as well but given their weight they are definitely worth having.

I'm not going to list my whole kit contents here as well, but I generally make one up depending on the walk. Equip have good basic first aid kits (get them at Mountain Design, Mountain Creek or Anaconda for better selection) and the red cross does a good extensive kit as well. Not cheap though. I find that whatever you buy, you still need to modify it somewhat, as almost no kit actually has adequate compression bandages to do a proper pressure-immobilisation for example.

I definitely believe that anyone who feels the need to venture off track or into difficult terrain is responsible to have AT LEAST Level II training or better a Remote Area or Wilderness First aid qualification. There is also some excellent literature available for Remote Area First Aid. Can be a bit hard to get in Tassie (which is a bit silly really) but you can get it off the net. Its called Pocket First Aid and Wilderness Medicine By Jim Duff, Peter Gormly (Preview on google) and i'd highly recommend it. Specifically written for extended expeditions into the Himalayas but Jim Duff is actually a frequent visitor to Tassie so he mentions a lot of Australian specific things (bites and stings). Its its very light. Belongs in every Bushwalkers First Aid Kit!

[Lindsay]

That looks a very interesting book tomberli. Reminds me very much of the "Brain Surgery For Dummies" publications used in the RAN in ships that had no Medical Officer. I may invest in it.

[ninjapuppet]

Heres my 3 day hike first aid kit.

Its measured at 75g, down from my previous kit which was nearly a kilo.
Please, do your own research & seek medical advice on the medications.
Some of these are very strong for a purpose: the purpose being EMERGENCY!
I’m not a person who pops a pill with when experiencing pain at the level of 5/10 or less.

Small aloksak to hold kit together
- Voltarin Rapid 100mg........ only use this in an emergency. 100mg is overkill generally)
-Panadeine forte ......(moderate pain killers)
- oxycodone.............. strong pain killers
- Phenergan...............STRONG anti histamine / anti nausea
- immodium.............. diahorrea
- buscopan ............... stomach aches
-Maxolon ................... vomiting
- Finalgon Ointment ....(ointment is 50% stronger than cream; relieve cramped muscles. Do not use this for strains where ice is better)
- mini Sports tape........ in a light hardened container – in previous years, when i didn’t use my tape for a long time and it got squashed inside my pack, the edges rolled in and became hard to use, hence the container. this also used for blisters, or to hold a sterile guaze pad in place, or to help splint a limb.
- eagle brand medicated oil (from chinese groceries, many uses eg numb out bites/stings, muscle aches)
- 1 sterile pad/ bandaids/scholls blister pkts
- instructions.............. for medications/ dosages to take.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


It was very heart breaking when I took out items to reduce weight, but i tried to picture myself on my hikes, and imagine what is most likely to happen ( Not what “could” happen) on a 3 day hike on easy trails. I asked my doctor what his problems his patients usually have, and he noted that most are soft tissue injuries, insect bites, and stomach problems from eating sandwiches gone off.

3 things i will miss:
I feel that my full sized roll of sports tape is the worse thing that is left behind, but it doesn’t fit into my aloksak. Maybe i’ll think of a way to bring it along later on, especially if i sprain an ankle.
anti biotics – any infection can probally can wait 1.5 days if its not enough an emergency for epirb
gastrolyte – just drink more water have some salt.
crepe bandages - just apply the mini sports tape HARD
..the list goes on...

Suggestions welcome

[nickL]

hi ninja

i agree on the tape - you could take a larger width and take a half used roll - if you need more narrow tape then cut the wider tape in the middle and rip - i use this tape in my day job as a physio and we never stock the narrow stuff because the wider roll is so much more useful - your main use in the field would be providing stabilization around a sprained joint (ankle wrist, shoulder, knee)

i am not sure where you hike but here in SA we carry snake bandages - this is the item i hate fitting into my first aid kit

i may have a look through my kit and pist it here

nick

[johnw]

Sounds good. Well thought out, and I agree about minor ailments and injuries being most likely.
One concern though would be how would you deal with a snake bite?

[ninjapuppet]

Hi nick! Good to see another fellow Unisa physio on here. I graduated there in 2003 but quit physio after just a year.

The full sized sports tape rolls are much better, but after 15 years of carrying it, ive never used it except for tent repair. For the convenience of fitting in an aloksak, I calculated that my sprain risk is quite low, and in the unlikely event that I do sprain something, I reckon the medication, and the ½ tape can do a dodgy job enough to get me to the start or end. Just use the whole thing up and keep taping it over and over, and that should be stable enough for a day.
If not, theres always the epirb but this is unlikely as i hate it when ppl just use epirbs just for ankle sprains. Just take my time to slowly hobble back. Still got the walking sticks to help.
For walks longer than 3 dayers, i would carry my mid or full sized first aid kit.

[Liamy77]

i pretty much pack this each time for each trip..mostly because i'm too lazy to bother customising the contents depending on where, how long, who/how many people, season/forecast etc.

stretchy elastoplast
static elastoplast -both the clothtape type
1 triangular bandage - can use as sling, bandage, reinforcing pad etc
1 0.9% saline 20mL plastic ampule
1 large melonin / release dressing
1 larger opsite dressing
scissors
immodium tablets
water purification tablets
thermal survival / shock bag
rehydration salts sachets
heavy elastic bandage and piece of tubigrip
paracetamol + codeine
asparin
scapel blade
alcohol wipe sachets
small bic type lighter
cotton wool balls
snaplock bag
clorhexidine 50mL soap
condensed milk
stock cubes
stingose
suture kit (more for gear repairs really)
pad and pencil
Spot 2
i have thought of taking more stuff than this but with enough pain killers / lateral thinking and tape most probs can be covered that said:



Keep it simple
its generally better to wash and pack a wound than try and sew without an aseptic environment and wound
larger dressings can be cut to suit smaller wounds or needs
whatever the situation dont panic and breack it down to DRABCD Danger Response Airway Breathing CPR Defibulation otherwise everyone eats, drinks, breathes wants warmth and shelter - http://www.stjohnnsw.com.au/publication ... drabcd.pdf
a wet triangular bandage can also be used as a cool pack

i also have a small repair kit with neddle (largish one and smaller) thread, wax tread, tea-light candle, airmat and tent patches
and a few survival bits too like flint, small mirror, sharpening stone, leatherman, tri-fish hooks, string, metal guitar string (emergency snare), folding saw / light axe (sometimes)

i generally try to take items with multiple uses - therefore less junk and weight

[bloomlyn]

Hello all, I have so many first aid kits so that I can't type all the equipment tools I have this time. The first aid tools that in the top priority are the, alcohol, cotton, quickclot, medicines and etc. I am always bringing this for preparation for any emergencies.

[Lizzy]

Hey Liam,
What are the stock cubes for- are you going to cook up one of your hiking party if you get lost & hungry ....lol
Cheers
Lizzy

[taswegian]

My most essentials include old fashioned elctrical tape - good branded stuff, not lightweight & cheap junk -Nitto eg.
Its uses are varied - makes excellent wound closures (can be used with strips of cloth- shirt tails, hanky), wrapped around the boot can save a sole and maybe a soul! In event of its need can be used as flagging tape. I carry 2 rolls, bright coloured.

[normclimb]

Superglue.........brilliant suff for everything, especially suturing minor wounds.