Put together my backpacking first aid kit a couple months ago. Actually I did 3 kits - a big kit for week long trips, a smaller one for day hikes, and then a body substance isolation kit which I keep on my person when hiking.
The BSI kit is something I had never considered before but I took a Wilderness First Aid course in April and it was highly stressed. My kit contains a couple pairs of vinyl gloves (non-sterile since I'm outside), a CPR mask, a little LED light to do the PERRL test, the patient evaluation sheet from my course, a pen, some hand sanitizer, and some safety pins.
I won't go into details on the other kits, it is pretty basic stuff. A lot of good resources are online. My advice to anyone following my footsteps is to do it yourself. A prepackaged kit is convenient but generic. Tailor it to your situation and typical hiking environment. And of course your personal medications.
Most importantly, the best first aid resource is practical knowledge. So get a book or take a course. Even if you have the perfect kit, do you have the confidence to take charge of a situation and render aid? Knowledge is empowering. Without a kit, but a brain that functions under pressure, you can make a difference.
Still on the list is #51 - Wilderness EMT or Wilderness First Responder training. The WFA class was good but I want more.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
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