To guide, inspire and prepare Wyomingites and their fellow Americans to act against existential threats to their liberties and to Western Civilization from radical revolutionaries and Emperors who have no clothes.
Emerging Threats
Preparedness
Survival Basics – Part 5: First Aid
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." ― Benjamin Franklin
Any time you're more than a few hours from advanced medical aid, an otherwise easily treatable injury can become significantly more problematic. When things happen off the beaten track, out of cellphone reception range, you need to have the knowledge, equipment and skill set to ensure you can provide adequate medical attention to whoever requires it.
In the ideal world we'd have everything with us for every scenario all of the time, but in the real world we know that's not practical. So what should we take with us when we head out? What scenarios might we encounter?
- Bites, stings
- Cuts, scratches, infections
- Sprains
- Blisters
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Dehydration
- Stomach upset, aches and pains
- Prescription medication
The medical pack we put together to go in our vehicle will be different from the one we put together to go in our saddlebag or backpack with size and weight being the main constraints. If you're attempting to cater for just yourself versus a car full or a bunch of trail riding or hiking buddies that will also affect what you carry as will expected duration on the trail. Here's a list of things you might want to consider putting into your pack:
- Surgical gloves
- Syringe (for irrigating wounds)
- Tweezers
- Triangular bandage (for making slings etc)
- Tape
- Gauze pads (varying sizes)
- Anti-biotic ointment
- Torniquet or Israeli Dressing
- Iodine wipes or solution
- Fingertip and knuckle bandages
- Sunscreen and lip balm
- Quik-clot (stop bleeding)
- Sting relief wipes
- Hydrocortisone cream (packets)
- Antacid tablets
- Ibuprofen
- Imodium
- Acetaminophen Tablets
- Antihistamine tablets (Benadryl)
- Band-Aid selection
- Adhesive Bandages (varying sizes)
- Prescription medication
- Adhesive second skin (blisters)
- Scissors
- SAM splint
- Butterfly suture and steri-strips
Surgical gloves are made from different polymers (latex, nitrile, polyvinyl chloride and neoprene) and come powdered or unpowdered.
Notes - Some people are allergic to latex. If you're ok with latex but someone other than you may use the gloves, you might consider one of the alternate varieties.
- While powdered gloves are easier to put on, the powder can impede healing if it gets into the wound.Triangular Bandage
Tourniquet
Israeli Dressing
Iodine Wipes
Fingertip & Knuckle Bandage
Quik-Clot
Gauze Pads
Hydrocortisone Cream
Adhesive Bandages
Second Skin
SAM Splint
Butterfly Sutures or Steri Strips
Having chosen a suitable container in which to pack your medical supplies, ensure that the contents are in waterproof and suitably labelled containers. Attempt to pack items that will be used in conjunction with each other together, to avoid "vomiting" contents everywhere when you're looking for something and permit fast and easy access to emergency gear.
Any amount of first aid equipment is only as good as your ability to use it. Reading material (like this) is a good starting point if you don't feel you are capable of providing first aid. Attending a class and taking the reading to the next level through practical application is highly recommended. The University of Wyoming (Laramie) offers Wilderness First Aid classes as does the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in Lander WY. More localized training may be available within your own community. We will talk about treatment in more detail in upcoming publications.
"The best doctor gives the least medicines" - Benjamin Franklin
Books
Wilderness Medicine by Tod Schimelpfenig
Medicine for the Backcountry (2nd Edition) by Tilton & Hubbell
Links
NOLS - https://www.nols.edu/en/wilderness-medicine/why-nols/
UW - https://www.uwyo.edu/rec/outdoor-program/wilderness-medicine.html