UKC

What do you carry in your PERSONAL first aid kit?

And if a leader of any kind, what do you carry in a GROUP first aid kit????

In reply to An Triubhas: Ducktape.

In reply to Jack Loftus:

And nothing else????

In reply to An Triubhas:

Personal: Mouth to mouth face shield, pair of non-latex gloves, swiss army knife with scissors/tweezers, paracetamol/ibuprofen tablets, ORS sachets, triangular bandage, roll bandage, small first field dressing, safety pins, sports tape, antiseptic wipes, brightly coloured plasters, strip thermometer, small first field dressing.

Have carried a group one on behalf of a leader before... had a quick look inside, it was mainly a lot of bandages/plasters. And accident forms. And a pair of shears.

In reply to An Triubhas: Lots of ducktape, Ibuprofen, 2x1gr superglue, some blisterplasters, steri-strips and painkillers you can knock out an elephant with

In reply to An Triubhas: As far as leading a group goes, the default option would be to go with the new BS-8599-1 standard for a 'Small' first aid kit as a starting point. If you aren't going to do that and you are working professionally you would theoretically need to have a written first aid risk assessment justifying any deviations.

The newly revised BS standard now provides a pretty good starting point:
1 x First Aid Guidance Leaflet
4 x Medium Sterile Dressings
1 x Large Sterile Dressing
2 x Triangular Bandages
6 x Safety Pins
2 x Eye Pad Sterile Dressings
40 x Sterile Adhesive Dressings (Plasters)
20 x Sterile Cleansing Wipes
1 x Micropore Adhesive Tape
6 x Nitrile Disposable Gloves (Pairs)
2 x Finger Sterile Dressings
1 x Resuscitation Face Shield
1 x Foil Blanket
1 x Burn Dressing
1 x Shears
1 x Conforming Bandage

In addition, you can get the whole lot as standard 'refill kits' from numerous online suppliers for only £13-£15 - e.g. http://www.firstaid4less.co.uk/first-aid-kits/bs8599-compliant-first-aid-ki...

As far the dressings go I'd augment the standard ones for some of the Traumafix ones which are far better for an outdoor environment with potentially serious injuries and are also vacuum packed with a long shelflife http://www.firstaid4less.co.uk/TraumaFix-High-Pressure-Bandage.aspx

You would probably also want a 4-5 20ml saline eyewash pods for both treating eye problems and for cleaning out wounds - http://www.firstaid4less.co.uk/first-aid-for-eyes/eyewash-pods/sterowash-po...

A few steri-strip wound closures might makes sense as well as probably specific blister treatment and additional fabric/zinc-oxide tape but that is pretty much it.

If you are felling really keen a 'Sam Splint' slid down the back of your rucsac is about the only other bit of specific first aid kit that I can think off.

HTH

PS I am not normally this knowledgeable but I just did my 3-yearly Outdoor First Aid course this week and I'm now in the process of restocking my own first aid kits for group use!

PPS My personal first aid kit would be pretty much the same apart from the rare occasion of harder multi-pitch routes climbed with a rucsac where by necessity it would be reduced to a minimum of:
Large Traumafix dressing, Gloves, a Resuscitation Face Shield and a foil blanket/bivvy bag.

In reply to An Triubhas: For groups, Life Systems Mountain Leader kit,plus a few bits, did a bit on my blog about it: http://theelectronicmountainleader.blogspot.co.uk/2010/06/lifesystems-mount...

In reply to florence58:

Why brightly coloured plasters????

And shears????

In reply to An Triubhas:

Condoms, Hip flask and a .454 5 shot.


More condoms and a couple of extra pops.

In reply to An Triubhas:

To cut off clothing, adapt the space blanket, etc. You can do an awful lot as long as you have something to cut with (ie Tuffcut scissors) and something to stick with (duct tape).

In reply to An Triubhas:

My own First Aid kit is set up for me only in mind. This isn't being selfish but practical. Blisters, cuts and diohreah are one thing which I can cope with but coming across a cardiach arrest is another. The chances of them living to fight another day are a non-starter so there's no point bringing a defib.

My kit consists of:

Sticking plasters
Paracetamol
Ibrufen
Safety pins
Triangle bandage
Toilet roll
Anti-poo tablets
Anti sickness tablet
Anti histamine tablets
Water purifying tablets.

Everything fits inside a A5 size waterproof case.

Small and light with nothing more complex than a triangular bandage. If you don't know how to use it then don't bring it and I don't know much.

In reply to An Triubhas: SAM splints are really usefull too, they can be cut to size and can mobilize most kinds of fracture. http://evaq8.co.uk/SAM-SPLINT-90cm-Multi-purpose-Splint.html

In reply to An Triubhas:

Personal gear 4 alps, scottish winter and walking wub b:

Blister plasters
20cm of fabric plaster roll, which can b cut to size
2 antiseptic wipes
Strong pain relief tabs
Foil bivy 4 UK summer, else blizzard bag.
Hand warmer packets in winter

Cheers Davey

In reply to An Triubhas:

Wound closure strips
Fabric plasters
Ibuprofen
Antiseptic wipes
Savlon
Large dressing
Safety pins
Small crepe bandage
Tick remover
Indigestion/heartburn tabs
Anti allergy tabs
Suncream

In reply to Jack Loftus:

Same here. Anything small enough to require an ordinary plaster, etc can wait until I get back home. Broken limbs can be splinted with ducktape and a walking pole. Anything bleeding seriously can be staunched with a Buff and ducktape. Only disadvantage is that my Buff isn't sterile

In reply to An Triubhas:

A small roll of zinc oxide tape, good for minor cuts, blisters etc, more serious stuff you need to start improvising, but if it is that serious proper help is what is needed.

In reply to An Triubhas: Just the old trusty service revolver, might be a bit drastic if they've only got a broken finger nail but if they can't keep up it's the only answer.

In reply to An Triubhas:
What on earth does the BS standard think is going to happen that needs 40 plasters?
Other than Asprin I didnt think you could give drugs (across the counter or not) to third parties unless you are qualified to do so.

In reply to m0unt41n:

What are you going on about??? Who said anything about administering anything "over the counter" ????

In reply to m0unt41n: and 40 plasters.......I haven't said that!!!

In reply to An Triubhas:

This was asked about 5yrs ago. My answer now differs wildly from my answer then.

Then - everything inc. kitchen sink

Now - duck tape, a couple of dressings, aspirin, codeine, diclofenac, piriton, tuffcuts, compeed, steri strips, 1 x 14g cannula, Sam splint. Maybe some more stuff that I can't remember at the mo, but not much.

Basically stuff that will either fix us so we carry on, fix someone so they can get down, or correct immediate life threats.

There is NO point in carrying CPR masks etc etc in the hill. For a start, UK Resus guidelines are veering towards compression only for lay responders, and secondly in 5yrs of working in emergency care, I've had 2 people vaguely recover from cardiac arrest, and both died eventually. And that was with hospital and critical care teams 15mins away. Small kits with relevant stuff are far more practical than huge kits that serve no practical purpose.

I did a review for UKC on a Lifesystems kit recently, but not sure if it was ever published.

In reply to An Triubhas:

They were on offer. And they work as well as normal plasters.

In reply to An Triubhas:

A few large adhesive dressings
A few sterile wound pads
Crepe bandage
Zinc Oxide Tape
Latex gloves
CPR face shield
Paracetamol
Ibuprofen
Loperamide
Rennies

Recently I cut down my first aid kit to the above. I used to carry Savlon/TCP but I can't see infection setting in in the few hours it takes to get to the car and home, so I'll rely on washing a wound out with water. Plasters I don't see the point in; if a cut is small enough to be covered by your average sticking plaster, does it really need much attention? I'd prefer to let it air dry, and if it's going to get dirty while climbing tape it up. I wouldn't mind a proper field dressing, but for a bad wound I think you could improvise with some clothing and pressure on it.

I can see Caralynr's point about the face shields, as it's my understanding that if you have a heart attack and aren't very close to a hospital, you're likely f**ked. However, if I was in that kind of situation I'd like to know afterwards that I had done everything I could, without putting myself at risk. I think I'll stick in some antihistamines as well after seeing a few people above have makes sense.

In reply to An Triubhas:

I was replying to Mark Stevenson quote about the BS Standard list of items - I should have hit the reply on his post rather than on yours.
My comment still stands as to by the British Standard stipulate 40 plasters.

In reply to An Triubhas:

This was in response to other comments about including paracetamol, ibuprofen etc but I couldnt reply to all so just did it to OP - sorry if confusing, but again still stands that I thought painkillers OK for own use but not for First Aid kit for a group leader unless trained. Caralynr may be able to advise on this.

In reply to m0unt41n:

I assume the British Standard is related primarily to workplace first aid kits, and given the rate at which plasters disappear from an office first aid box, it's wise to make sure there are plenty there on every restock!

That said, there's no way I would plan to carry 40 on the hill for most trips as a leader, but it'd be easy enough to write a risk assessment to justify that.

Personal kit fits in an A6 Ortleib bag and has
Gloves
Ambulance dressing
Melolin Dressing
Plasters
Steristrip
Asprin
Ibuprofen
Penknife

It lives in a slightly bigger dry bag along with duct tape, headtorch, lightweight survival bag (have you seen what happens to a foil blanket in the wind?), compass, buff and gloves.

That's basically for day trips in Lakes, running/climbing. Further afield or multiday I'd add in stuff like loperamide, and antihistamines.

In reply to m0unt41n:

Yes, I was talking about meds for own use (and informal use amongst groups of friends). If in a formal role as leader, you can't give anything to anyone, except in certain circumstances assist someone in administering their own meds. The law on Prescription Only Medications also allows anyone to give certain drugs for life saving purposes only - these include intramuscular injections of adrenaline (for allergic reactions) and glucagon (severe hypoglycaemia), but advises the person giving it has sufficient training.
It's currently not even allowed, legally, to give someone a medication that they take normally, unless you're helping them take their own. So if you are asthmatic, and someone in your group is but doesn't have their own inhaler, then technically you can't give them yours. Unless it's an immediate life threat in which case the law above comes into play. Of course what's legal and what's practical are often different!

In reply to An Triubhas:


A strip of plasters (the supper sticky ones that used to be standard years ago)
A pair of scissors
Triangular bandage
Paracetamol
Ibuprofen
Anti-histamines
Finger tape
Cohesive bandage
A couple of sterile bandages
Burns cream
A couple of power gels
Epi-pen

I think that is in the little dry bag I use as a first aid kit. With a whistle attached to it, and a SAM splint down the back of my sack.

In reply to Carolyn:

If carrying Ambulance Dressings take an number as if got a bleeder you might want a couple - one of which to leave rolled up for direct pressure and use another to bandage over and a third for if bleeds through!

Israeli Field dressings are better

In reply to JoshOvki:

please don't use burns cream - just cool water then cling film loosly over burn as not to constrict.

In reply to KA_R36:

Oh yeah I have cling film too. That is easier said than done if you don't have any cool water.

In reply to JoshOvki:
Water bottle? Hydration bladder even better!

What do you drink?

In reply to m0unt41n: I am very surprised you focused on the plasters in the context of a group frist aid kit. If I had to pick anything from the BS Standard that seems excessive, it would certainly not be the 40 plasters, if anything it would be the 2 triangular bandages.

The obvious question about any first aid kits is how long a period you expect the first aid kit to cope with, before it is resupplied.

Now, as a Mountain Leader, should I have one first aid kit for a day walk, but then have a larger first aid kit for a 4-day back-packing trip or do I just plan for the worst case? The only sensible answer is to tend towards the later.

As such, I think it would be safe to assume that a Group first aid kit should be enough to deal with the very minor injury needs of a group for up to a week. From that point of view, 40 plasters, especially when split between perhaps 5-6 sizes and shapes is not excessive when you could be changing them once per day for that week.

In reply to An Triubhas:
Maybe the question is also

should it be just for major problems which may never happen?
eg SAM splint
TraumaFix bandages
Blizzard blanket
Gloves
Asprin
Scissors

Or should it be more for minor more common things - which you seem to get in standard First Aid kits
Plasters
Tape
Bandages
etc

In reply to Caralynr:

What for?

In reply to The Ex-Engineer:

What's the point of plasters? For something like blisters zinc oxide tape is much better and more generally useful. If it's a big wound you need a wound dressing, not some little Band Aid.

For the last 40 plus years I can't remember ever having used one, despite many cuts and scrapes. Actually that's not quite true. If I have to have blood taken, whoever takes it usually insists on putting on a plaster, which I instantly remove and chuck in the bin.

In reply to Captain Gear:

Tension Pneumothorax?

In reply to An Triubhas:

Personal use - heavily customised Life Systems pocket pack.

Group use - same basic stuff, but with some bigger dressings/bandages and a tiny torch in a waterproof Peli case for kayaking. This one usually lives in the car, with a resus face mask and Gerber rescue knife.

In reply to Caralynr and others: It is probably worth being clear on this, there should be NO medicines of any sort in any first aid kits when the activity comes under the remit of the H&SAW Act. First, the law is crystal clear on it being illegal to give anyone else drugs as Caralynr has explained and second the HSE are explicit in that first aid kits should not contain any medicines, drugs, lotions or creams.

First aid kits are purely for rendering first aid and personal medicines are purely for person consumption; never the twain should meet. There obviously aren't any issues when it comes to personal use but when it comes to a group first aid kit, especially in a professional scenario (or even with voluntary organisations), it becomes a big issue.

Unfortunately the situation is not helped by Lifesystems who persist in selling so called 'first aid kits' that as well as breaking every single rule throughout Europe on being the wrong colour (first aid kits should be GREEN, burns kits are RED!) also wrongly contain over the counter drugs.

I've already mentioned what I carry for first aid personally but it is probably worth saying that I also generally carry a completely separate personal medical kit that is just stuffed full of drugs including most of those already mentioned - Dihydrocodeine, Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, Paracetamol (& Paracetamol plus Phenylephrine Hydrochloride), Asprin, Cetirizine Hydrochloride, Loperamide, Benzocaine throat lozenges and even some water purification tablets.

In reply to KA_R36:

I drink water, or coffee in a flask (that wouldn't be too good mind). But the problem is I would have drank it, or some of it. Unless the accident happened not long after filling up, in that case I wouldn't need my bottle as I would use the stream/tap I filled up from. Most of the time I would use cold water (and lots of it 1L of water is not going to provided much help unless soaked), but there could always be that case when you don't have that available. What is wrong with the burn lotions by the way?

In reply to The Ex-Engineer: As a scout leader and climber etc I carry the same kit regardless. It is mainly pain relif,Energy gell, hayfever cures etc, a few plasters 1 bandage, servival bag, rescue knife and duct tape! it fixes anything. I also carry a spare base layer in my pack.

As a scout leader we act a loco parents so do not come under H&SAW Act so we can take / offer medication and also administer if required (I have had to inject insulin to a dependant 9 year old who due to other needs so he would not self administer(after training etc). We do need perental permisions (to protect the adults) which i get before the event listing just about anything i may have / use. Its about giving people positive experiances during activities if julie has hayfeaver but forgot to take a tablet and is suffering I don't have a prob giving her one that is sutable to make her happy. If i did not have permission on a signed form I will / and have called the parents and noted in the accident/ medication book that they gave verbal permission.

HSE style kits are fine if you are within mins of medical care but in the outdoor enviroment it could be 1h or more dependant on location.

In reply to JoshOvki:
Not in the immediate treatment of burns.

Fold out burn gels sheets can help to take the heat from the burn but the cream does little to help this - more from a prevention of infection point of view with some prevention moisture loss - cling film better as a dressing too!

In the initial "1st Aid" this is what you are wanting.

In reply to KA_R36:


I would with a group or if more remote, but for personal use round the Lakes, it's one clean one (and I've put enough on to be confident it'll be tight), and any extra layers need not be clean.... admittedly a compromise between contents and weight.

In reply to The Ex-Engineer:
HS&E states that you can give Aspirin for suspected heart attacks within the guidance of the Resus Council:

"First aid at work does not include giving tablets or medicines to treat illness. The only exception to this is where aspirin is used when giving first aid to a casualty with a suspected heart attack, in accordance with currently accepted first-aid practice. "

In reply to An Triubhas:

Don't do anything that needs a 'group' kit.

For personal stuff, I have a Adventure Medical Kit, first aid kit that I got in the US a while back. It has:

Ibuprofen
Benadryl
Blister plasters
Couple of big normal plasters
Micropore tape
Tenacious Repair Tape
It might have a couple of large dressings, but I don't really know how to use them, so no point carrying them.

Ought to find some more wetwipes and put them in, they're useful.

Also I always carry a couple of inhalers (I'm asthmatic) and a survival bag again, from AMK. Oh and a small tub of suncream and anti-midge spray.

In reply to An Triubhas:
Duct + finger tape - to stick bits back on, or stop rubbing.
Savlon + deep heat - to make stuff move when it's seized up.
Action man + Blister plasters - self explanatory.
Melonin dressing sheets - to put on flesh under tape.
Penknife - cutting/pulling bits of wounds and tape etc.
FFD or similar - For the (unlikely) gushers.
Tablets to stop: Pain, Puke and poo.
Tablets to cause: Poo + Performance (sugar based, not 'Herbal').
Dioralyte or similar - brings the exhausted back to life.
Gloves - cos everyone but me is a filthy minger.

In reply to Edvin m:

Do you travel abroad with heavy painkillers?
How do you check the country’s restrictions?
or
do you just gamble that they will not check you?
do you take the painkillers away before trip? (I am afraid I would not remember to take them out)

In reply to wilkesley:

It is well know that some people are allergic to zinc oxide tape and therefore it should certainly not be used in a GROUP first aid context as you seem to suggest.

At least in a 'H&SAW compliant environment' which is automatically what we need to talking about in the context of GROUP first aid kits you MUST follow good practice or have a written risk assessment why not. The only recognized treatment for minor wounds (i.e. cuts and grazes) is to wash and then to provide protection using sterile bandages, either self adhesive [i.e. plasters] or a sterile non adherent dressing secured with low allergy tape [i.e. NOT zinc oxide].

As far as bilsters is concerned, that is a completely different issue, since primarily dealing with cuts and grazes which is what plasters are intended for. But I repeat my first point, in a 'first aid' context you should certainly not be promoting something like zinc oxide which has very well known allergy risks as well as being non-sterile.

Like many on here you are either being deliberately awkward or you don't understand that there is a massive difference between what you do personally, and what you should do when you are looking after other people kids. Where there is every chance of getting sued if 'little Johnny' has an allergic reaction, has a wound that gets infected or in some other way manages to injure himself when you happen to be taking him hillwalking, climbing or on some other outdoor activity, either paid or unpaid, it is just far better and easier to follow official guidance and recommendations.

In reply to FB: You make a very good point. The laws on administering drugs vary considerably if you have the legal status of acting in loco parentis.

You just need to be very clear before you do anything - are you acting in loco parentis, are you acting as next of kin, do you have a professional duty or care or are you just acting as another member of the public (i.e. when you are out with mates).

In reply to The Ex-Engineer:

I was replying in a personal context. The OP asked for both personal and group ideas. The rest of your reply reflects why I refuse to take other people's children along with mine when we go walking or climbing. Even in a personal context the hassle just isn't worth it.

In reply to An Triubhas: A considerable amount of duck tape wrapped around an old card, sticks to anything and everything! Maybe i take first aid to literally.....

In reply to The Ex-Engineer: I think your observations on people's knowledge on care of other people kids are sweepingly general. Also statements like yours of there being "every chance of being sued by little Jonny's parents" is why far too few of the population being first aid trained.

I carry plasters and zinc oxide in both my personal and group first aid kits. These items would mainly be used for blisters rather than cuts etc, and would normally be to replace/supplement the kids own supply (ie that provided by their parents) to which they clearly are not allergic.

I think you are also presenting a far more clear cut legal picture than actually exists. The HSE site gives some good info on what is recommended. Compliance with the BS defined contents of a kit is not mandatory....you can assess the contents according to the sitaution/risk.


http://www.hse.gov.uk/firstaid/faqs.htm

Scissors that can cut clothing - to access an area quickly without moving the area, limb, etc

Cellophane - burns

Israeli/NATO Trauma bandage - ideal for a climbing/hillwalking trauma. About £2 now online.

In reply to The Ex-Engineer
We do have a duty of care to the young people in our charge to act as a reasonably prudent parent would in the same situaion.

In reply to Scott_vzr: hich site can you get the NATO bandagesfrom at that cost?

In reply to An Triubhas:

I haven't read any of the other replies, so don't know if this has already been covered, but...
Generally, one of the most important aspects of any aid rack is weight. You'll be carrying a lot more gear than on a standard trad rack, so it's important to keep things as lightweight as possible.
You'll generally want a couple of hooks and wire rivet hangers, a couple of pulleys, a couple of daisy chains, some ascenders, a fifi hook, etc. Try a google search for some more detailed advice though... and make sure you bounce test your gear properly before trusting it.

In reply to DeShark:

That is the strangest first aid kit I have ever come across.

I don't think any injured person would like me bounce testing and bandages or splints on their injured body.

Next time I think you should read the other replies, haha

In reply to DeShark:

I like your work Sharky............

Steve

In reply to An Triubhas:
Most of the time a first aid kit will be used to deal with minor inconveniences. What it should contain therefore depends on the extent to which you want to avoid such inconveniences.
For climbing in the peak I would take a roll off zinc oxide tape. Anything that can't be fixed with tape means going home or calling MR.
Further afield I might take analgesia, antihistamines and an inhaler.

All the talk of resuscitation masks and SAM splints is fairly pointless. If someone needs CPR they will not survive. THere may be the rare opportunity to decompress a tension pneumothorax to treat someones cardiac arrest. This could be done with a big cannula as mentioned above or using a knife to make a thoracostomy. How many people would have the balls to do this? Probably none other than those who do it for a living.
SAM splints work well but there are plenty of other things you could use to improvise. A splint may keeps someones fracture immobilised but it is unlikely to make the difference between walking out and not walking out.

You don't need to carry saline to irrigate wounds. There good evidence that there is no benefit of saline compared to running a wound under a tap so use running water/ your drink etc.

Dressings are not necessary in the early stages. Anything bleeding needs pressure not a particular kind of dressing (unless everyone starts carrying Celox bandages).

Group work will be different because there will be an obligation upon the leader to provide a particular standard of care. The standard of care will not be specific to the outdoors but will be defined in more general terms and hence you will end up lugging around a load of pointless kit

1 x First Aid Guidance Leaflet- Not a bad idea but perhaps a bit late at the point you need to use it
4 x Medium Sterile Dressings, 1 x Large Sterile Dressing- bit OTT
2 x Triangular Bandages- can be improvised
6 x Safety Pins- you wouldn't find them used in an ED, everything is fixed with tape
2 x Eye Pad Sterile Dressings- use the above dressings
40 x Sterile Adhesive Dressings (Plasters)- bit OTT
20 x Sterile Cleansing Wipes- use water
1 x Micropore Adhesive Tape- use you finger tape
6 x Nitrile Disposable Gloves (Pairs)- personal choice
2 x Finger Sterile Dressings- pointless, use the dressings above
1 x Resuscitation Face Shield- no use in the wild
1 x Foil Blanket- you will probably have more effective kit with you
1 x Burn Dressing- use the above dressings
1 x Shears - carry a knife
1 x Conforming Bandage- could be improvised.

If you want to make a difference you need proper training rather than kit.

In reply to vark:

evidence please

And if it dooesnt work, then why do all first aid courses teach it adverts on tv etc?

giving someone CPR will at the very least give them time until a defibralator is available

youtube.com/watch?v=ICODRFoWZkw&

In reply to duck tape fixes everything!!:

totally agree with you there!!!!!!

In reply to duck tape fixes everything!!:

IIRC Vark is a Consulant working in emergency care. I'd go with his opinion on the subject.

I carry an airway and One-way valve mask,but that's more to salve my conscience than anything else.

In reply to duck tape fixes everything!!:

2 to 8% survival if CPR within 2 minutes but delayed defib

20% if CPR AND defib within 8 mins


http://www.chainofsurvival.com/cos/Timing_detail.asp

In reply to An Triubhas:

I think, fundamentally, we have to ask what the purpose of a FAK is. To be perfectly frank, most FAK items are for providing comfort, or for the prevention of infection (to the 'casualty' from the environment or from the 'casualty' to other people). They really have little function for anything life-threatening, since they generally assume an urban location within 8 minutes of an emergency ambulance.

Quite clearly, this is not the case for rural and mountain environments. However, in these environments, we can probably dispense with the 'there, there, Mummy make it better' comfort. And, assuming we're only hours from civilisation, we can probably ignore the issue of casualty infection, since such infections are unlikely to be life-threatening in that timescale, and can be treated with antibiotics once we're back in civilisation.

So, most simple cuts and grazes can be dealt with by a simple water wash, and maybe covering with a bit of Micropore tape.

Blisters are best dealt with using specialist hydrocolloid patches.

More interesting in terms of choices of action are ankle sprains; minor sprains may be dealt with by simply tightening a boot, or using a support bandage, allowing the casualty to self-extract, but more severe sprains may need rescue.

Now for the more interesting injuries, such as severe cuts and fractures. It's likely that in such an event, we would call in emergency rescue, so we need to stabilise the situation for the time it takes for rescue to arrive, which, depending on location, may be a few hours.

For a severe cut where blood loss might prove life-threatening, we need to stem the blood flow, with pressure, tourniquet, or more recent blood-stemming products. Again, whilst infection would be an issue if the wound were left untreated thereafter, in the short term, infection isn't our primary concern; blood loss is. Once we've stemmed the blood loss, then we might clean up in and around the wound, and cover it simply; some spare clothing would do the job pretty well, but you might take a simple bandage.

For fractures, we need to stabilise to prevent pain and reduce blood loss from the fracture (trying to manage shock). So, some means of splinting, along with relevant training and experience. Splinting might simply be gaffer tape and whatever stiff things come to hand; karrimat, sit mat, tent poles, etc.

Then we need to have means to shelter the party with the casualty, to prevent hypothermia.

Beyond that, we're into medical conditions, which start to fall outside the remit of first aid, but aspirin may be useful for minor heart issues; brufen for aches, pains & inflammation; some antihistamine for stings, bites and allergic reactions; something to deal with ticks, and something to prevent the squits should they strike.

So, my FAK for 'day event' use contains:

Micropore tape
various sizes of leukostrip sutures
a 2" bandage
a crepe bandage
pack of Compeed patches
aspirin
brufen
piriton
immodium
a large scalpel blade
O'Tom tick twister
antiseptic wipes

I'd like to add a sachet of coagulant powder such as Celox, if I could get one.

I carry gaffer tape, a 3mm JiffyFoam sit/casmat, a survival bag and spare warm clothing for me as part of my normal kit.

Whilst I acknowledge Carolyn's comments about the revised CPR instructions (I spend quite a lot of time in the CD section of BHF's second-hand shops, so I'm very familiar with Vinny...), again, I'd suggest that these are intended for an 'urban audience', on the assumption that an ambulance isn't far away. For remote CPR, I think breathing may still usefully be employed, even though I do note her observations on survival rates. If dealing with a mate, I'd like to think that I'd really tried my best.

In reply to duck tape fixes everything!!:
Large registry study >30,000 patients
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22490674

Patients in a shockable rhythm had a survival rate of 25%. Those in non-shockable rhythms about 4%. I would guess the majority of these patients had a prompt response from an ambulance service and the appropriate ones were shocked.
In the middle of nowhere, unless you happen to include a a full set of pre-hospital resus kit you will not achieve these figures.

As far as blunt trauma goes have a look at:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22490674

3% survival to hospital discharge. The paper is from Yokohama so I would guess it represents a cohort of urban blunt trauma patients.

Bystander CPR works and there is plenty of evidence to support its use. However it only works when you get access to kit and people with the skills to use it fairly quickly.

In reply to vark:

I'd agree with that. Basically, if you're an hour away from decent medical care, you're screwed. Some exceptions (hypothermia a prime example) but I've stopped carrying face mask etc in my kit.
I've worked frontline for WMAS for over 4yrs. I have been to many, many cardiac arrests. Hardly any even got any cardiac output back
1. 12yr old girl. After intubation, cannulation, adrenaline, we got output. No resp effort. Ventilator turned off a day later
2. 70sthg man. Took 7 shocks to get output. Recovered resp effort. Died later (ruptured mitral valve so rather fkd anyway)
3. 60sthg man. Bystander CPR in progress. Cannulated, intubated, adrenaline. Brief return of output. Died.
I can think of maybe 2 or 3 more. Similar outcome. I don't know of any colleague who has worked for fewer than 10yrs who has, in that time, have more than a couple of cases walk out of hospital. It's rare. VERY rare. And that's where we get there in minutes. In the outdoors, it would so unlikely as to be miraculous. I'm not saying don't try, but don't expect anything. And as I said, UK Resus Council are now moving to compression only CPR for non professionals, so still no need to carry masks etc.

In reply to Caralynr:
And as I said, UK Resus Council are now moving to compression only CPR for non professionals, so still no need to carry masks etc.


But the current European Resuscitation Guidelines which are the current best practice and will be valid until Autumn 2015 recommend ventilation as well, so if you have received training in doing the full protocol,continue to as you were trained to do, until a recognised training course tells you otherwise.

Nobody knows what the 2015 guidelines review will recommend until it is published, so nobody knows for sure what movement there is. There is always speculation in advance, but it is not always correct.

In reply to KA_R36:

Guidelines recommend 10 minutes worth - do you carry 10 minutes worth of running water in your water bottle? No, perhaps an alternative like burns dressings would be a good idea if the risk of a burn is a possibility.

In reply to The Ex-Engineer:

Who said first aid kits should be green? They are often green, but as you say, burns first aid kits are red and sports first aid kits are orange as they show up better on a green background. Is climbing or hillwalking a sport that takes place in environments that might have a green background where the first aid kit can be located more easily if it wasn't green?

In reply to An Triubhas:

And finally, much more in keeping with my usual character, what might be a good idea in a first aid kit? A kebab according to this bloke:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-17830298

He used a kebab to seal a stab wound in his neck to stem the flow of blood. I don't think it is in the BS version or will get covered on most FAW courses, but we do believe in improvising on our Outdoor First Aid courses, its just that this suggestion hasn't come up yet.

In reply to Bingers:
That is exactly the point, a first aid kit should consist mostly of knowledge and improvisation.
Fancy kit that spends its life rotting in the bottom of your sack is pointless.

As far as burns go I often carry up to 500ml of sterile fluid so I would use that rather then carrying a burns dressing .

In reply to Bingers: You could pour over the water and capture it below and re-pour. The water is for mainly cooling.

In reply to The Ex-Engineer:

When i did my first aid course about a month ago we only used triangular bandages for dealing with loss of blood as its so easy to adapt, and can absorb a fair amount. So to me have 4 wouldn't be excessive let alone 2!

Just my 2p though!

Max

In reply to Max Hodges:

Totally agree......I got told on a recent first aid course to carry around 4 triangular bandages and some insulation tape (people aren't allergic to this like plasters etc).

Then a good supply of water and some plasters for blisters. Nothing else needed!!!!

In reply to An Triubhas:

Isn't the theme here that it is better only to have a few things, what they are depends upon who you talk to, and instead a lot of knowledge or expertise in being able to adapt and use them.

In reply to m0unt41n:

Yes......I simply can't agree with a see the point in people carrying cannula's, splints and all the other similar listed items!!!

It is first aid after all. Anything more serious and your either going to end up dead or need specialist help in order not to do so!!!

In reply to An Triubhas: I have one of these http://www.lifesystems.co.uk/psec/first_aid_kits/camping_first_aid_kit.html which lives in my bag. The only thing I need to add is a face-shield.

In reply to jdawg_85:

A face shield for what exactly????

In reply to An Triubhas: If you use a Clear Plastic food saver box to store First Aid stuff in its completely waterproof, doesnt matter if you sit or stand on it, you can see whats in it, and its cheap:
http://www.tesco.com/direct/tesco-klip-fresh-food-saver-3-pack/200-1064.prd...

In reply to An Triubhas:

thats pretty much all i have in my personal first aid kit, oh and some cling film

Max