First aid

[wooly]

This may seem like a no-brainer but sometimes I wonder? I spend a lot of time alone in the woods...sometimes for several days and nights at a time, so I always have my first aid kit in my pac and have had to use it more than once.

How prepared do you travel in the case of a medical emergency.

What kind of situations does your first aid kit cover and for how many people? What do you feel are some of the necessities you never leave home without?

What situations are you prepared to encounter while away from immediate medical treatment or a quick transportation source? Minor/moderate/severe?

[Doc]

I have to admit that I go hunting without any means of first aid. Probably not a real smart idea. I will say that my hunting these days is primarily local and within an hour's walk from the house, but still, it would be a good idea to have something buried in my pack. I do carry a fully charged cell-phone to summon assistance if I should need it, but that still should not be counted on as a substitute for some kind of immediate first aid.

Doc

[Fletch]

I have 2 home made kits. One is always in my pack. It is packed in a sweet tarts tin just a bit bigger than the old sucrets tins. In it I have; 2 band aids, 1 sting ease, 1 alcohol pad, 1 candle stub, 1 compact compass, 6 aspirin, fire starter, box waterproof matches, bottle purifyer tabs, mini LED light, fish line, 2 hooks, sew kit, 1 antiseptic pad and a bit of tin foil.

The second is a bigger kit in a swiss army tin about twice the size of the other that I throw in as well when needed. This is for excurtions into new areas or farther in trips, or longer trips. It has; 9 band aids, coil saw, Swiss Card, fire starter, aspirin, candle, fishing line, some foil and a space blanket.

I also always have a tactical flashlight in my stuff as well as a led cap and my cell phone.

[firehunter48]

i KNOW that i am going to be the huge exception to the rule here but i thought i would throw in my $.02. So when ever we go to our property or even camping for the weekend to some camp ground i always throw in the car my "jump bag".

the contents consist of multiple band-aids, tylenol, motrin, excederin. also in it is neosproirin of some type, 1st aid tape (in 1/4", 1" and 2" widths) 4 each of 3" & 4" roll gauze, 0 4x4 qauze pads, 10 5x9 pads, 2 large trauma pads (10"x20" i believe) an ob kit (child birth kit, hey you never know), stethoscope, bp cuff, pen light, forceps, sting kit, epi pen, bag valve mask (ambu bag), pocket mask (last 2 for CPR administration) multiple pairs of gloves, 4 triangular bandages (for slings/ should inj and immobilization of broken limbs).

I am sure there is more in it but that's all i can think of off the top of my head.

so to answer the question of what am i prepared for....pretty much anything and everything that can happen in the woods on anywhere else. I should also mention that i was an NYS certified EMT and Firefighter for the last 16 years.

Like i said, i know most wont many carry what i carry or even come close to that extreme. I carry it b/c i know how to use to it and what to do in these situations.

BUT i do have to give A LOT of props to Wooly for starting this thread. As he said, it seems like a no brainer but i would guess that 80-90% of us hunters and outdoors-men are un-prepared for an emergency. It is something that we should ALL pay more attention to.

and on a personal note, i am MORE than elated that i WAS prepared about 10 years ago (before safety straps were the norm) when my father fell out of the tree stand due to ice on the platform.

if you are one of those people that think it will never happen to you or someone you know, let me tell you first hand..........

YOU ARE WRONG.

be smart, be prepared but most importantly remember that most accidents can be prevented by using just a little bit of common sense. But if something does happen..don't panic, stay calm, and do what ever you have to do to get out alive.

Thanks Wooly, probably one of is not the BEST threads i have seen yet

[steve863]

I don't know, carrying a few bandaids, gauze, neosporin, Tylenol, etc. might not be a bad idea for minor things that might come up, but you can carry a medicine cabinet with you and it will help mighty little if you or your hunting partner falls out of a tree.  A cell phone may be the only thing that will help in a serious accident of that nature.

 

[Doewhacker]

We are going to add a kit to our camper, with kids you never know what will happen. But I don't carry much beyond a bandaid or two in my pack for hunting. My dog has a whole kit devoted to him that I have in the truck for emergencies, so I take more precautions for him than I do myself.  :

[nyantler]

I am guilty of not carrying a med kit either... honestly I never think of it, but it really isn't a bad idea.

[FULLDRAWXX75]

If I am hunting the back 40 or one of the local wood lots I usually only carry a small hip bag/pack (just the basic things I need for a few hr. hunt) But, when we hunt the big range area or the deep woods on the central Adirondacks, day pack has a full supply of survival goods............................first aid needs for at least two people, a stash of em. food, a heavy tarp/space blanket, etc.

A few of the guys I hunt with bust my arse big time about how heavy my pack is( it weighs in at @ 45lbs), but nobody was laughing the day one of them fell and ran a stick in his rt. eye................. I will carry it all day long just for the comfort of knowing I am prepared. I have taken several outdoor survival courses at the local community college through the adult ed. program as well.

FDXX75

[wooly]

I've been putting this one together throughout the summer just in case and always keep it in my pack which I use daily. Have had to dig into it a time or two this summer and last winter, fortunately nothing major. Really doesn't take up much room at all or weigh all that much and feel that I could most likely treat any minor to medium mishaps that I may stumble upon along the way or anyone else runs into using a little common sence and basic knowledge.

By some good advice from a nurse on another board I've added a good suppl of aspirin in case of heart troubles.

What's in the sack:

- various assorted size bandages

- large Ace bandage

- forhead thermometer

- dental floss

- safety pins

- guaze

- waterproof tape

- mini folding scissors

- cotton balls

- Neosporin

- Basic first aid handbook

- surgical gloves

- matches and lighter

- compact exacto knife

- chap stick

- vaseline soaked cotton balls

- tweezers

- After bite wet wipes

- regular wet wipes

- aspirin  -rubber gloves

[hunter]

First off, thanks to Wooly for bringing up a great subject. I am one of the foolish who does not carry any first aid gear when I hunt. More important I should at least carry some aspirin in case of heart attack which means any tightness or pain take an aspirin and call for help if you have service. I helped save my wife's life when she had a heart attack. She was only 43 at the time so we should all be prepared especially with the strain of dragging deer. I will definitely have a first aid kit in my rig tommorow and a pocket one with aspirin to take in the field. Again thanks Wooly, I think you saved some lives.

[wooly]

Glad to see it got some of you thinking about it at least. I take quite a bit of pride in my spontainious reaction to a hyper situation although you'd never think it by looking at me.

Lots of what I've learned was taught in school over 20 yrs ago and just kinda stuck with me. The rest I just like to read about. Lately, the more I become a loner in the outdoors, I realise the serious troubles that lurk with every step we take for granted on our "home turf".

Since this is the camping /hiking forum, I just wanted to make note of general emergency preparedness we all need to be aware of the momment you step foot out the door. Doesn't matter if it's your back 40 or 40 miles into the mountains....it's a reality we all face daily.

I'm not sure if it's the paranoid survivalist in me, or the comfort I get out of helping those in need. To this day I've only had to use my kit on myself but have passed out a few band aids along the way. To my credit, I have saved both my sisters lives on my basic know how. One from drowning....the other blue in the face from choking. Maybe it was just the fact that her brother was thrusting her from behind that made her cough it up but hell....it worked. ???

Camping and hiking with family and friends is supposed to mean good times. To have the fun cut short by not being prepared is, well.....no fun. :'(

Basicaly, you don't need to have a PHD or doctoral degree in medicine to be a hero even if it is just to remove a simple splinter or bee sting.

Have fun and be safe out there everybody! Summer's coming!!!