When I was fifteen years told I was out fishing with a scout group in the High Uinta Mountains. We had hiked sixteen miles into the wilderness to enjoy a great roughing it kind of camping trip. Actually, this was a big deal. We were sixteen miles from the nearest car and further than that from the conveniences / necessities we are all used to. That means no highways, phones (back then), no moms to help us with cooking and cleaning, no quick communication, and no close medical facilities or professionals. The plan was to stay for two weeks to explore, fish, and do some truly fun growing up. We packed in all our supplies in backpacks and on special carts. There are no motorized vehicles allowed in that area.
I was having a great time! I love the out doors and two weeks in the wilderness was a great adventure that I still look back on as a highlight in my life. I learned so much from that experience that influences me today. One of those great lessons came while I was fishing.
The fishing in the lakes surrounding the Red Castle area is tremendous! At least it was back then. There were Rainbow and German Brown trout. Some of the fish we caught could provide dinner for several boys. They were large and wild and they tasted nearly as good as they fought.
While fishing one morning I got into a snag. My line broke while I was attempting to free my lure and caused a terrible tangle in the reel. I worked on the tangle for some time and finally got the line straightened out. I had used my trusty (and sharp) knife as a cutting, prying, and screw-driving tool. Just as I was using the tip of my fairly large knife to replace a small screw, the tip of the knife slipped (notice how I blame inanimate objects for my own stupidity) off the screw I was working on and slid the sharp edge of the blade across my left middle finger.
I was deeply cut and the blood flowed freely. I was in no real danger of bleeding to death from this injury, but I was still fairly seriously injured. I reported the injury to my adult leader and asked if there were some first aid supplies. The answer was yes, but what was available was more suited to small cuts and scratches. On the other hand there were a few bandages more suited to the battle field. If I had been shot in the chest with a shotgun, they had a large bandage for that. We were not prepared for a 3/4" cut to the bone on a finger.
We still had a week and a half left on our trip in the wilderness, so it was going to be a while before a doctor saw my cut and was able to stitch me up. We had no butterfly bandages to close the cut and hold it together. All we could do is cut up some of the enormous bandage we had and use it to protect the wound. Halfway though the trip we ran out of first aid tape and had to resort to tearing up strips of cloth from an old shirt to tie the bandage in place. By the time I had gotten home from the trip, I had a very sore infected finger. WE WERE NOT PREPARED!!!
Sometimes I think we don't worry about having such supplies around because of the convenience of medical facilities around us. From my home I can drive to a hospital in five minutes. There are a few doctors offices and walk in medical facilities that are closer than that. The ambulance station is located not more than two minutes drive from my front door under normal driving conditions. At my place of employment I can be to the closest hospital in less than five minutes by car. So why worry about having a first aid kit?
The answer is that not all injuries or medical problems require a visit to the doctor or even the hospital. Should someone go to the hospital because they have a bad cold? Of course not. Most of us deal with that kind of issue at home and we use over the counter medications to deal with the symptoms.
If you tinker in the garage or work on your own car, you have experienced small injuries than need attention but not hospitalization. Many of these smaller injuries need cleaning and antiseptic treatment. Some need to be protected with some covering to help avoid infection, but don't need the attention of a doctor. Don't get me wrong, when you need medical attention it is time to get it in whatever avenue is best for the situation. In many cases these little injuries and illnesses can be handled just fine at home with a decent first aid kit.
What about those times when you are out of town or out in the wilderness? In my case, a good first aid kit would have taken care of my issues when I had cut my finger. The potential for serious infection was certainly there. Our leader had a kit, but it was wholly inadequate. I don't think that kit had been inspected or updated in fifteen years. I did not recognize the labels on the ointments or bandage packaging and much of the packaging was open, leaving me to believe there was a lack of sterilization of the contents.
I have been thinking about this lately and realized that our first aid kit at home was very outdated. I started looking around at getting a new kit and finding what was still good in the old one. I thought of putting together my own kit. That would be exciting, except I don't have a lot of time on my hands. As I looked about on the Internet I found the Red Cross has great first aid kits. I found numerous other suppliers that I could order from that had good deals and provided great kits.
As I looked about I found myself in Sam's Club. They had a great kit that I ended up buying for under twenty dollars. It was full of all the things you would need under most first aid situations. There are still a few things I feel I need to have most issues covered, but still, most of what I need is there.
Here is a list of the contents:
30 Antiseptic Towelettes 128 Adhesive Bandages of varying sizes
30 Alcohol Pads 18 Wound Closure Strips
3 Povidone Iodine Pads 2 Rolls of Gauze
6 Sting Relief Pads 2 Eye Pads
6 Packets of Antibiotic Ointment 10 Sterile Gauze Pads 2" x 2"
6 Packets of Burn Cream 6 Sterile Gauze Pads 4" x 4"
3 Hydro cortisone Cream 1 Sterile Trauma Pad 5" x 9"
12 Antacid Tablets 20 Cotton Swabs
12 Non-aspirin tablets 1 Adhesive Tape Roll 1" x 5 yards
12 Aspirin Tablets 6 Finger Splints
1 First Aid Guide 1 Triangular Bandage
1 Instant Cold Compress 3 Splinter Removers
4 Examination Gloves 1 Set Medical Scissors
1 Set of Medical Tweezers
That is a lot of stuff and will take care of most of my worries around the house. It also came in a handy plastic carry case (11.5 x 13.75 x 4.25") so it can be taken with us on most of our camping trips. There are a few things that I feel I need to add to the kit though. I need a set of hemostats and a one way mask. The hemostats are great for dealing with a fishing hook in the finger and the one way mask is for mouth to mouth resuscitation. If it is my family involved, I don't think I would waste a half second to get the mask out, but if I am out and about on a trip or in my own neighborhood, I would want the mask to assist someone else with CPR. It is a good idea.
How Should Your First Aid Kit Be Equipped?
Well, what are you out doing or what are you up to at home? I think of a hunting trip I took a few months ago. My hunting partner had a first aid kit, but thinking back on it, I have no idea what was in it. I know safety comes first and you should not shoot yourself or someone else on a hunting trip. In fact, we went over the safety rules a few different times. Drove my buddies nuts! But I didn't see any safety violations. But what if it happened? We were probably 25 miles from the nearest trauma center and the guns we were carrying would cause terrible damage in the event of an accident. Do you think about these things when you go out into the wilderness? Do you have the equipment to deal with accidents relative to what you are doing?
I mentioned fishing earlier. Have you ever had to deal with a fish hook in the finger? I have. The right tools can go a long way toward your comfort and safety. What about hobbies you might have. I have a friend that makes jewelry in his home shop. Another that used to do gunsmith work. He had a small machine shop as well as all the chemicals for bluing metal surfaces. That entails some caustic chemicals.
Emergency and BOB Kits
If you have a Bug Out Bag (BOB) should it have a first aid kit? Of course. Smaller than the one for home maybe, but still well equipped. I found a good deal on some of these at Wall Mart. I paid less than ten dollars apiece for the two I bought and you would not believe what it contained.
Here is the list:
9 Cleansing Wipes 2 Antibiotic Ointment
1 Burn Cooling Patch 1 Anti Itch Cream
20 Butterfly Closures 8 2" x 2" Gauze Pads
1 Set Oval Eye Pads First Aid Tape
Tylenol Motrin
Imodium Cold Pack
Survival Wrap Finger Splints
Exam Gloves Tweezers
First Aid Guide Omni Glow Light Stick
118 Different Band Aid Bandages from 5/8" x 2.25" to 2" x 3"
All in a 9.75" x 6.75" x 3" plastic carry box.
These two kits are for our BOB bags. In the case of an emergency where we needed to evacuate our home we would take these bags. They would be our 72 hour kits. Not only that, but I think I will have this bag with me in the car on the commute to work or my other family travels. Now there is a pretty good first aid kit in there and I don't have to worry about it.
What about those big disasters? Any of us could find ourselves in a situation where emergency services are not going to be available for days and in some cases we have seen in the not too distant past, weeks! We need to have good first aid supplies and we need to keep them current. A lot of good aspirin or antacids will do if they have been expired five years. We all have date books or calendars, set a date to inventory your first aid kits. Better yet, use the kits and put it in your date book to resupply every time you use it.
Last but not least, get some training and refresh yourself from time to time with first aid manuals. Keep a first aid manual in the kit so it can be referred to. A lot of good first aid gear is if you don't know how to use it. I am not suggesting we all go to paramedic school, but good first aid training is only as far away as the Internet or the phone. There are classes going on all the time through the Red Cross, Fire Departments, Church, and Civic Groups. Give it a try. You will be amazed at the confidence and peace of mind it will bring.
Stay Safe!!!
