First-Aid Emergency Kit

[Lyle Brotherton]

Over the years I have honed and refined the general first aid emergency kit that I always carry in the great outdoors.

It is not exhaustive, simply what I have found works for me. The only criteria I have applied is that the whole kit must always weigh less than 1kg and that I really know how to use each item properly.

Whilst I am trained for mountain rescue casualty care, to me basic first aid courses should be attended by everyone, simply knowing how to perform CPR could save a life and there are many providers, St John’s Ambulance service run great one day courses.

This is my current First Air Emergency Kit (explanation beneath photos)

1.   A plastic card with my name, address and phone number on (If I did not wear dog tags I would include my blood group on this).
2.   85 x 165 mm sterile gauze dressing
3.   Mountain Space Bag – these are super warm, windproof, waterproof, reflect radar and cheap to buy.
4.   Glow sticks- simply snap and they glow for 12 hours. I carry 2 (giving a total of 24 hours of light) itmis enough to navigate with, plus I would hang one at night from a tree near me for if I believed SAR air assets were searching for me (The Sea Kings FLIR MSS will pick one of these up in good weather at night from 5km).
5.   4m of 550 paracord MIL-C-5040 – multiple uses from spare shoe laces to even in an emergency lowering a heavy rucksack/person (It must be the MIL-C-5040 spec, don't confuse this 550 Parachute Cord with the numerous copies on the market today. This is the official product used by the U.S. Military and has a rated strength of 550 lbs/250kg).
6.   3m of 50 mm Duct tape – the ubiquitous fix, everything from patching weatherproof clothing to securing makeshift splints. (In winter I put some in the same way on to my ski poles –just beneath the hand grip).
7.   Biro that writes in the wet (we sourced better http://www.shavenraspberry.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=50 which reminds me to change this one!)
8.   The Fox 40 whistle – loudest for its size in the world!
9.   4m of 80 mm gauze binding bandage (arm slings etc).
10.   Apaisy – topical antihistamine with steroid and anti-bacterial for insect bites and snake bites (only available in France).
11.   7 x various size waterproof elastoplasts – perfect for minor cuts and abrasions, foot blisters
12.   Vaseline based, factor 50 sunscreen stick – used on lips, nose, neck (bought in Germany)
13.   Leatherman mini-tool
14.   Battery caddy with 4 x lithium AA batteries (Expiry date 2023 – all my electrical equipment, with the exception of my mobile phone, use AA batteries)
15.    2/100 x 70 mm HandWarmers – chemical type heat generators, the most frequently replaced item in this kit. Excellent for early stage hypothermia. (I will write a separate article about this).
16.   Savalon antiseptic spray/wash – the second most replaced item in this kit.
17.   3M Steri-Strip – glue on sutures, a brilliant invention!
18.   400 x 600 mm sterile first aid dressing – excellent compression pad to stop bleeds
19.   Dental repair kit- temporary filling compound and cap/crown cement.
20.   Various size safety-pins, for securing arm slings and bandages
21.   Old multi-tool now superseded by the Leatherman and removed from my kit!
22.   Swedish Army fire stick – simply the best in the world to start a fire in any weather condition.
23.   Cinnamon biscuits – the ‘comfort factor’ from small foods cannot be overstressed
24.   Water sterilisation tablet plus rehydration salts and minerals
25.   Glucogel – an easy to swallow dextrose gel that acts quickly – good for shock and a rapid energy boost.
26.   Diclofenac – a moderate to severe pain killer (prescription only)
27.   Tweezers
28.   Inter-dental tooth brush & pick (this is a convenience item)
29.   Blue latex gloves – protection from bloodand other body fluids
30.   Feurstarter matches – will strike underwater

Note: When navigating in specialist environments, such as the jungle, I use entirely different emergency kit.

[Skills4Survival]

Kind of a mix between First Aid and Survival Kit. Will post mine this week.

[Egg]

Some interesting stuff in there Lyle.
Going to see if I can find some Glucogel, might be nicer than the cycling gel I carry at the moment.
The Savlon spray is great. Have you tried the spray on plaster they do? I use that a lot for a quick seal over small cuts and scrapes.
Key point at the end too. Have a kit to suit the environment, not a one size fits all.

[Hugh Westacott]

I've spent 70 years wandering about our British hills and I've never suffered anything worse than minor cuts and grazes, and in all the years that I've been leading walks for a total of thousands of participants, the worst injury suffered was by a lady who put her foot in a rabbit hole and twisted her ankle badly. We took it in turns to carry her to the railway station.

Based on my experience, I have two standard first-aid kits:

Kit 1 carried when leading walks weighs 370 grms and contains:
Scissors
Tick removal tool
Eye patch
Assorted safety pins

Ibuprofen
Aspirin
Anti-histamine tablets

Antiseptic cream
Assorted wound dressings
Assorted plasters
1 roll of zinc oxide plaster
Compeed
Corn pads (ideal for relieving pressure on large blisters}

Lint
Cotton wool
1 bandage

1 tampon
1 panty liner (can also serve as a bandage)
(Many of the walks that I lead contain a significant proportion of ladies at an awkward stage in life and, over the years, my first aid kit has been able to save several of them from embarrassment.)


Kit 2 carried when backpacking and walking alone
Ibuprofen
Compeed
Assorted plasters

I believe that this minimalist kit would allow me to cope with all non-serious injuries. In the event of a bad cut, I could cover the wound with baby wipes, place an item of clothing on top and secure the dressing with some of the gaffer tape that I wrap round my water bottle for emergency repairs.

In addition to both first-aid kits I always carry a packet of re-sealable baby wipes which are much more efficient than standard toilet tissue, and do not go soggy when damp. They can also serve as anti-septic wipes on wounds.

Hugh

[Skills4Survival]

@ Hugh, struggling why you would not take some of the group items for yourself as well, e.g. antiseptic stuff, tick removal, what is your rationale?. Again, repeating Lyle a bit. The fact that something has not happened gives you (only you!) very little assurance that it will not happen. I use following example. If I try to get IT security budget to protect myself against hackers...the remark that "it never happened before" is in general not a reason not to invest. As Lyle shows (and I also looked in my overview of accidents in Gairngorm Mountains) accidents do happen. Same for security, there is ample data showing that other people do suffer and WILL suffer.

[Hugh Westacott]

The reason that I have two first-aid kits, S4S, is easy to explain.

I have a small retirement business leading day walks and walking tours mostly for London-based American ex-pats. One of the conditions of my insurance policy is that I must carry a comprehensive first-aid kit when leading walks.

Another requirement is that I must conduct a risk assessment for every walk and send a copy to every participant. Needless to say, when I'm walking alone or with friends, the only risk assessment I conduct is making a mental note of any problems when planning the route.

Hugh

[Lyle Brotherton]

GlucoGel - one in the post for you Egg to try first

I reallylike this product and first came across it as part of my Mountain Rescue Casualty kit. Its obvious use is for casualties who are hypoglycaemic, but for anyone needeing a fast energy boost I know of nothing that acts faster, albeit its duration of action is relatively short at these dosages.

It is very easy to use. You simply twist off the cap, squeeze the gel into your mouth and swallow. Alternatively it can be squeezed inside the cheek in the buccal cavity, and the outside of the cheek gently rubbed to aid absorption.

Thanks for sharing your kit contents Hugh, it would be great to discover what other folk carry. I am continually trying to improve mine and like Ron's suggestion (Rescuerkw) about keeping kit light. A policy that having learned from other forum members I am trying to adopt.

[Brian]

Lyle, interesting that you include a Swedish Army firesteel in your kit.  I do too - it's top notch. 

To go with it, I recommend a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil, perhaps 12" x 12" to underly your fire (and keep ground moisture from it), and a few cotton balls saturated with petroleum jelly (to start your fire)(1).

The cotton balls can of course be used for first aid purposes, but also for starting a fire in any weather.


1.  Before leaving home, separate the fibers of each cotton ball by pulling it apart.  Then, glob as much jelly into it as you can, roll each back into a marble-sized ball, and store them in a plastic baggy.  When it comes time to use one, pull the cotton ball into two parts . . . in doing so, you will create several long, thin strands from each half.  Put the ball back together such that the strands face up, place the globby bottom on your aluminum foil and hit those strands with a spark from your firesteel.  The ball will burn for 5 - 10 minutes.

[Callum]

This is an excellent topic to start. To me, this whole subject matter, including back up navigational kit, comms kit etc., should have a separate topic heading, as it is a dynamic subject, and I personally really would like to learn from others experiences.

Working with youngsters, I am very conscious of my 'Duty of Care', where every instructor acts in Locus Parentis. My personal accountability goes way beyond any legal responsibilities and I take this issue very seriously.

Early doors I made mistakes, and I must also confess that current practice is immeasurably superior to that when I first started. In particular, carefully assessing each person’s capabilities to undertake each different activity and prior to taking them out, full knowledge of any pre-existing medical conditions. In this respect the training and paperwork required for and by instructors is a real benefit – never thought I would be praising UK Health & Safety

We have a standard outdoors activity kit that includes items such as EpiPens, I will compile the full list of this kit and post it.

Pete Mck’s suggestion (http://micronavigation.com/forum/index.php?topic=277.0) of a cheap mobile phone is brilliant and one I am putting into immediate effect at the Centre.

[captain paranoia]

In a similar vein to my comments on this thread http://micronavigation.com/forum/index.php?topic=276.0, I'd say that the contents of a first aid kit depend on what you're doing, where.

There have been recent threads on a number of forums about FAKs, which may be useful.

OutdoorsMagic http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/fm.asp?R=17&T=53725&M=62489
UK Climbing http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=502873&v=1 (you need to be a member, but I've cut&pasted Vark's comment into the OM thread; he's an emergency care consultant...)
backpackinglight http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=65161 I'd recommend reading Dean Fellabaum's comments; I'm pretty sure he's a military medic.

My list and rationale are on the OM thread.  For the UK, here's what I take as my 'maximal' kit:

Micropore tape
various sizes of leukostrip sutures
a wound dressing
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.

Gaffer/duct tape is very handy for general repairs; when the sole came off the boot of one of the DofE girls (in thick, cloying mud), I taped it up with gaffer tape and it survived the rest of the day.

[adi]

16.   Savalon antiseptic spray/wash – the second most replaced item in this kit, used for everything from washing out eyes to cleaning wounds.

Put that anywhere near my eye and I would come out fighting!

[adi]

GlucoGel - one in the post for you Egg to try first

I reallylike this product and first came across it as part of my Mountain Rescue Casualty kit. Its obvious use is for casualties who are hypoglycaemic, but for anyone needeing a fast energy boost I know of nothing that acts faster, albeit its duration of action is relatively short at these dosages.

It is very easy to use. You simply twist off the cap, squeeze the gel into your mouth and swallow. Alternatively it can be squeezed inside the cheek in the buccal cavity, and the outside of the cheek gently rubbed to aid absorption.

Thanks for sharing your kit contents Hugh, it would be great to discover what other folk carry. I am continually trying to improve mine and like Ron's suggestion (Rescuerkw) about keeping kit light. A policy that having learned from other forum members I am trying to adopt.

Another option is to add equal quantities of milk powder and sugar mix into a past using water. It has dragged my ass off a couple of mountains whilst in mild hypothermia over the years. 

[adi]

Some interesting comments on fire lighting. Do you need fire lighting stuff on the UK mountains? will there be fuel?

My take is yes carry fire lighting kit with you. If you are able to drop down into a wooded area and fire is relatively easy goal to achieve to pump up your moral to get you through a cold, wet, miserable night. It will help stave off hypothermia, give you light and warmth which could allow you to get a couple of hours sleep allowing you to recover slightly.  Warm some water for a hot drink and if you have food with you to warm it.

As a survival instructor I had one rule for my students, always carry 3 forms of man made fire lighting. And relentlessly practice your fire lighting skills.

Lyle has 4 fire lighting tools in his kit but only two are realistic to get a fire going any time than an absolute emergency.

I am going to concentrate on two of Lyles which I suspect most of you use and or carry. The matches and the fire steel.

So a question, assuming you are not a smoker and you have matches and fire steel which is your primary fire lighter?

Don't rely on lighters they run out and fail.

Ok your primary fire lighter is the fire steel, use it to light your stove and any fires you need to light. Save your matches for when the shit really hits the fan you will appreciate the ease and quickness of the match when everything is stacked against you.

Its all great carrying 3 forms or fire lighting but what else do you need to carry? Tinder! Its all very well thinking you can collect it as you go, that is true you can but have you ever been out needing a fire in a downpour and tried to collect dry tinder? Carry your tinder with your fire lighters. Cotton wool balls for the fire steel. Soaked in petroleum jelly is best, it water proofs the cotton and burns very well.

For you matches and Lyle is using lifeboat matches which are the best and are designed to set light to your life raft! And there is the clue for the tinder to carry with your matches. A strip of bicycle inner tube.

With these two fire lighting methods you will be able to light a fire anywhere on this planet providing you have the other components for a fire available.

Finally you need practice. Most people can light a fire but equally can put one out very quickly.

[Pete McK]

Hi Adi, wasn’t sure if you had been on holiday or working away (hope not unwell), anyway great to see you back and as always, really informative posting 

Thanks for posting the correct name for the lifeboat matches, just ordered some on Famous River.

Do you store all of the fire items inside the inner tube and how do you seal the ends?

[adi]

Hi Pete

I was away last week. But work has got busy so not had a chance to get on much.

I use exotac fire steels because they are waterproof. The mech metal (or what ever it is called) of the fire steel corrodes when exposed to moisture.

The matches I keep in any waterproof container or match case, you can buy match cases, Exotac sale them but you can use any waterproof container will do such as a 35 mm film canister or a diabetes test strip container. Although lifeboat matches are supposed to be waterproof if kept damp water soaks into the match stick and then into the match head. Keep them dry.

You can keep your matches inside of the inner tube by folding the ends over on themselves. this works quite well I kept my emergency matches in the jungle like this. But it is better to put them in a pot.  If you are fatigued, cold or hypothermic then you lose dexterity in the fingers so you never want anything in your emergency kit that is to fiddly to handle.   

Petroleum Jelly soaked cotton wool is waterproof so I keep mine in a small ziplock bag or film canisters. Petroleum Jelly soaked cotton wool really is great stuff it burns hot and long.