Stocking Up On Wilderness First Aid Supplies
First aid in the great outdoors is a whole lot different from the basic first aid we were taught during our regular high school health classes. While your regular home first aid kit will consist mostly of bandages, gauze pads, a pair of scissors, topical wound treatments, and some over-the-counter medicines, your wilderness first aid supplies will have to go beyond the basics. After all, you never know what can happen out there where you won’t have a nearby hospital to run to. You have to be absolutely prepared.
Pre-Assembly
Before you gather your supplies and pack them up in a neat not-so-little plastic box, there are some things you need to consider. First of all, where are you going? Outdoor adventures in extreme weather conditions may require additional supplies. Plus, the type of activity you’ll be doing may be prone to specific injuries or diseases. Second of all, will you be staying there for long? Because if you will be, then don’t forget to stock up on your supplies adequately. Another factor you have to consider is the number of people who will be going with you. Naturally, the more the merrier. However, the greater the number of people, the greater the need for more wilderness first aid supplies.
Assembly
Get a durable and waterproof first aid kit container. You never know when your backpack may get washed away in some shallow river or you may accidentally crash your pack against a rock while rappelling.
There should be five different compartments in your kit. These are:
- Trauma – contains ace bandages, chemical heat and cold packs, thermometer, rectal thermometer, latex gloves, epinephrine syringe, airway, micro-shield, extractor, cravats, and a pair of scissors.
- Wound and Blister – contains bandages, gauze, moleskin, second skin, melofoam, benzoin tincture, antibiotic ointment, hydrogen peroxide, and tweezers.
- Topical Treatments – contains sunscreen, insect repellent, aloe vera gel, calamine lotion, antifungal cream, and hydrocortisone cream.
- Over-the-Counter Medicines – includes aspirin, antihistamines, antacids, decongestants, ibuprofen, oral rehydration salts, and diarrhea medicines.
- Prescribed Medicines – includes medicines for various eye, ear, gastro-intestinal, urinary tract, skin, and respiratory infections that may be acquired while outdoors.
Post-Assembly
As you have seen above, a wilderness first aid kit contains a lot of supplies that have expiration dates. This means you should always update your supplies from time to time to make sure that the items included in the kit have not yet expired. You can also go the extra mile by enrolling in a wilderness first aid class, if you want. You’ll not only increase your skills as an outdoor adventurer, you’ll also be able to help make your outdoor adventures a lot safer.
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