High Sierra Topix

I'm sure this idea has been thought of before but I came up with it this weekend...

I finally finished a lightweight yet complete first-aid kit. I have made adjustments for years but arrived at one that will fit my needs and fully stocked it in anticipation for a trip into Big Pine Lakes in a few weeks.

I put it into a pocket on my backpack that fits it just perfectly and thought to myself "Well, I guess that's where this will always go..."

It soon occurred to me that if the pocket would always be used for first-aid it would be a good idea to mark the outside with a medical cross to help with the following scenarios:

1) I'm knocked out unconcious and bleeding in some ditch somewhere and other hikers stumble on me. They are more likely to find items that can assist me if need be.

2) I need to send one of my hiking buddies to my pack to retrieve the med kit. They won't need to dig around in my pack to find it.

3) If I am away from my pack and an unknown hiker needs something from the kit in a hurry. Hopefully someone in search of emergency medical supplies who ran into some trouble they weren't prepared for would be able to find what they needed in as short a period of time as possible. Even if I weren't there to assist.

Since nothing in the first aid kit will help me if I'm unconscious, I keep it in the pack. Head trauma requires someone with first aid training first and foremost. The training is the most important part of the whole thing and the least often sought after. Skills mean you can use all kinds of things that aren't even in the kit - such as irrigating a wound with filtered water, or your sleeping bag to re-warm a mildly hypothermic person.

That would be different if I were diabetic, a severe allergy, or had other very important medication needs such as an asthma inhaler - you would want a med-alert bracelet and have a clearly labeled place to keep your insulin, inhaler, injector, etc.

umm. brief your partners on your needs. If you're solo, then have a note on you and in your pack.

AlmostThere wrote:Since nothing in the first aid kit will help me if I'm unconscious, I keep it in the pack. Head trauma requires someone with first aid training first and foremost. The training is the most important part of the whole thing and the least often sought after. Skills mean you can use all kinds of things that aren't even in the kit - such as irrigating a wound with filtered water, or your sleeping bag to re-warm a mildly hypothermic person.

That would be different if I were diabetic, a severe allergy, or had other very important medication needs such as an asthma inhaler - you would want a med-alert bracelet and have a clearly labeled place to keep your insulin, inhaler, injector, etc.

I was being a bit facetious in regard to the injuries described. But I do; howver, carry a tube of smelling salts. They are light and small and could be handy.

I agree that everyone heading into the woods would do well to remember that the most important part of a first aid kit is knowledge.