Killing my buddy
I was chatting with a mate who, bless his dumb-ass heart, is fucken useless when it comes to being prepared for literally anything. I'm surprised he's made it into his 40's to be honest and that something anything everything hasn't killed him yet. Still, he's a good mate and, while pretty much the total opposite of me, we get along well. Anyway, I was making yet another attempt at getting him prepared for something and he asked me about wilderness medical kits.
I'm not, nor ever was, a medic, but I have a basic understanding of what, why and how meaning what to have on hand, why it's required and how to use it in respect of medical kits - for a person like me who is in the wilderness regularly that's the basics.
Anyway, because nothing on the planet could ever save this guy from one day being killed by literally everything (including me) I didn't get too complicated but thought I'd give him some ideas around getting something together in the hope some of it would sink in to his rock solid thick head. This made me think about how I've approached it myself and I thought I'd share these questions I consider when I'm preparing a wilderness medical kit:
- Who is going to use the kit - It's not always me and understanding who else may use it is important. If I'm with professionally trained people I'm good to go (provided the kit is put together correctly) but if I'm with amateurs the kit may not be as comprehensive; I refer to personal and group kits.
Who will the kit provide for - Is it me alone or is it a group of people and if so how many and do I need to included items that cover non-humans like dogs and horses? Yes, there's medical kits for dogs and horses folks. Generally, basic wilderness kits are a first-response thing only (not to perform brain surgery) but they need to have exactly the right elements within them every time.
How long will the kit be required - This is critical to understanding what has to go in it. I go on short and long trips and running out of medical supplies can go badly. Resupply is often not possible so the length of trip is an important consideration to ensuring everyone is covered.
Where will the kit be going - Obviously this relates to where the people will be carrying/taking it. At altitude different things are needed than at lower altitudes and snakebite kits are not needed in some places either. Extremely hot or cold places are approached differently also...Just a few examples. Knowing where the kit is going helps determine what to take.
How much is required - On a kayak adventure space is limited but less so if using vehicles, whereas trekking on foot means carrying the loadout personally so thought needs to go into the amount that is truly required in each case as weight can bring other issues. This can be complicated for longer trips of course, but with some effort the right balance can be found.
This is not necessarily stuff I spoke to my clueless (probably soon to be dead) mate about as it's over and above what his requirements and understanding would be. These things above are what a military unit might consider, a SAR team (search and rescue), EMT's and the like but...safety should be everyone's responsibility and that extends into the household, vehicle and through to general day to day activities like a hike in the hills, forest and such places; putting some thought into it will mean a greater degree of preparedness and effectiveness.
It's not necessarily easy to put a wilderness medical kit together and the considerations above are just the beginning but to have a basic kit at home or in the car is reasonably easy and a sensible thing to do in my opinion. My kits may be different to yours because the need to have glucagon syringes and medications around hypoglycemic issues due to my medical condition but much of the kit will be the same and will be very easily and quite cheaply created.
I'm not an instructor or trainer, just someone who places a high value on self-reliance and preparedness. So many people put themselves into positions of risk through cluelessness or carelessness and, of course, things sometimes go catastrophically wrong so I figure it's best to be prepared; it's this message I'm trying to get through to my mate...but maybe I should just kill him and put him out of his misery.
Are you a person who likes self-reliance? Are you prepared? Are you responsible for others, a parent with children and family members? Do you have a medical kit at home or in your car? Do you know how to use it and to administer first aid? I think these are questions people should be asking themselves. What do you think? Will you risk your child's life on the ambulance arriving in a timely fashion or on someone else giving first aid? How about your own? Feel free to comment.
P.s. I'll not be killing my buddy.
Design and create your ideal life, tomorrow isn't promised - galenkp
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Well your title got me to read it - good hook. I like the basic kits off of amazon they are cheap and have just about everything you need.
Any kit is better than none at all and a lot of those store bought ones are actually put together reasonably well, even though being generic. So, well done for having a medical kit, most people do not and if they do, they have no idea how to use it.
P.s. I haven't killed my buddy yet.
Self reliance, preparedness and enormous medical kits are my three middle names!
I was telling @meesterboom how legit you were only yesterday, this cements it. But...I thought your was name was Deirdy "I like enormous things" Weirdy.
Seriously though, I assume you approve of my med kit considerations. It's fucken nuts how many people don't have even a basic kit. I could call them wankers I guess, but victims is more apt.
P.s. I killed my buddy, just don't tell anyone.
There's only one thing worse than being talked about and that's not being talked about and a lady needs more names than one to keep ahead of the posse. Furthermore, I was raised never to reveal but always conceal the secrets of the brotherhood, brother.
I like being your bro and was telling Boomy how I upvote your comments a lot, as I do with a couple others, and figured he'd want in on the action. So, you might end up with another bro. He's Scotlandian, but we don't hold that against him. Much.
Ah sure we Irish love the Scots. They're our brothers in arms against the English. And thanks for all the votes, though I don't know what I've done to deserve them:)
Yep, you're right of course, and @meesterboom is a good chap to have around when one invades England; he's like William Wallace but with a better sense of humour.
I have a bigger sword too!!
Alright then I don't, but it would be quite the thing if I did!
Well I think that answers the question of what you keep under your kilt!
A dirk!! 🤣🤣
A butter knife?
Well, it is a slippery customer and no mistake!
'Is this a dirk which I see before me?'
Lol! 🤣🤣
I've heard legends about your beastly mansword, it's spoken of in hushed tones down the pub.
Few survive its fury!
A furious mansword...all the world should quake in fear.
:OD
Hehe, we totally are brothers in arms against the dread English 😃😃
If we could just work out what yizzer sayin':)
Aye, sometimes I struggle! Lol
A better question than "Do you have a medical kit" is "Do you know how to use it?".
First bandage, triangular scarf, calico bandage, sterile gauze and compresses, needle, curved scissors, plasters...
I have one set in my car, as it is part of the mandatory equipment in the car, and I bought the same one for the apartment.
Thank God, I didn't have to open the first aid kit due to injuries while driving, except when I once cut my palm while trying to help people in need, so I used gauze, bandages and plasters from the first aid kit...
As for first aid, given that I have passed the exam for a firefighter (I don't do that job, but my position requires passing that exam), I had training in first aid, for resuscitation, dressing, fixing...
I've always wondered how kits that include snakebite antidote are made. Australia has plenty of venomous snakes? When staying in the wilderness, you should have this package with you, and how would you apply the antidote, when each snake poison has its own?
Well now, I say that in my post actually, about knowing how to use a kit.
Anyway, yeah Australia has a lot of deadly snakes and other stuff (google it) but they generally only bite tourists from Europe and America. Ok, not really, they bite all tourists.
As for the snake bite kit...it's not antivenom at all (quite obviously I would have thought), it's about other stuff, pressure bandages, black permanent marker, emergency blanket, splint, antiseptic wipes and so on.
The marker is to identify the bite area on the bandage, time of bite and patient name.
I don't figure you'd know much about it considering the last venomous snake found in Europe was back when the dinosaurs walked the land.
And yours buddy's 😀
Yeah, he got bit...well, he bit himself actually, but that counts!
Here in the western US, rattlesnakes are our biggest concern for venom. Antivenin is (AFAIK) a very specific treatment for specific species, not a general one-size-fits-all, even just with snakes. The recommendation is to use hiking sticks to check before you step, be aware of your surroundings, and call the pros if there's a bite. An emergency beacon and radio is expensive, but effective. Some service providers include a basic insurance policy to cover costs if the device is actually used, because helicopters and paramedics don't come cheap.
Yep, I responded to the antivenom/antivenin comment as I didn't want people thinking it's a generic thing.
You raise a good point on the EPIRB/locator/beacon thing. I have mine all the time, even in places where I know I'll not get lost, as it's about MEDEVAC. One of these things saved a mates life (heart attack) when he was out in the Flinders Ranges and it just makes sense right?
I like to be quiet when I'm in the wilderness, I'm often hunting/stalking, but here there's the issue of making some noise to scare the snakey bastards out of the way; stepping on an Eastern Brown snake is a good way to get dead.
Thanks for adding some perspective. I wish I was your neighbour, we think alike and I think you'd be a handy chap in the wilderness. (We could share gear) Lol.
I really need to get one of those beacons. In my local environment, the climate doesn't support the spicy dangernoodles, but like you said, they're for a variety of emergencies. Besides, I think 2025 will include travel, and I'd like to have that extra insurance when off the main roads anywhere.
They aren't cheap I guess, but I think you're worth the spend. Like you say, MEDEVAC and SAR's don't come cheaply but death lasts forever. Travel in 2025? Good to hear!
I remember, more than ten years ago, when the director of the company announced that he was going to go fishing in the wild, that I insisted that he bring a satellite phone.
There is no mobile network there and that phone was very useful to him when he sprained his leg by stepping on a slippery stone in the stream where he started.
It was worth it that he had a way to call for help, because he would have struggled a lot with the injured leg.
When he went fishing in New Zealand, there were no such problems, there is an ordinary mobile phone available in every part of the country.
I've been to NZ and there's not cell service everywhere, but everywhere that fellow went probably had which means he didn't go remotely. There are many places no service is offered because there's no people there, or so few that the infrastructure costs don't make sense.
Yes, yes, I know about rattlesnakes in the Western US. I have heard and seen in many movies.
The sound of the ominous rattling of the tail sends shivers down your spine...
Here we have three types of poisonous plants. Poskok, Šarka and mountainous Šargan. The Poskok is the most dangerous, but there is an antidote in every medical facility and it is easy to find out that it is a Poskok (it jumped out of the bushes to bite you 🙂).
In addition to paying attention to where you stop(where is the next step), you should watch what you are holding on to while hiking and wear quality equipment, shoes and pants, gaiters are also recommended.
Yup, snake gaiters are recommended in parts of the US. Even heavy leather boots may not stop fangs, and not all boots rise high enough to be above the strike zone anyway. But like many things, US rattlesnakes are often over-dramatized for cinematic effect. The biggest risks are when climbing (don't put your hand on a snake's basking rock) and in heavy brush (don't step on a snake staying cool in the shade). Basically, don't walk or reach where you can't see. A snake that isn't startled like that will usually let you know it's upset long before there's any danger of a bite. They are quite camouflaged, though. Thus, the walking stick as a probe can prevent hurting the snake, and if it does get mad, it will go for the stick that poked it, not your meaty bits.
A commentary worth reading for all beginner hikers, campers and nature lovers.
👍
I'm due to inspect my car emergency kit. Out here, once you're a few miles from a town, it's wilderness. Cell signal isn't guaranteed in the mountains. I have a trauma kit to stop bleeding, including an Israeli bandage. I have a splint kit. I have basic medications (due for replacement) and boo-boo level band-aids and antibiotic creams (due for basic inspection). I don't have some things in common lists of essentials because I have a. limited funds and b. less than complete skills with such tools. Besides, despite what the news might tell you, the US isn't a battlefield where gunshot treatment is an everyday concern.
Your first line is very important. Checking the kit periodically is essential and it's amazing how many have a kit, and state it proudly, but have not opened if for 19 years which renders the kit virtually useless. Well said man.
I wondered if you'd comment; I know you have some skills and a lot of understanding and you've not let me down. You also raise a valid point, cost which probably prevents some people from having a kit but there's often a work around and I think it's worth finding a way to make it work.
It's important to know what's generally required and what may be superfluous and you seem to have a good handle on it, so thanks for your insight and sharing what's in your kit. I appreciate the comment about checking the kit too, that's really important.
I know my limitations. Nothing fancy, just some trianing and a few rules of thumb. My skills are literally first aid. Keep someone alive until the pros can arrive.
Beyond that, immobilizing a broken limb with a splint and providing a few basic medications are my limits. More skill than some, less skill than others. I hope I never need any of it, but I don't trust hope.
That's pretty much all that could/would be done in the wilderness and way more than most people know how to do. With these basics and some actual bushcraft that may prevent incidents happening, a person is in a good place I think.
We'll see whether that'll keep me from becoming a statistic. I'm already breaking one of the rules by traveling alone. Don't worry, I'll try to keep the people who need to know my whereabouts in the know.
I do some wilderness stuff alone but like you say, let someone know when you leave, how long you're (expected to be) going for and when you're likely to return, and where you're expecting to go of course; they can check in and alert the authorities if you don't return. You know all thins though.
Don't overestimate me. My book-learnin' is vast as the Great Lakes, but my practical wilderness experience outside of basic country life is small as a mud puddle.
Ah ok, well having some theoretical skills isn't a bad thing, it's amazing how quickly people that have read a thing or two can adapt that knowledge when in the field.
I was giggling all the way through your very loving insults XD
I have:
I was thinking of listing the stuff in it but the comment got a bit long, and also anyone who thinks that was excessive has never met anyone like my youngest
Now what I really, really, REALLY have to do is actually renew and ideally update my first aid certs (it's been on my todo list forever but it's really hard to get to). I did the basic + cpr ones ages ago and obviously need to do them again, and also want to do the asthma and anaphylaxis management ones and the isolated site one, and I guess may as well do the advanced skillset one while I'm about it if it doesn't cost an arm and a leg (the irony) XD
The fact you have an EDC medical kit makes you legit.
It's also great to hear your vehicle kit has come in handy, that's what it's for, but make sure you replenish it, Chemist warehouse should be able to assist there. As for the house kit, that's a good thing too and the bonus is a snakey bastard kit, good work!
I hope you get your certs renewed, having that peace of mind, the ability to understand what may be going on in an emergency, can mean a more level head and decision making. Generally though, nice work all round, you're fairly well prepped, way more than the average person.
As for my mate...I've killed him many times (in my imagination) and he's always at risk of a good slaying...if any slaying could be called good. Honestly though, I think I might be getting through to him little by little.
I have yet to inspect/review the car kit x_x
The tiny kit was only assembled recently as the small edc was made a month or so ago I think. The small kit got reviewed at about the same time as the Betadine and Stingoze got transferred from it (and it really needed it, I got rid of some stuff that had exploded or expired and replaced whatever I thought I would actually use).
The house kit is mostly J's problem, I know it gets casually inspected and replenished weekly but I don't know when or how often he does full surveys. I haven't done one...ever since the initial stocking x_x
Eldest and I are going for first aid training next week ^_^ Amusingly I actually started looking into it shortly after my comment and decided on the St John's course as while it was the most expensive out of the ones I found, their course had three units (cpr, provide first aid and basic emergency life support, though I think technically the first one is also in the second one) and says it covers asthma, allergy and anaphylaxis which are also things I wanted to do (they seem to be separate topics in some providers).
Unfortunately mental health and isolated site ones are going to be a "later" problem partly because money and mostly because I have to do them in the city and it would be so much easier on the train (which is currently down due to track works and if everything runs on time won't be back up til mid next year or so).
That you're doing anything at all sets you far above others who choose, shall we say, other options...meaning sweet fuck all. Well done, and it's great that your daughter is going to attend also, it's stuff that stays with a person for a long while and one never knows the impact a little training may have on someone's life when things go belly up.
Nice work indeed!
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I’ve never really thought about having a medical kit, but your post made me realize how important it is to be prepared, even for small adventures like hiking with friends or camping trips. I think a lot of us, especially younger people, rely too much on others or think 'it won’t happen to me,' but reading this makes me want to start building my own basic kit. It’s also a reminder that self-reliance is something we should learn early on, not just for ourselves but for the people we’re with.
That's great to hear and I'm glad you're thinking about getting a little kit together, you never know when it (and you) may save the day for yourself or someone else. Nice work!
What a good topic!
When I was in my twenties I was unworried and didn't think anything could happen to me, my friends or family members.
But then during a futsal match one of the guys collapsed and I just stood there not knowing what to do.
Luckily there were others that did.
That incident made me think; what if I was alone with someone?
I have subscribed to a first aid course after that to learn how to help in case of an emergency. I also learned how to perform CPR, use an AED and what to do when someone has severe wounds or burns.
I think everyone should be able to perform CPR and how to use an AED.
About the med kits; I have a fee. In my car, in my home and a small one for traveling which I carry in my cycling backpack. I do need to check up on the dates of the stuff that's in it though.
It's typical for people to be oblivious to what might happen, that usually comes with age and experience, and I was no different. I was bulletproof, or so I thought and then I realised (painfully) that I was not. Along with that often comes a lack of preparation, why prepare for something that might not happen right? Oh man, life taught me a lesson for sure.
Not much to say but, fuck yeah to that line you wrote. I agree.
It's good to read you are prepared, have some skills and kits...I see it as essential because of what I've done and do generally, but for me it's also a hobby, prepping.
Thanks for your input.
Surely your friend with your advice will wake up a little bit and will not die anymore... But you leave some good questions to which you give answers in turn, such as where the first aid kit is used or for whom it is intended. It's interesting to analyse these things.
I like to be prepared and I have a first aid kit at home, especially for simple wounds, but I have expanded it for example for deeper cuts because my brother works in a restaurant and uses an axe... he has been hurt a few times and I want to have everything I need. If I can help before the ambulance arrives, I don't hesitate to do so.
Well, he'll probably die some more, I'll kill him a few times myself and literally everything on the planet will kill him too...so he has a lot of dying to do yet...but I hope he'll learn a thing or two in the process.
What's the ambulance response time up your way?
I have never had to call one personally but I have had to call the fire brigade because the first floor patio caught fire and in less than 10 minutes they were here with the ambulance as well.
Ten minutes? I called one this year and they said up to 5 hours. I ended up stabilising the person then driving them to hospital emergency in my truck. The hospital system and ambulance service is broken.
It may be that the proximity to hospitals that I have personally from where I live makes it quick but in general fire brigades and ambulances are very effective.
This is a great topic, 'cause no matter where you are or how old you are, there will always be some "smart" person who thinks they’re a superhero, and it’s easy for a small insect sting to scare you more than you’d expect.
Your friend is very lucky to ask you because you covered the topic quite well; I don’t even think Google explains it this well. Basic knowledge of first aid is always useful; it’s something that should be mandatory in schools.
In my case , I have some first aid kits at home, but that’s because I’m fortunate to work in a hospital; otherwise, it can be quite complicated here. Besides that, the healthcare system is so messed up that I prefer to treat my family at home. For me, it’s an important topic, knowing that almost anything can be deadly 😕
Thanks mate, it's an important topic to those who want to be prepared and it's those who want to be, and are, prepared that save the day for people who are not. It's far easier to neglect it but that puts people at greater risk; I'm not a parent but I would have thought any decent parent would take the time to learn the basics but...nope, so many don't bother.
We have quite a number of things that we carry with us when we are traveling. My wife often gets annoyed because the things I have in the truck and trailer take up so much room that she could use for other things. One day though, she will be thankful that we have those things when something goes wrong. I was talking to our friends that we camp with and they were surprised to learn that I have everything I need to replace a trailer bearing on the side of the road if necessary. Do I want to do it? I hope I never have to, but I could if I needed to.
Sounds like you're well prepared and yeah, replacing a bearing on the side of the road wouldn't be nice at all, but sometimes things happen and it's best to have the bits available...have you put some surgical gloves in your kit also? Will make cleaning up after wheel bearing change easier.
Yes, I actually do carry gloves like that around with me, but only because I use them when I emptying the black and gray tanks after we pull up camp. When I clean, inspect, and repack the bearings each Spring I don't usually wear gloves I feel like they just get in the way sometimes.
I figured you would and for the reasons you mention (I do the same) but I'm not a fan of bearing grease so I use them for that as well. Never had to do it on the road though.
It's definitely not pleasant at the time, but it usually cleans up after a couple of days. The diesel fuel rinses it off well. 😃
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