First-aid contents suggestions?

Technician said:

As an idea, that was boosted by Clyde, i wan't to have a first-aid kit available in my bak for me
or anybody i happen across.

So far, the list i came up with is as follows.

Stuff
-----
band-aids (several sizes) ace bandage (or two) gauze pads alcohol wipes Bandage tape

Meds
----
antiseptic (hopefully it wont explode) Acetaminophen Ibuprofen

Prepackaged kits are a waster of money.

most important: the knowledge to know what you are doing!!

also: betadyne or alcohol wipes instead of a bottle of antiseptic. gloves. first aid tape for the
gauze. ( covers big wounds) benedryl for allergies.

penny

"Technician" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

As an idea, that was boosted by Clyde, i wan't to have a first-aid kit available in my bak for me
or anybody i happen across.

I carry a Johnson & Johnson "First Aid To Go" kit in my Bak. It has all sorts of different sized
band-aids, antiseptic wipes, antibiotic ointment and pain killers.

- CA-G

Can-Am Girls Kick Ass!

Technician said:

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Technician said:

As an idea, that was boosted by Clyde, i wan't to have a first-aid kit available in my bak for me
or anybody i happen across.

So far, the list i came up with is as follows.

Stuff
-----
band-aids (several sizes) ace bandage (or two) gauze pads alcohol wipes Bandage tape

Meds
----
antiseptic (hopefully it wont explode) Acetaminophen Ibuprofen

Prepackaged kits are a waster of money.

most important: the knowledge to know what you are doing!!

also: betadyne or alcohol wipes instead of a bottle of antiseptic. gloves. first aid tape for the
gauze. ( covers big wounds) benedryl for allergies.

penny

Ok, i had alcohol wipes listed (i guess an antiseptic really would be rather redundant). I know i
should use gloves, but i didn't think to add them to the list (i most likely would have added them
anyway). Tape was listed. i hadn't thought of an anti-histamine, good idea.

I have knowledge retained from first-aid training in school, so i know most of the basics, as well
as most of the more involved treatments. such as (what i belive to be) the proper method of
applying a tourniquet (either release to allow blood flow into the area, or only apply just tight
enough to allow blood to flow slowly to prevent tissue damage), and how to treat large wounds. i
will of course see about a first-aid course to freshen the knowledge, as well as a CPR course.

wound rinsing water can of course come from my bak (providing it is water and not a sports drink),
though a proper cleaning with distilled water should be done when available to prevent possible
infection from water bourne contaminants.

I just thought of something else, what about some of that wound glue? would it explode in the bak?

No, Dr. Kildare. No wound glue. That goes well beyond the scope of first aid, unless you're
days or weeks from medical aid.

Kathleen

Quoted message said:

Technician said:

I have knowledge retained from first-aid training in school, so i know most of the basics, as
well as most of the more involved treatments. such as (what i belive to be) the proper method of
applying a tourniquet (either release to allow blood flow into the area, or only apply just tight
enough to allow blood to flow slowly to prevent tissue damage), and how to treat large wounds. i
will of course see about a first-aid course to freshen the knowledge, as well as a CPR course.

and tourniquets? Better you know what do about broken collar bones, shoulder dislocation, busted
wrist, snake bite or beesting; lacerations and abrasions, broken tooth, shock, head injury,
heatstroke and hypothermia, diabetic reaction.. things that might occur on a bike ride.

We keep several first aid kits... the bike ride one (ziplock), the backpacking one(small stuff sack)
and then the raft kit; (large) all increasing in both size, content and level of preparation for
large emergencies. On wilderness raft trips we even carry suture kits etc.. but again you better
know how to use this stuff.

One first aid class doesn't cut it.. you need to keep up the knowledge and training with ongoing
practice and refreshers penny

Penny S. said:

most important: the knowledge to know what you are doing!!

Probably more important than anything in a kit. Having the good sense not to do things that get you
seriously injured might be even better.

Quoted message said:

also: betadyne or alcohol wipes instead of a bottle of antiseptic. gloves. first aid tape for the
gauze. ( covers big wounds) benedryl for allergies.

GLOVES? Am I the only one that thinks this is overkill? I've survived seven years of riding with
nothing more than some napkins to mop up until the bleeding stops.

--
-BB- To reply to me, drop the attitude (from my e-mail address, at least)

BB said:

Penny S. said:

most important: the knowledge to know what you are doing!!

Probably more important than anything in a kit. Having the good sense not to do things that get
you seriously injured might be even better.

Quoted message said:

also: betadyne or alcohol wipes instead of a bottle of antiseptic. gloves. first aid tape for the
gauze. ( covers big wounds) benedryl for allergies.

GLOVES? Am I the only one that thinks this is overkill? I've survived seven years of riding with
nothing more than some napkins to mop up until the bleeding stops.

what can I say... glove use is beaten into me by my OEC training and years of hanging out with ski
patrollers, EMTs, first aid trainers, etc... makes cleaning up a whole lot easier. I know if I had
to help a stranger out who is bleeding all over the place I'd feel way more secure with a set of
gloves on. whatever.

Penny

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

BB said:

Penny S. said:

most important: the knowledge to know what you are doing!!

Probably more important than anything in a kit. Having the good sense not to do things that get
you seriously injured might be even better.

Quoted message said:

also: betadyne or alcohol wipes instead of a bottle of antiseptic. gloves. first aid tape for
the gauze. ( covers big wounds) benedryl for allergies.

GLOVES? Am I the only one that thinks this is overkill? I've survived seven years of riding with
nothing more than some napkins to mop up until the bleeding stops.

what can I say... glove use is beaten into me by my OEC training and years of hanging out with ski
patrollers, EMTs, first aid trainers, etc... makes cleaning up a whole lot easier. I know if I had
to help a stranger out who is bleeding all over the place I'd feel way more secure with a set of
gloves on. whatever.

Penny

My thoughts exactly.
--
~Travis

travis57 at megalink dot net

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Technician said:

I have knowledge retained from first-aid training in school, so i know most of the basics, as
well as most of the more involved treatments. such as (what i belive to be) the proper method
of applying a tourniquet (either release to allow blood flow into the area, or only apply just
tight enough to allow blood to flow slowly to prevent tissue damage), and how to treat large
wounds. i will of course see about a first-aid course to freshen the knowledge, as well as a
CPR course.

and tourniquets? Better you know what do about broken collar bones, shoulder dislocation, busted
wrist, snake bite or beesting; lacerations and abrasions, broken tooth, shock, head injury,
heatstroke and hypothermia, diabetic reaction.. things that might occur on a bike ride.

Yeah, i know a few things about many of those, but not enough to actually treat somebody for them.
that's why i plan to take a course in first-aid.

Who knows, i may take up my past interest to become an EMT, that should cover most of those as far
as training, and frequent practice.

Quoted message said:

We keep several first aid kits... the bike ride one (ziplock), the backpacking one(small stuff
sack) and then the raft kit; (large) all increasing in both size, content and level of preparation
for large emergencies. On wilderness raft trips we even carry suture kits etc.. but again you
better know how to use this stuff.

One first aid class doesn't cut it.. you need to keep up the knowledge and training with ongoing
practice and refreshers penny

I knew that much already. It is after all potentially somebodies life. trust me, even it is the only
thing about me that you trust, that i do not take medical aid lightly. Perhaps an EMT course would
be a good idea anyway. that way i would have the skills, and the knowledge of how to use them. and
as an added benefit, i will have a foot in the door should i decide to become a full-time EMT. My
family is pretty good friends with a group of EMTs that dine at the same place and time as we do.
one of them is the head EMT i guess you could call her. i have spoken with her in the past on
becoming an EMT.
--
~Travis

travis57 at megalink dot net

Sloe gin, pack of skins, some nice homegrown and a lighter.

Andy Chequer

"Technician" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

As an idea, that was boosted by Clyde, i wan't to have a first-aid kit available in my bak for me
or anybody i happen across.

So far, the list i came up with is as follows.

Quoted message said:

imba.comskills firstaid.htmlOpen ↗

Technician said:

I may just run over to wallies and see if they have a pre-packaged kit that i can use as a
starting point (preferably one that fits in my bak).

Super glue, the kind that bonds to instantly to human skin. Almost as good as stitches and it's
really tiny. It's FDA approved:
cheme.cornell.edupaper32.PDFOpen ↗

My pack has:

a few feet of duct tape wound around a dowel (I use this all the time) superglue gause pad(s) bee
sting kit in the car

Being mentally prepared to sacrifice clothing (pieces of shirt) has come in handy twice.

BB said:

Penny S. said:

most important: the knowledge to know what you are doing!!

Probably more important than anything in a kit. Having the good sense not to do things that get
you seriously injured might be even better.

Quoted message said:

also: betadyne or alcohol wipes instead of a bottle of antiseptic. gloves. first aid tape for the
gauze. ( covers big wounds) benedryl for allergies.

GLOVES? Am I the only one that thinks this is overkill? I've survived seven years of riding with
nothing more than some napkins to mop up until the bleeding stops.

Color me paranoid, but I'm not going to swap bodily fluids of any sort with a total
stranger. Not these days, fer god's sake. Yet I feel weirdly compelled to help when I
see someone bleeding. Gloves are a reasonable precaution and take up next to no room
in your kit.

Kathleen

Technician wrote:
. Perhaps an EMT course would be a good

Quoted message said:

idea anyway. that way i would have the skills, and the knowledge of how to use them. and as an
added benefit, i will have a foot in the door should i decide to become a full-time EMT. My
family is pretty good friends with a group of EMTs that dine at the same place and time as we do.
one of them is the head EMT i guess you could call her. i have spoken with her in the past on
becoming an EMT.

better choice would be outdoor emergency care or wilderness first responder. The difference is that
these two courses teach you how to deal with all sorts of things in a non-technical setting.. .where
you don't have gurney's or IV, it's what to do RIGHT NOW with what you have, to prep someone for
when they do get in contact with EMS, will cover outdoors specifics including extrication and
mechanism of injury. Some (not all ) emt's and other medical pros are pretty useless out in the
woods. ( I know that comment will [censored] someone) Example: doc that tried to undress an injured Nordic
racer out in the snow to do an assessment.. how dumb it that? ( to finish the story, the ski
patroller on duty at the race told the doc to split as he had no concept of needed to be done)

Penny

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

"Technician" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

As an idea, that was boosted by Clyde, i wan't to have a first-aid kit available in my bak for
me or anybody i happen across.

So far, the list i came up with is as follows.

Quoted message said:

imba.comskills firstaid.htmlOpen ↗

That looks to be a good resource (i must have missed it).

Thanks.
--
~Travis

travis57 at megalink dot net

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Technician wrote:
. Perhaps an EMT course would be a good

Quoted message said:

idea anyway. that way i would have the skills, and the knowledge of how to use them. and as an
added benefit, i will have a foot in the door should i decide to become a full-time EMT. My
family is pretty good friends with a group of EMTs that dine at the same place and time as we
do. one of them is the head EMT i guess you could call her. i have spoken with her in the past
on becoming an EMT.

better choice would be outdoor emergency care or wilderness first responder. The difference is
that these two courses teach you how to deal with all sorts of things in a non-technical setting..
.where you don't have gurney's or IV, it's what to do RIGHT NOW with what you have, to prep
someone for when they do get in contact with EMS, will cover outdoors specifics including
extrication and mechanism of injury. Some (not all ) emt's and other medical pros are pretty
useless out in the woods. ( I know that comment will [censored] someone) Example: doc that tried to
undress an injured Nordic racer out in the snow to do an assessment.. how dumb it that? ( to
finish the story, the ski patroller on duty at the race told the doc to split as he had no concept
of needed to be done)

Penny

I see your point. i'll check around and see what i can find. i'll see if i can get in contact with
the nearest big ski slope (Surgerloaf) because they run their own ski patrol, and i think they allow
mountain biking on the slope, so i'm fairly sure they have a course i can take.
--
~Travis

travis57 at megalink dot net

"Penny S." <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Technician said:

As an idea, that was boosted by Clyde, i wan't to have a first-aid kit available in my bak for
me or anybody i happen across.

So far, the list i came up with is as follows.

Stuff
-----
band-aids (several sizes) ace bandage (or two) gauze pads alcohol wipes Bandage tape

Meds
----
antiseptic (hopefully it wont explode) Acetaminophen Ibuprofen

Prepackaged kits are a waster of money.

most important: the knowledge to know what you are doing!!

also: betadyne or alcohol wipes instead of a bottle of antiseptic. gloves. first aid tape for the
gauze. ( covers big wounds) benedryl for allergies.

penny

Sounds like too much stuff to me. For example: Why band-aids... If a band-aid can fix it you should
be able to get back to the car without any problems. Give me a break "Ibuprofen", if it's serious
enough where pain killers are truely needed then Ibuprofen won't help a bit. The more junk you stuff
into your pack the more likely you are to misplace the item you really need.

The only things you really need on a trail first aid kit are the absolute essencials. Some sort of
bandages, something to wrap it with, and something to clean it with (I can deal with gloves also).
About 4 4" square guaze pads, some alcohol wipes in a zip lock (or disposable pre-packaged), I like
a self adhesive wrap... Vetrap works great even though it's designed for horses. Perhaps a couple of
the 2" x 3" self adhesive bandages (Giant Band AIDS).

That said, penny probably knows a lot more about using this stuff than me, I am just speaking from
the perspective of someone who has bled a lot.

-- The Ogre ogrehut.comogrehut.comOpen ↗

In Penny S. said:

Technician said:

As an idea, that was boosted by Clyde, i wan't to have a first-aid kit available in my bak for me
or anybody i happen across.

So far, the list i came up with is as follows.

Stuff
-----
band-aids (several sizes) ace bandage (or two) gauze pads alcohol wipes Bandage tape

Meds
----
antiseptic (hopefully it wont explode) Acetaminophen Ibuprofen

Prepackaged kits are a waster of money.

most important: the knowledge to know what you are doing!!

also: betadyne or alcohol wipes instead of a bottle of antiseptic. gloves. first aid tape for the
gauze. ( covers big wounds) benedryl for allergies.

penny

I like the benedryl too. It also has the bennefit of helping you go to sleep later if the scuffs and
scrapes are keeping you awake and you can't find those Percasets from the last time. Not to be taken
if a head injury is involved, of course. Also a Space Blanket. Having an incapacitated, unprotected
rider waiting while rain moves in would be a bad scene.

Shawn

I took an EMT course and got certified about 10 years ago. Problem is, you're going to be lacking
most of their equipment when you're riding and you'll need to stabilize the victim (or yourself)
longer than for a 5 minute ambulance ride to the hospital. They do give you a solid dose of advanced
first aid though.

As far as bike first aid kit contents for day trips, I skip the bandaid and ibuprofen type stuff, as
minor injuries/pain don't really need to be treated until you get back to the vehicle where there is
a real first aid kit. I do carry a big bloodstopper gauze compress, some duct tape to fix those
sucking chest wounds, a triangular bandage that can be used for slinging your arm if you break a
collarbone or holding on an improvised splint if you break an arm or leg, a tampon for gunshot
wounds during hunting season, and one of those foil blankets when its cold. I never really
considered gloves essential for biking first aid, but they would be handy when your chain breaks. If
you can't find a wilderness first aid course, get "Medicine for Mountaineering" and study it, as it
covers a lot of things like reducing dislocated shoulders.

Technician said:

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Technician wrote:
> I have knowledge retained from first-aid training in school, so i know most of the basics, as
> well as most of the more involved treatments. such as (what i belive to be) the proper method
> of applying a tourniquet (either release to allow blood flow into the area, or only apply
> just tight enough to allow blood to flow slowly to prevent tissue damage), and how to treat
> large wounds. i will of course see about a first-aid course to freshen the knowledge, as well
> as a CPR course.
>

and tourniquets? Better you know what do about broken collar bones, shoulder dislocation, busted
wrist, snake bite or beesting; lacerations and abrasions, broken tooth, shock, head injury,
heatstroke and hypothermia, diabetic reaction.. things that might occur on a bike ride.

Yeah, i know a few things about many of those, but not enough to actually treat somebody for them.
that's why i plan to take a course in first-aid.

Who knows, i may take up my past interest to become an EMT, that should cover most of those as far
as training, and frequent practice.

Quoted message said:

We keep several first aid kits... the bike ride one (ziplock), the backpacking one(small stuff
sack) and then the raft kit; (large) all increasing in both size, content and level of
preparation for large emergencies. On wilderness raft trips we even carry suture kits etc.. but
again you better know how to use this stuff.

One first aid class doesn't cut it.. you need to keep up the knowledge and training with ongoing
practice and refreshers penny

I knew that much already. It is after all potentially somebodies life. trust me, even it is the
only thing about me that you trust, that i do not take medical aid lightly. Perhaps an EMT course
would be a good idea anyway. that way i would have the skills, and the knowledge of how to use
them. and as an added benefit, i will have a foot in the door should i decide to become a
full-time EMT. My family is pretty good friends with a group of EMTs that dine at the same place
and time as we do. one of them is the head EMT i guess you could call her. i have spoken with her
in the past on becoming an EMT.
--
~Travis

travis57 at megalink dot net

"Carla A-G" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Technician" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

As an idea, that was boosted by Clyde, i wan't to have a first-aid kit available in my bak for
me or anybody i happen across.

I carry a Johnson & Johnson "First Aid To Go" kit in my Bak. It has all sorts of different sized
band-aids, antiseptic wipes, antibiotic ointment and pain killers.

- CA-G

Can-Am Girls Kick Ass!

Please don't suggest an emergency airlift of some sort or he'll go take flying lessons. On second
thought........

Marty