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dblanchard
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  Quote dblanchard Replybullet Topic: River first aid kit
    Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 4:10pm
I am looking for something like the stickied rescue/repair/bail kit thread, and can't find anything on what to make sure I have in a first aid kit. I'm rather surprised it hasn't been brought up before.

I have hundreds of dollars in my flexible spending account (tax-free fund for medical stuff) that I lose at the end of the year unless I spend it up. I know a lot of the stuff won't qualify, but I would like to use up as much of it as I can.

Almost all the paddling I've done so far has had good access to a nearby road, and I don't think I'd need much of this for those kinds of trips, but as I get out more I hope to do some bigger runs, and thinking of all this has spurred me to think bigger than I really need to right now.

I think the kit should largely be the same as any backwoods first aid kit, and I've aggregated the following lists as a first take on it. Everything will probably go in a single watertight container. I had thought to separate things into two groups, one of things I plan not to need, like blood coagulant, all of which I would have vacuum sealed, and things I expect to use frequently (or wouldn't benefit from being vacuum sealed), like scissors. But, now that I'm looking at my lists, I think that if my container is truly watertight, I'll probably not vacuum seal any of it. Input?

I've tried to be thorough in my descriptions so that the final list is of more use to people.

antibiotic ointment - Neosporin w/pain relief
1 roll 3" Coban for bandaging and splints
5 x gauze pads, 4" x 4"
3 x trauma pad, 5" x 9"
2 triangular bandages for making slings
assorted bandages - butterflies, fingertips, knuckle, etc.
cotton balls
cotton swabs
blister protection/relief - Moleskin
1 roll waterproof tape, 1/2” x 15'
scissors - the burly penny-cutting kind
tweezers
2 needles for removing slivers, and such - I keep mine taped to something hard like a medicine bottle
needle nose pliers
cigarette lighter
analgesic - Motrin or Advil
antihistamine
oral anesthetic - Orajel
anti-itch cream - 1% Hydrocortisone
after-bite pen to help reduce the sting from bug bites
instant cold compress     
antihemorrhagic - Urgent QR
2nd Skin moist burn pads, 2” x 3”
emergency sleeping bag
non-latex gloves
CPR shield

I've created a poll at http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9975&KW=first+aid+kit&PID=52656#52656 to get input on what to store all this in.

Thx,

D
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Tobin
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  Quote Tobin Replybullet Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 4:44pm
What size kit are you looking to put together?
I ask because that is HUGE!
Here is my First Aid Kit:
Kotex - cheap and very effective
Medical Tape - 2" - 1" and a lot
Duct Tape - For everything
Provo Iodine Wipes
Occlusive bandage
Non Occlusive Bandage
Tagaderm
Surgical Tubbing
4 x 4 gauze
Epi Pen
Drugs - The good stuff
Leatherman
New Skin

& more drugs - In a m emergent situation, you won't use a lot of the extras.
Is this going in a kayak?
Sure?
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septimus prime
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  Quote septimus prime Replybullet Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 6:45pm
there is a massive thread devoted to ths subject. Search for old Jeff Dwyer posts.
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James
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  Quote James Replybullet Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 6:47pm
Nice eye my man. It would actually be the first sticky in the General Whitewater chatroom. I will go ahead and move these posts over there.
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  Quote James Replybullet Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 6:49pm
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huckin harms
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  Quote huckin harms Replybullet Posted: 17 Aug 2010 at 8:03pm

calls for a safety break.... :)

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FLUID
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  Quote FLUID Replybullet Posted: 19 Aug 2010 at 5:19am
I am looking at this tonight at work, ironically in the ER. I couldn't help my self.  I hope these kits are a part of your 18 day grand canyon raft support trauma bag.  Instead of giving a list I just want to say what Jeff had mentioned and say it's not what you have it's what you know.   Ok, Hydrocortisone, cotton swabs ??. 1. your not on a boyscout trip and light weight is what your looking for and even on a five day self support kayak expedition these kits are huge.  Basic basic basic.  We dont use this much stuff in a night at the ER. 
 
 With that said my Trauma bag for an 18 day Grand trip is an ALS paramedic bag with IV, fluid, splinting stuff, suture kit.and lives on the boat. but we usaully have 10-16 folks in deep for 18. oh yeah and rafts...   
 
 For kayaking..... My kit is small and your group and day range is smaller. Gauze pads and kerlix or coban to stop bleeding, steri-strips with benzoin tincure to close big Lacerations, Iodine for in the field antiseptic germicide, Foam tape (my favorite) CPR mask , I agree on a coulpe drugs something strong if you break something. first aid is in triple sealed plastic bags. old school and super light weight. that goes in my cordura dry bag with a couple other little things like the lighter and headlamp in the same bag as my pin / repair kit.  super light. 
 
 Airway, breathing, circulation and you should be able to do all this with just your hands and knowledge. design a kit that is practical. you don't need burn strips in a kayak first aid kit.  Again I agree with learning CPR and Learning how to reduce a shoulder which is not hard on pt's with no shoulder history. If there is truly trauma you wont have a bag that will work and getting out to infinitive care is your only option.
 
 Carry light
 know your sh*t
 my supply changes for every river I do depending on how deep I am and how many p[eople.
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  Quote Kendi Replybullet Posted: 19 Aug 2010 at 9:43pm
I teach both regular first aid classes and wilderness first aid, so my kit is usually the most comprehensive of everyone I boat with.  I have some ot the things you mention, but  a few things you don't.
 
I also carry in my personal kit: (and have used them more frequently than nearly anything else on trips)
-"ace" bandage
-SAM splint
-thin "maxi" pad (best thing out there for absorbing lots of blood fast!)  :-)
-saline eye wash for getting grime out of your eye
-Cheap plastic sringe for irrigation of wounds
-Waterproof bandages (worth every penny on the river)
 
I don't recomend cotton balls as they tend to leave behind nasty fibers in wounds.
 
For the group kits that I made up for my company I included:
-the EMT scissors
-Quick Clot
-various "feel better" stuff (Tums, Motrin, etc)
and most of the other stuff you already mention
 
HTH
Kalli
 
 
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jP
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  Quote jP Replybullet Posted: 20 Aug 2010 at 2:30pm
Swweeeet.
 
Mr. Fluid- way to emphasize what is most important in such a sucinct manner. It's what you know not hwat you have.
 
I'm going to get a CPR Mask into my kit, and...
some Maxi Pads! Awesome idea! This may be the wrong reason to pack them, but it's easy for me to imagine myself at the take out with beer in hand, loudly bragging about how stokeed I am to have some Maxi Pads in my med kit!
🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋🐋
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  Quote Kyle K Replybullet Posted: 20 Aug 2010 at 8:35pm
I know FLUID very well and there isn't anyone I'd rather be on a river with or have nearby should I ever get in trouble, be it river rescue or first aid. I'd heed his advice. Sounds like Kendi has some good things to add as well.
 
I would suggest one additional cheap and effective little item for your kit: a small piece of 1/2" thick waterproof foam, roughly 18x18". I cut some out of those blue sleeping pads you can get at REI for about $25 bucks. I keep one in my car and have one stuffed in the back of my creekboat. I should probably stick one in the playboat too. Here are a few uses l can think of to have it. I'm sure there are many more.
 
It weighs virtually nothing.
It adds floatation to your boat should you swim (stuff it between float bag and pillar).
It makes a very comfortable splint in conjunction with a triangular bandage (I prefer it to the Samsplint by a large margin).
It's great to sit on at camp on multi-days trips.
It's great to kneel when changing a tire or fixing a muffler, etc.
You can make a number of them out of one sleeping pad and give them to your pals as presents.
It's cheap.
 
Stay safe out there!
 
"I used to be somebody, now I'm somebody else." Bad Blake                  
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water wacko
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  Quote water wacko Replybullet Posted: 21 Aug 2010 at 7:49am
I'm no expert on this, but I heard a story a few years ago that made me think of the outfitting in my boat and the items I bring in a different way. This particular story was of a guy who went to Costa Rica or somewhere south, jumped in the river (throw and go off a 10 foot ledge) and landed on a subsurface rock which badly hyperextended the knee, or maybe it broke his kneecap. I can't remember. Anyway, he stayed in that canyon for a day untill the locals got enough help (and found a good way out). They wound up using a Jackson Happy Seat to split his leg. Ingenious!!
 
For those not familiar, the Happy Seat is basically a float bag with a bunch of styrofoam peanuts in it. It has an airhose to inflate, or suction all the air out for a vacuum-packed experience.
 
I like to minimize weight as much as possible, so I try to make things have more than one use. Keep it simple. There's less to forget that way ;)
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