Mountain First Aid Kits

[44inchStone]

It's a subject many hunters really never think about until something serious happens. Even the less serious cuts can turn into a trip destroying infection.
Now with bear season getting into full swing and sheep season just around the corner I think it's important to educate possible new hunters of items to pack into the mountains.
What do many of you take with you. Maybe we have Dr's, nurses or Paramedics on CGN that could offer advice on what they recommend taking??
For me, it really depends on the trip, Pack in trips, everything is thinned out down to the nessessities. Down to triple antibiotic ointment, Steri strips, pressure bandages, Kwick Clot, second skin, bandaides(waterproof ones and regular), alchohol strips. All packed in a water proof container.
There's a few other items but it's basics.
Will be nice to see what everyone else takes with them.

[LupieHunter]

You should always include a few days supply of any medications you take on a daily basis. Never know when an emergency will happen and some meds have serious side effects if suddenly stopped.

[dak0ta]

Some stuff to add to your kit: Painkillers (Tylenol/Advil), gauze, tape, suture kit plus knowledge of how to, tensor bandage, cloth to fold into an arm sling, tourniquet, latex/non-latex gloves, reflective foil blanket.

[SaintSix]

can you point out where a person can buy a suture kit in Canada? I couldn't find any stores that would sell them

[geo guy]

I always have a large first aid kit in camp with everything from epipens to bandaids to aspirin and everything in between. On me I carry a small kit which weighs maybe 100g that has band aids, medical tape, disinfectant wipes and painkillers. I'm thinking about adding an aed to the camp kit. It's a little bit pricey but if it's ever needed it will be worth its weight in gold.

To anyone who doesn't think you need a first aid kit you are crazy, you may never need it but someone else may or something unpredictable can happen.

[the_longwalker]

I carry two tampons. Yes, I'm serious. I'm thinking bullet wounds. Think about what they were designed to do. Also duct tape, a glad sandwich bag for punctures and chest wounds and ibuprofin. The whole kit fits in the sandwich bag. Same gear I carried on patrol in the military

["No Choke"Lord Walsingham]

I carry two tampons. Yes, I'm serious. I'm thinking bullet wounds. Think about what they were designed to do. Also duct tape, a glad sandwich bag for punctures and chest wounds and ibuprofin. The whole kit fits in the sandwich bag. Same gear I carried on patrol in the military

Helping with GSW trauma is exactly what tampons were originally invented for! Like so many other things, they were later re purposed into the tampon known today as a feminine hygiene product.

Excellent advice thus far folks!

As for me, many times I bring nothing but my wits and like it that way. If you learn your stuff well, you may well be surprised what one can do with items found in nature and knowledge. Not advocating this for others necessarily, yet many times I have brought nada specifically for first aid.

[Ron.C]

Mine is very basic. Contains enough items to keep minor issues from becoming big ones. I do allot of backpack hunting by myself and this stuff will keep in in the bush and hunting if I have minor issue. This is all I carry

3 anticeptic wipes
Half dozen steri strips
A piece of bandaid that can be cut
Small burn/blister kit
A couple Pepto pills, alieve, tylonol.
One US battle dressing. "If I need to use this I'm heading out. These are great leak stoppers if you ever get a major bleed and need to still be able to move"
Most important item is my SPOT.

Anything needed beyond this can be fashioned from the gear I carry.

[Iron Glove]

I carry two tampons. Yes, I'm serious. I'm thinking bullet wounds. Think about what they were designed to do. Also duct tape, a glad sandwich bag for punctures and chest wounds and ibuprofin. The whole kit fits in the sandwich bag. Same gear I carried on patrol in the military

Both our vehicles and my pack have sanitary napkins in them, and it's not for the wife's hygiene. :lol:
A number of years ago I was playing around at the cabin with my new axe and proceeded to partially remove a finger. My neighbour, a Fireman passed me a "gauze" bandage and his Son drove me to Emergency for repairs. The Nurse takes the bandage off and says "Mr. Glove, I can tell that you are a married man, know how?" I said "Because I have a wedding band on?" and she replied "No, because you came here with a sanitary napkin around your finger."
They've come in handy on numerous occasions.

[Bear Chaser]

Blue Loctite Instant Adhesive.
Works for wounds and boots.
I keep it double bagged in zip lock sandwich bags in case the cap leaks or it is punctured but have never had a problem.
Once it dries you really have to pick at it to get it off your skin or use nail Polish remover.

[Salty]

I used to have a top level IFA ticket and with all that gruesome training and treating a couple real world bordering on gruesome injuries, i figure the most important thing in a small kit is a drainage dressing. Which, come to think of it isn't much more than a sanitary napkin with long ties on it so you can cinch it up tight to get enough pressure to stop a bleeder. I follow the old loggers MO and carry one inside my fallers hardhat.

I pack an outdated IFA kit in the truck and a cigarette pack sized kit in my pack that my wife bought for me somewhere. Its kinda cheezy, but it does have a drainage dressing ;) In the past I've just made a little kit in a zip lock by either raiding a bigger kit (a no-no) or buying a few things including a d dressing from a first aid supply place.

[dak0ta]

can you point out where a person can buy a suture kit in Canada? I couldn't find any stores that would sell them

I'll get back to you on that.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Great topic, 44"!

For backpack hunts, my partners have always had kits so I never
bothered packing one. It's time to make sure my regular daypack has one and also my trip pack.

One thing I do carry is a multitude of painkillers including hydomorph.

My eyes are open and I have my pen ready

SSS

[decker9]

Iv always packed the basics, pain killers and bandaids. After stabbing my havalon threw my shin while skinning a goat last fall, and not taking the time to care for it (besides kept it clean but needed stitches) the infection after I got home was worse then the wound itself. You can have all the good stuff on hand, but knowing when to call it a hunt and head to the doctor ( something we never want to consider) was a learning factor for me in outback first aid. To me it looked not bad, after 5 days when I finally flew home, was a different story.

[jlirot]

I used to pack a pretty nice kit on my sailboat. Never had a major emergency - thank heavens.

Instead of a suture kit - get a stapler. No real training needed.

I like the steri strip idea - I'll be adding those and some tampons/pads to my kit!

https://www.amazon.ca/Surgical-Disposable-Sterile-Enhanced-Preloaded/dp/B00AWNQXKG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490989004&sr=8-1&keywords=surgical+stapler

[HarryToolips]

Bandaids and polysporin, as well as an ab pad and a wrap to make a sling...like the tampon idea..

[DarekG]

TOURNIQUET, TOURNIQUET, TOURNIQUET!

As other have mentioned, Celox/QuikClot, Israeli Bandage, and pressure bandages.

With all of these things combined, even with little training and a lot of common sense... Might save your life.

[Beachcomber]

Anyone have any thoughts on good providers of first aid courses? It is one thing to have all the kit but another to have the skill set to use it. I have some basic knowledge but have always felt that it would be time well spent improving on this.

[Bear Chaser]

Nowadays Level 1 First Aid for the workplace is a joke. The second day course which I always take is the Transport Endorsement which I've found to be more beneficial. It teaches skills needed for applying Spine, clearing the airway and packaging the patient on a spine board as well as dealing with bleeds.
Pretty much any town with strong Industrial activity should have course providers.
If you have the time Level 3 first aid qualifies you to be an on-site medic. However it's about a three week course.

[srupp]

Hmmm 38 years as a Paramedic for Province of BC...however there are ALS" on this site far more qualified than I.
However if no one steps forward I will explain my pack..what..why..
I would recomend 2 ASA x 81 MG each..for common signs of a heart attack..with no history of allergies to ASA..cautions with bleeding disorders..however crush g chest pain, nausea, shortness of breath, dizzy, pale, sweating..
Cardiac issues are far more prevent than GSW"...
Most common problem I was dispatched for with hunters..cardiac events..and severe lacerations, knife penetrations"..
Good topic.
Steven

[scoutlt1]

The most important "item" in my first aid kit is my training.
I have been a Level 2 attendant for over 20 years, and it would drive me crazy to be in a medical situation and not know what to do.
The basic Level 1 course (8 hours) is not very extensive, but if taken seriously, and the person takes the time to study the book, keep it and re-read it a few times a year, it's actually a decent way to gain some basic knowledge. Could be the best $100 ever spent.
When you take the course, tell them you are interested in taking a Level 2 or 3, and ask if you can drop by occasionally and sit in on courses on a day that is spent practicing scenarios. It's surprising how much you can learn just from being the "patient" and getting worked on by students. Do that and you'll probably upgrade from a Level 1.
We take two days a year at work where first aid scenarios are covered and practiced. Me and up to 5 Level 1 attendants. Doing that helps both me and them immensely!
Unless you're a paramedic and are using your knowledge every day, it's amazing how much one forgets almost right after taking a course...
As an example, a tourniquet was mentioned. If used correctly, it can save a life. If used incorrectly it can cause the loss of a limb, or much worse. Tools are important, but knowing how to use those tools is more important!

Just my 2 pennies.....

[ljalberta]

Duct tape, leuko tape, super glue, tweezers, some pain killers, and some polysporin is what I carry. Game bags can act as a gauze if needed.

[Hose Dragger]

I always have a portable pocket mask and medical gloves in my pack along with basic tape, and some gauze. You never know where you may here a call for help from. Tampons are also always in my kit, mainly because I use them for scents (no plastic 100% cotton). In camp, my larger kit is always there which includes saline eye rinse, burn and wound care, a heavier cpr mask and O.P.A's, but that is beacuase it is the same kit that I use for everything.

[SaintSix]

tourniquets and quickclot definitely require training to use. I've been trained with both and although I do carry a tourniquet, even if I had access to quickclot I doubt Id carry it. its some nasty shit and I do a lot of solo hunting and don't think I could properly use it on myself. for those of you who are unaware what it is. its a caustic powder that reacts to moisture. meant to pour into wounds react to the blood and cauterize the area. A major problem with that is if your hands are wet or bloody its going to react on your fingers or anywhere else it touches. A better idea for most would be buying compression bandages.

[RiverOtter]

Compression pad, triangle bandage and Sam splint, couple safety pins, Bandaids, some gauze, IBU, alcohol wipes, Tenacious tape, sewing needle and some dental floss. Old Level 3 GCS sheet for monitoring a patient after treatment.

Likely a couple more items that I'm missing.

[jlirot]

Oh, I forgot something. Most people don't realize that Listerine wasn't originally mouthwash. It was made as a surgical antiseptic. I always keep a couple of bottles around for emergencies.