Basic First Aid Kits

by Corie Marks

There are numerous first aid kits on the market that are relatively inexpensive to purchase and are small enough to put in a fannypack or a daypack. But what if you'd just like to throw some things together that you might already have in your home? What items would you want to make sure you had on your hike? I'm glad you asked, because I'm going to help you out with that.

How much you take along in a first-aid kit really depends on where you will be hiking, and is this a day hike or a multi-day backpacking trip? Also to be considered is who will be going with you. Do they have asthma or allergies? Are they prone to getting sick easily? Are they rather clumsy on the trail? Is this their or your first time hiking? Experienced backpackers will already have an idea of what first-aid items they generally use during a backpacking trip, but it never hurts to be prepared for an emergency.

For the short day hike or a hike in a relatively moderate terrain with little or no elevation, boulders, or slippery territory, you can get away with the bare basics kept in a Ziploc bag. For this you should include: * A small assortment of Band-Aids * Moleskin for blisters * 3-inch Elastic bandage for sprains * Povidone iodine swabs * 6 tablets of aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen * ½ oz. tube of triple antibiotic ointment * You can add an antihistamine medication if anyone in the party has allergies. * Tweezers for splinter removals. * Q-tips * Peroxide placed in a small bottle-great for cleaning wounds and if you wake up with a sore throat, you can gargle with a solution of ½ peroxide and ½ water, but be sure not to swallow any.

For those longer hikes that will be a week long or entail traversing some rugged terrain, you will need more items. You could add to the above with the following items: * Steri-strips-found at drug stores, these help to hold closed a wound that would otherwise need stitches, if it is not too large-say a couple of inches long * Spyroflex Blister Dressings-5-pack. These are great for covering wounds to promote clotting and providing a water-resistant covering to protect wounds from contamination. * 1 Sawyer Extractor-for snake bites or other poisonous bites * 1 Sam Splint-a malleable aluminum/foam splint that stores flat or rolled, so it is not bulky to carry * A couple of pairs of protective gloves * 1 CPR disposable mask * 1-4 inch elastic bandage * Small assortment of medications for constipation, diarrhea, nausea or motion sickness, cold tablets, sugar tablets for diabetics, insect bite relief, and antacids * Scissors * Thermometer

Another thing you might want to invest in, if you don't already have a pair, is walking sticks. These not only help prevent you from tripping and spraining that ankle, they can also help get you off the mountain if you do have a sprain.

As with any gear, make sure you are familiar with everything in your kit and know how to apply the dressings and elastic bandages. As an intensive care nurse, we were always encouraged to know what was on the crash cart. The knowledge of your kits will make emergencies less stressful. That way, when an emergency occurs, you will be able to react confidently and hopefully, calmly.

About the Author
Corie Marks works for Adventure-Crew.com, a website dedicated to outdoor adventure in the national parks, monuments and wilderness areas. Her job entails marketing, sales, writing for the website and doing field work with her husband Stu, who also works for Adventure-Crew as the art director. She is also an intensive care registered nurse.