Medical Kit--Camping Kits

The last few posts have included lists of medical supplies I use in various kits I have. I shared my home kit, my truck kit, and my kayak kit. Another thing we do fairly often is camp. When we started camping, a medical kit never crossed our minds. A few bandaids and some antibiotic something would fix it whatever happened, right? Um...not always. Now, that I know a bit more, I'm going to pass along what I've learned are good basic supplies for camping and hiking bags.

For the most part, the medical supplies in my truck will cover whatever happens camping, but the way I use them may be a bit different, so I'll go back over that list and toss in some possible uses ideas. Then I'll give you the list of what you can find in each of our hiking packs.

For Camping:
water bottles--You can use these to wash off wounds. Do NOT scrub the would, though. Just rinse it with water until any debris is gone. Also, if someone gets a significant burned, you wet the gauze and lay the moist gauze on the burn. If it is anything more than superficial, I suggest having a doctor look at it because infection is the greatest risk with burns.
bandaids of various size
2x2 sterile gauze pads
4x4 sterile gauze pads
9x6 sterile absorbent pads
sterile gauze rolls
bandanna
triangle bandages
ace bandages
scissors
antibacterial CREAM
sting relief medicine--meat tenderizer or vinegar works on a lot of stings and bites. With the meat tenderizer, make a poultice or paste and sit it on the sting. It should draw the toxins out.
liquid allergy medicine
topical allergy medicine--do not double up liquid allergy medicine and topical, use one or the other
soda with high sugar/high caffeine concentration--When my daughter was little, she would go from normal to respiratory distress in minutes. I'd give her a full dose of allergy medicine and follow it with a can of hype-you-up to zip it into her system.
pain reliever
aspirin
"SAM" splint--flexible aluminum wrapped in foam padding, great for stabilizing sprains or breaks
reflective metallic blanket
wash cloths
sunscreen
aloe product
ice packs--the ones you crunch and they get cold. But never put cold directly on skin. It can burn it. Be sure you put something between the ice pack and the skin
hot packs--the kind you crunch and they get warm (depends on the time of year) Good for hands and feet
wool blanket
towels--towels can be good as an emergency on the ground place to sit. They are also good if someone overheats because you can wet the towel and lay the moist towel over the person then fan the moist towel and help cool the person.
Pedialite--Best way to get electrolytes back in your system
Scissors
Sharpie--2 colors; if someone is bitten by a snake (and sometimes a spider), the area around the bite will be affected. Every 15 minutes, use the Sharpie to circle the red, puffy, affected area and write the time. That gives the responders the "story" of the venom and snake and let's them know what is happening and how quickly. Same with spider bites.
latex gloves--all kinds of reasons. If someone gets into poison oak/ivy/sumac, you don't want it on you. You might need to take care of someone who isn't your family, and you don't need to be sharing your cooties or borrowing theirs.
headlamp--you don't always have someone to hold a flashlight
flashlight--not every emergency takes place during the day
antibacterial gel
insect repellent


Snake bite care: move above the bite toward the body. So if someone is bit on their calf, I would move to the knee or thigh, and start wrapping with an ace bandage from the body toward the bite. This slows the movement of the toxins. Do NOT make a tourniquet. You are not trying to kill the appendage. If the appendage turns blue or cold, loosen the wrap. The goal is simply to slow the venom movement into the body. Pushing the blood downward will do that.

I think that covers everything we normally take camping. I've gone through the list a few times in my head, and I think that is it. You can also visit my post "Medical Kit--Truck" for other possible ideas.

Not only do we take an outdoor medical kit when we camp, but each of us takes a hiking pack. We each of a backpack that holds things, and we each have a good size fanny pack. The thing I like about our fanny packs is they have a water holder on each side, so we can carry 2 water bottles instead of one, which can be really important on hot days or long trails. I also find fanny packs cause me to sweat less. It can get toasty under those backpacks. But whatever works for you as long as you take care of yourself and get back safely. :-)

Our usual hiking pack load includes:
a small back of latex-free bandaids, including blister bandaids. I use waterproof fabric or sport bandaids exclusively in these things, and I put them in snack size baggie
whistle that works even when it gets wet
small LED flashlight
headlamp (they were Christmas presents one year, and we put them to use, but they are not as bright or as easy to point as the flashlights)
an extra set of batteries for flashlight
ace bandage
triangle bandage
bandanna--why the triangle bandage AND the bandanna? The triangle bandage can help splint or support an injured appendage or even hold bandages and dressing on. The bandanna covers your head and neck to protect you from the sun or keep heat in depending on the time of year. You can moisten it or not if you are too hot, and you can wet it and wrap it around your neck, cool major artery areas, or lay it on your stomach/chest to help cool you.
cold/heat pack--depends on the season, crushable kind, one of the things I learned with these is to keep them in a small box or non-crushable container. It means rearranging your pack so you are comfortable, but it keeps the pack from crushing accidentally
multi-purpose knife
compass
two-way radio--goes in when we leave camp, goes into the charger when we get back
extra pair of socks--ever hiked in cold wet socks because you stepped in water? Very bad for your body
notepad and pen and baggies--if we get lost, we write a note with time and stating which way we went and leave it for someone to find. If it is raining, the baggie protects the note, and if it is nighttime, it can create a reflection for light beams.
ponchos
insect repellent wipes
small tube of sunscreen
handiwipe towelettes
mirror
waterproof watch
survival bracelet--made from para cord, sturdy, useful for a lot of things
fire starter kit
protein snack
lip balm
reflective metallic blanket
water treatment pills
light stick--3 in each pack

My pack also includes:
--my CPR mask
--allergy medicine
--aspirin
I add those in case there is an emergency heart issue or allergy issue.

Once again, I'm sure I am forgetting something, but that is all that is coming to mind. I know that sounds like a lot, but if we all go hiking together, one of us usually takes the actual pack, and the others are responsible for their own water and food. However, I have made sure we each have a pack because I want my children to learn the importance of being prepared to take care of themselves, and I want them to learn NOW that God may put someone in their path for whom they need to take responsibility. We are not on the planet to simply take and build cushy lives. We are on this planet to give, and sometimes, that means giving a water bottle or a pack of peanuts or an ankle wrap or a hand out of a forest. By having packs with real survival and aid supplies, they are learning I know they are capable of doing what is needed to ensure their safety or someone else's safety. I am teaching them NOW that they are capable, strong, and able to make a difference. If they learn that as young people, they will grow into that truth in even more powerful ways as adults.

As I've said before, these are the supplies I have determined work well for us. I have tried to minimize some of the bulk by choosing things that can be used more than one way. I have also chosen to keep these packs to a 24-hour survival maximum mentality. Where we hike, a day hike is about as extensive as it gets, and the trails are pretty well marked. The biggest concern would be getting lost and not getting back to camp before dark, which is why lights to see with, a whistle to scare away critters and indicate location, and protein are good supplies.

Again, this is our list. Take it for what you can get from it. If you need more stuff, add it. If you want to take less, ask yourself what the risks are, how you will handle sprains or breaks, how will you keep the person at a comfortable temperature to slow down shock, what happens if you are running later than expected, and whether you might need some meds in case of being gone too long or running into your favorite allergy source. Also ask yourself: If I am alone, how can I safely address these things? If you are with someone, one of you can probably go for help, but if it is just you, how will you others' attention? How will you give yourself the best chance to get out safely?

I hope this helps. If you have questions, feel free to shoot them my way. I'll answer them if I can, and if I can't, I'll find who can.

Blessings for safety and health...

Medical Kit--Kayak Dry Boxes

The last two days I've shared what I keep in my medical kits at home and in the truck, and I shared a few things from my personal medical bag that I thought might be useful to the general populace. Today, I am going to share what my kids and I keep in our dry boxes that are attached to our kayaks.

All of us have:
Rope
Protective lip balm
suntan lotion--I pick up the sticks or the small $1-$2 tubes
bandannas
2-way radio--they go in before the kayaks get in the water and come out when we get home so they stay charged
multipurpose tool
snack bar or protein source
whistle--we have specific "water" whistles that still work even if they get wet
Sting-ease
white washcloth
mirror
light stick
small flashlight
waterproof watch
compass--if we get lost in anyway either by our own actions or environmental, if we can contact help, we can give landmarks and direction to help them find us

And we ALWAYS have:
Hats
Bottles of water

Even guests get their own dry box and "always have" gear.

In my box, I also carry:
--basic medical supplies such as bandaids, gauze pads and rolls, and anti-bacterial cream. Never know when you are going to want to jump out of the kayak and explore. Accidents happen, so I try to be prepared.
--a reflective blanket. If someone overheats, I can use it as a shade to protect them. I can use it to control hypothermia or help treat shock as well.

I have not  found a definitive "dry box medical list for kayaking", but I created our list based on where we kayak, what problems we've encountered (experiential learning is not always lovely), and what I know could happen. I've tried to control for getting lost, getting back to shore in the dark, overheating, and bad weather (winds came in while we were on the lake one day. Robert was a lot younger, not nearly as strong. If I had not roped him to my kayak, I would have followed him wherever the wind blew him. Or if someone gets hurt or gets sick, they may need assistance.) I've offered a beginning list. There may be things you need to add to it. If someone is allergic to bugs, stick Benadryl in there because you won't get back to shore before serious problems arise. If someone is diabetic, toss in candy bar or packs of sugar. Think about your needs and cover them.

A few other thoughts:
Drinks:
Alcohol and kayaking don't mix. A kayak is a boat. A drunk boater can be a dead boater. Use sense.
Sodas may feel like fluid, but they have no rehydrating value, and in fact, they can create problems because they need so much water to get rid of the sugar. If you are going to do sodas on the lake (which we do), add some bottled water in there, too.

Medicines: I didn't think much about medications and kayaking until a few weeks ago. I was outside working in 85-88 degree weather, not really bad, drinking plenty of water, doing all the right things, and suddenly realized I was in 89 degree heat, no longer sweating, cold, had a ferocious headache, and was no longer sweating! Those are symptoms of heat exhaustion moving into heat stroke. The culprit? An antacid my doctor wanted me to try messed up my electrolytes and ability to stay hydrated. I had no idea. Now, I'm not saying stop taking your medication. However, know what medications might not handle your being in warm temps well.

ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS
WEAR A LIFE JACKET
As every responder I've spoken with says:
"I've never pulled a drowning victim who was wearing a lifejacket."

'Nough said.

If you have other questions about water safety, shoot them my way. I'll answer what I can or point you in the direction of who can answer them. Be safe on the water and have fun. If you see me out there, wave and say hi!