After more than a couple of decades walking in the mountains I have finally had me a good slip and stumble that has resulted in a full arm stookie for the best part of the first quarter of 2001. Yes, I was coming off Mount Keen with my comrades in the Granite City Hill-walking Club when I decided to jump up off the iron-hard ice-covered landrover track onto the heather to get better grip for my boots. The sun had warmed the ice and so there was a fine skim of water and down I went, wallop.
I guess the big deal for me here is that this simple slip happened under relatively hazard free conditions. This was resoundingly put into perspective by the fabulous illustrated talk a founder Member, Ronnie Robb, gave us in February on his trip to Kanchenjunga in the Himalayas. The whole talk was excellent from the amazing slides of the locals in Kathmandu to the breath-taking feats his party undertook, what an achievement!
Anyway what really helped me was that, after my tumble, a friend, Kris Howard, presented me with a dissolved pain-killer, Codis, as a nice hot drink which made the trip to Aberdeen A & E a lot more bearable. It has since put me on a crusade to find out what we should all be carrying on our hill-walking trips - and how to use it. Perhaps the Kit I got with Texaco stamps a few years back is now a bit out of date! I have therefore been in touch with Malcolm Duckworth for some professional advice and here is what he has to tell us.
One last psychological detail however - Kris handed me this drink ready dissolved with the instruction "Here, drink that" so I downed it in a oner. I dare say if I was asked if I wanted a painkiller I would probably have said I was OK. Over to you Malcolm, I for one will be following your advice.
The amount equipment carried in an emergency care kit depends on the length of the planned trip, the nature, difficulty and remoteness of the terrain, the difficulties of getting rescue and medical assistance and the number of people in the party. The choice of the equipment carried is also regulated by your ability and that of the others in the party to use the items and medication in the kit.
The requirements of a one-day hillwalking trip vary greatly from a lengthy expedition to a remote area of the World. The following lists are only a suggestion and should be modified to suit the individual needs and expertise. Each climber should carry his own individual medical kit in a small stuff sack. The leader of a larger party should carry a more comprehensive kit that reflects the members of the group and those issues of terrain, remoteness, difficulty and availability of medical help mentioned above. The following lists are suggestions and should be modified to suit individual needs and expertise.
This Kit should be the minimum carried by a small party on a one-day trip or by each individual on a longer multi day trip. In the event of an injury being sustained on the hill all carriers of the Basic Kit would clearly benefit from professional first aid training.
| BASIC FIRST AID KIT | |
|---|---|
| Item | Comments |
| 2 X TRIANGULAR BANDAGES | General bandaging and support. |
| SMALL PACK OF GAUZE SWABS | Wound dressings and cleaning wounds. |
| 1 ROLL MICROPORE TAPE | General purpose and holding dressings in place. |
| 1 X SMALL AND 1 X LARGE WOUND DRESSINGS | Major cuts and wounds |
| 1 ROLL OF 2" ADHESIVE STRETCH BANDAGE | Support, securing dressings and preventing blisters. |
| BUTTERFLY SUTRES | Closing cuts. |
| SELECTION OF ELASTOPLASTS | Minor cuts grazes and small blisters. |
| SPECIALISED BLISTER DRESSINGS | Foot blisters |
| 1 X 1.5" AND 1 X 3" CREPE BANDAGES | General support and in particular for ankle and knee joints. |
| VARIOUS SIZES OF SAFETY PINS | Multiple uses including large pins used for pinning clothing for support. |
| 5 X MEDICATED WIPES IN FOIL | Cleaning wounds, hands etc. … |
| 5 X ASPIRIN OR PARACETAMOL OR IBUPROFEN | Pain relief |
| PLASTIC SANDWICH BAGS | Cold compress if filled with snow or cold water or temporary burns dressing. |
| SCISSORS | General use |
| SMALL FORCEPS | Removing small objects from wounds. |
| 1 X PAIR SURGICAL GLOVES | Infection prevention |
| PERSONAL MEDICATION - IF ANY | Personal use as per prescription. |
| Master or Leader's First Aid Kit | |
|---|---|
| Item | Comments |
| 6 X TRIANGULAR BANDAGES | General bandaging and support. |
| LARGE PACK OF GAUZE SWABS | Wound dressings and cleaning wounds. |
| 4 ROLLS MICROPORE TAPE | General purpose and securing dressings |
| 2 X SMALL AND 2 X LARGE WOUND DRESSINGS | Major cuts and wounds |
| 2 ROLLS OF 2" ADHESIVE STRETCH BANDAGE | Support, securing dressings and preventing blisters. |
| PACKET BUTTERFLY SUTURES | Closing cuts. |
| LARGE SELECTION OF ELASTOPLASTS | Minor cuts grazes and small blisters. |
| SPECIALISED BLISTER DRESSINGS | Foot blisters |
| 2 X 1.5" AND 2 X 3" CREPE BANDAGES | General support and in particular for ankle and knee joints. |
| 'FRAC STRAPS' | Support fractures. |
| VARIOUS SIZES OF SAFETY PINS | Multiple uses including large pins used for pinning clothing for support. |
| 20 X MEDICATED WIPES IN FOIL | Cleaning wounds, hands etc. … |
| 20 X 300MG ASPIRIN OR PARACETAMOL OR IBUPROFEN ANALGESICS | Pain relief |
| ANTACID TABLETS | Gastrointestinal upsets |
| 10 X PLASTIC SANDWICH BAGS | Cold compress if filled with snow or cold water or temporary burns dressing. |
| SCISSORS | General use |
| BANDAGE SCISSORS | Cutting dressings, bandages etc |
| SMALL FORCEPS | Removing small objects from wounds. |
| 5 X PAIRS SURGICAL GLOVES | Infection prevention |
| 'SWISS ARMY KNIFE' | General purpose. |
| PEN SIZED FLASHLIGHT / HEAD TORCH | Examination and treatment in poor light. |
| OROPHARYNGEAL AIRWAY | Airway management for unconscious casualty. |
| POCKET MASK WITH ONE WAY VALVE | Rescucitation. |
| HIGH ENERGY SWEETS / GLUCOSE | Conditions producing low blood sugar. |
| NOTEBOOK AND PENCIL | Record vital signs and important data. |
| ADVANCED FIRST AIDERS MAY WANT TO CARRY | |
| RIGID NECK COLLARS | Suspected upper spine injury |
Malcolm Duckworth of Mountain Safety & Training
Jennifer A Cook, NEMT Vice Chair
March 2001
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