Emergency Outdoors Medicine and Rescue

Whenever you head out into the wilderness you should carry basic medical equipment, even on a daily basis I always have a case of band-aids in my pocket for minor cuts, and a more robust first aid kit in my bag which includes a large wound dressing, CAT tourniquet and extra band-aids and dressings for minor wounds. These items might save your life in the event of an accident.

Remember though as we prepare for emergencies or plan for trips into the wilds we must put some extra thought into our medical equipment to make sure we are not putting ourselves in danger. At the very least you should have the following in your medical kit;

• Plasters (band-aids); for minor cuts and lacerations
• Antiseptic wipes; for cleaning wounds
• Latex gloves; to protect yourself from others bodily fluids if you are performing first aid on someone else.
• Pain killers; for headaches, or to relive the pain from wounds.
• Scissors/shears; for trimming dressings to size or removing clothing from the site of a wound.
• Triangular bandage; for elevating and/or immobilising a wound.
• Absorbent wound dressings (various sizes); for treating large wounds and stopping catastrophic bleeding.
• Blister treatment; you’ll be spending a lot of time on your feet so have something for those blisters.
• Compression bandage; for immobilising and compressing sprains, and strains.

Something like this is a good start for a daily first aid kit but you would need to add some larger dressings to deal with bleeding, perhaps from a more substantial medical kit that you keep at home or in your vehicle.

A Friend in Need

If you are responsible for others out of doors, perhaps guiding someone on a fishing or hunting trip, taking a group of scouts or school children into the wilderness on a field trip or just out hiking with friends you will need a more substantial medical kit. You should always carry enough medical supplies to deal with the number of people you are with. If you are all competent and experienced having everyone carry their own individual first aid kit will be sufficient but if you are leading a group or have responsibility for others you should make sure your kit is more substantial. Something like this pro response kit would be ideal. 

Remember as well to carry something that can help you treat potential traumatic injuries; perhaps a gunshot wound or other catastrophic injury. The RESQ-med pack contains everything you will need to provide vital first response care in case of traumatic injuries. This might be vital for self help as well as treating others in your team, remember you can’t help others if you are injured so you MUST treat yourself first in case of emergencies.

Rescue and Shelter

Out of doors medical emergencies can be complicated by being in remote areas where emergency services can’t reach easily or by bad weather, cold or potentially in the case of natural disasters or civil unrest a breakdown in local government and emergency services.

Because of these complications you need to consider more than just the treatment of wounds but how you are going to keep the casualty warm and maybe how to get them out of the way of further harm. The weather alert survival kit contains emergency shelter solutions, hand warmers and other vital equipment for keeping your patient warm and dry as well as the important medical equipment you will need for performing first aid.

Preparing for emergencies at home allows you to stock pile slightly heavier equipment and theshelter in place bucket might not be something you want to pack on a foot expedition but makes an excellent resource for emergencies at home or to be stored in a vehicle.

With road traffic accidents being such a common occurrence nowadays and bug-out-vehicles becoming more and more popular among preppers being prepared for emergencies involving vehicles is wise. Keeping something like the Pro Response 2 Bag, in a vehicle will allow you to deal with whatever emergency comes your way on the road whether that’s on your daily commute or in the event of a bug-out situation.