Don’t forget the patches and inner tubes!
Pesho steps on sea urchins and barely, barely steps (and it will be like this for a few months), his boyfriend plays Russian roulette with a beehive. Ivan is splitting his head, he’s got a hangover, he’s kayaking, but he’s also party trippin’, and you’ve got such big calluses from gripping the paddle too hard.. no, you obviously haven’t mastered this “grip”. We’re running out of patches because the only one who thought to get spares is you, but you’ve already given them away. Kind of a nasty business!
Whether you’re a guide, the leader of a group of adventurers or a regular weekend partier, maintaining a well-equipped first aid kit can be quite a challenging task.
Prepare yourself with a well-equipped first-aid kit, not with the plastic ones sold in Kaufland for BGN 7.50. In such first aid kits you will find a few plasters, possibly bandages and… that’s it! Certainly it won’t be enough in more serious cases, if you are on some wild beach and there is no civilization around. Shall we mention the sea urchins?
*Slight digression: on Greek beaches these cute and unpleasant little spiny creatures are often found. So we recommend wearing water shoes. Reminder here too, just in case!
Medicines
Ibuprofen is a must! It helps against inflammation, fever and last but not least (and no less important) – kicks the hangover. Tylenol and aspirin can be its substitutes. Make sure you take some kind of antihistamines (anti-allergy meds) too. Don’t forget diarrhoea relief such as Imodium or Lopedium – unpleasant, but it can happen to anyone, and it gets even more unpleasant when it befalls you in the wild places we visit. It’s also good to have Hydrocortisone, an anti-infective and anti-inflammatory component that can be extremely useful in critical situations.
Remember! Always be extremely careful when using medication and read the leaflet in the package. Keep medicines in their original packaging, but wrap them with two layers of tape, insulating tape or something similar. The instructions and expiry date are important.
Basic materials needed for first aid
It’s nice to have a face mask in the kit that would protect your face from splashing with bodily fluids caused by various types of trauma. Digital thermometer. You’ll also need bandage scissors so you can cut bandages, clothing, etc. as needed. It has rounded edges that protect the patient from puncture and at the same time would not puncture the leak proof bag. A syringe to flush the wound as deeply and cleanly as possible. Products with active ingredient iodine-povidone to clean the wound. Antibacterial hand towels because clean running water and soap are not always available. It’s always better to have a pair of medical gloves handy, too, just to be safe. Even if we’ve done a good job of washing and dressing, the danger of subsequent infection is there, and we want to minimize it. Get a needle too (yes one, for sewing), you have no idea in how many cases it proves useful.
Sorted patches, bandages
Sterile gauze 4×4, 3×3, 2×2 cm., large sterile gauze 8×10, 5×9 cm., bandages of different widths, different size patches (possibly waterproof). Triangular towel is a must, dislocations are common in rowing sports.
We also recommend surgical glue – the tissues to be glued are treated appropriately. A thin even layer of adhesive is applied to one surface of the wound by squeezing and the two surfaces of the wound are pressed together for about 30 sec.
Survival Equipment
Duct tape, or reinforced tape, which can be used to repair almost anything or just about anything – priceless! Part of a bicycle tire swivel – you can easily start a fire with it, even in wet conditions. It will also serve to repair torn non-penetrating bags and other damaged rubber compounds. Tampons – yes, those are the exact tampons you think will save your life when your nose is gushing blood. Condoms, which you can use to stash your phone in if you don’t have proper leak proof bags to keep it from getting wet. Or you could use them for their intended purpose – after all, it’s all about safety, right?
Be sure to store your first aid kit in leak-proof bags or special boxes, because it will do no good for the medication to rot and be unusable.
A first aid kit like this doesn’t make you a medical guru, but it’s still a good start. If you’re an adventurer at heart and you adrenalize often, we recommend taking a standard first aid course at the BCH or another organization that conducts this type of training. There you would gain many and useful skills to help yourself and others in the event of an unpleasant situation arising during your adventures.
After every trip, take an inventory of your first aid kit and if there is anything that has expired, replace it and replenish the used ones. Don’t be the guy with a first aid kit for 7,50 BGN from Kaufland! (Other things buy from there, just not a first aid kit)
We, of course, have taken care of such a wonderful first aid kit for everyone’s safety!
Comments