First Aid and Safety- Take a First Aid Kit

First aid kits

You know, I hear from a lot of people, asking about first aid kits. Many are concerned about weight, the cost, or buying the wrong size, or even not wanting a certain kit because they feel it is too bulky. Let me just say this, there is no substitute for having the right first aid kit for the right injury. I'll tell you a little story, about of of my first forays into the wilderness to help put into perspective of how important the right kit is. It was years ago, but having just gotten out of the military, I understood the value of having the right first aid kit. Unlike many of my friends, I packed along each trip, a military style first aid kit. Now if any of you have ever seen one, they are fairly large, bulky even. They include items we do not normally associate with first aid. Items my friends said I would never need and I was carelessly carrying extra weight. This went on through the spring and summer as we ventured around the mountains and deserts of south and south eastern California, one weekend after another.

Finally, toward mid fall, we were camping somewhere north of the Joshua Tree National Forest. (it's way east of Los Angeles, if that will give you a clue) Anyway, the group of us hiker's also rode motorcycle's on and off in those days. Dirt bikes, not street bikes and this particular weekend was one of those "on" weekends where we rode dirt bikes. Now, before I get too involved in the story, I should tell you. If you are not familiar with California, their deserts and mountains are pocked with old mines. Mines of all kinds, silver, gold, whatever. Most all of them abandoned these days. Some mines were sunk into the sides of mountains like you see in the old westerns, others were just dug straight down, where ever and when ever. They were always kind of fun to go into, although we sounded brave, we never ventured any deeper than the past the light from outside penetrated. But, even at that, we found all manner oc collectibles, old bottles, abandoned plates and silverware, some mine car harnesses (the metal parts, as most of the wood had rotted away) and other things we as kids, deemd "valuable.".

 

 It so happened that this day, that we were riding across a wide open desert basin. Close your eyes now and imagine a 'U' shaped valley, ringed on three sides by mountains and a flat desert floor, completely denuded of vegetation. I can still remember the stark whiteness of it as we rode across it. Nothing growing or alive anywhere. We were headed for a mine someone had seen the day before. Picture, five motorcycles riding abreast, about 30 or 40 feet apart, riding across this desert floor. None of us noticed anything out of the ordinary, least of all my friend. One second he was riding slightly ahead and to my left, the next second his motorcycle was buried nose first in the desert and he was flying. I mean literally tumbling and turning through the air at the same speed as we were (probably 40 or 50 mph). His body slowed and finally hit the ground feet first somehow, and then from there, it got worse before he stopped. I immediately slowed down and rode over to where he had finally landed.

I'll save you the details, but suffice to say he had a compound fracture of his right tibia and fibula and a broken hand. Luckily, other than a lot of lost skin, they were his only major injuries. I had the supplies in my first aid kit, to not only set his leg, but treat the compound fracture for infection and prevent more serious damage before we could get him out of there. I was also able to immobilize his hand and clean up the scraped and abraded skin and make him comfortable. We even rigged the emergency blanket as a sunshelter while one of the others went for help. (no cell phones in those days) Never again, did my friends say anything about my first aid kit. In fact they went out and bought similar one's of their own.
The long and the short of it was, that it took us nearly four hours for rescue to get there and get him transported to a town called Twenty Nine Palms, to a hospital. Had we not been able to treat him for his injuries and for infection at the site? Who knows what the turn of events could have been? Needless to say, my friend is walking and talking still, with nothing more that a few scars to mark that day. I'm not saying you have to buy and carry what I do, but for gosh sakes, at least buy something besides one of the standard kits. You never know when you will need the right kit. Always be prepared. Over the years, I have sewn up cuts, set broken legs and arms, butter fly bandaged all manner of cuts, just to help people while before they were able to get to a doctor. My final thoughts; its better to be safe on the trail by being prepared... always take the right first aid kit for the trip.

Remember, be safe and I'll see you on the trail! Campingman