[at-l] Gear List for 2001 Thru

[thornel@attglobal.net (W F Thorneloe)]

First, the first aid book. If you are witnessing an accident, I anticipate 
that reading a how-to manual will not be among your top priorities. The 
time to read the book is long before going to the woods, possibly a week 
before your planned first aid course. It matters little how much or how 
little first aid gear you carry if you have no idea how to use it.

Second, how do you reduce the weight of it. One, I like to reduce packaging 
whenever possible, and use Ziplocks as a great way to keep inventory of the 
kit. Let's use your example. Much of first aid is weightless. Triage is a 
major component of first aid. In your case, you did some triage by learning 
that she was awake and alive, able to move and feel her body, and not in 
pain. You took a bit of a chance in removing her pack before having much 
idea if there was a back injury. You might have left her in her pack, but 
simply removed items and reduced weight, allowing the pack to continue to 
support her spine. If there were a back injury, the drill is to leave her 
there, get her warm and hydrated, and get help for evacuation on a back 
board. I bet there was no back board in your first aid kit. ;-)

After you got her up, you further triaged to assure she could transport on 
her own power, and helped get her there. Otherwise, it was going to be a 
situation of getting her sheltered, hydrated, warm and comfortable while 
help arrived. Again, these were items in her backpack, not in her first aid 
kit.

So, in spite of it being a few years since your last first aid course, you 
did pretty well. I want you to carry the gear that you are comfortable with 
and understand. Trade in the book and put a small notepad and pencil.

Most first aid gear are items to either stabilize a disaster before 
evacuation, or to manage minor illness and trauma. It really doesn't take a 
lot of gear or weight.

OrangeBug

At 11:59 AM 2/16/2001 -0500, mtn0613@mail.newnanutilities.org wrote:
>Orange bug mentioned that there are some things one can do to reduce the 
>weight of it and it still be adequate, I appreciate you passing on this 
>info if you don't mind. One other thing it does have a small wilderness 
>first aid manual in it, I've not had a recent first aid course, not since 
>my Army days in the Infantry so I know I am rusty, but feel this would 
>greatly reduce the weight if I took it out, but I have mixed feeling about 
>taking it out of the kit.