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First Aid Kit and Skills.

Prime

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First aid may not be one of the 'sexy' preps but next to water is probably the most important one.

In normal day to day life First Aid kit and SKILLS are ( in my opinion ) the most important skills to have a solid , hard tested grounding in.

So a quick rally around and not a time to be dishonest - lets find the hole in our personal preps -

Who has First Aid Skills? Can you provide CPR to a family member? Can they return to same to you?

Do you have an adequate FAK and if so what do you consider is adequate??
 
I was trained in first aid at work, updated every three years. If I had to I could do basics but we were taught to stabilize until we could get the professionals in. Anyway I still have the books and a well stocked first aid kit. I can do cpr to a dummy if I sing nelly the elephant - 15 beats then 2 breaths, at the right tempo. However I have a close neighbour who worked in A&E as a senior nurse, I think I will ply her with home made cider and home grown lamb. An argument for working together?
 
Yes and yes; received First aid training as a scout, a cadet, in the army as a reserve, then a regular and then again as a reserve; as a kayak instructor and as an outdoor educator. I’ve got loads of first aid kits to suit a myriad of scenarios so I’m reasonably confident.

Worth having a good first aid kit as someone might be using it on you which is why a cheat sheet aid memoir is a good use as well.

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I had training as a youth and through work and I have first aid kits all over the place. I'm adept at getting fishing hooks out of skin and I can close a wound pretty well with tape. Both of which I've used to patch myself up. Like hodgson, I also sing nelly the elephant doing CPR, I've never had to use it in anger though.
Again, like hodgson I think it's another reason for community, you can't know everything and some people seem to have a natural affinity for caring for others.
 
As some of you know, l am a qualified nurse. Nurses are very BAD at first aid because they are used to having everything they need at hand. l once won a FAK in a nursing magazine on that premise and gave it to OH to keep in the car. We had to update our CPR training every year and the latest song before l left was "Staying alive" and the breaths were not considered necessary. The point of CPR is to keep a person's circulation going until help arrives. lt's not like on TV when they give a cough and recover instantly. Outside of hospital the percentage for resuscitating people in Britain is only about 8 per cent (according to radio 4 a few months ago). Using defibrillators increases this percentage so l would recommend everyone updates their first aid training as l also need to do. lnterestingly, when one of our sons aged about 2 fell and cut his head my first aid trained husband brought him to me to deal with even though my first aid training was out of date.
 
CPR has changed, without rescue breaths IIRC 100 compressions (or more) with rescue breaths its 30 comps to two breaths...that said its likely changed again now.

Talking to a friends wife (senior nurse) she explained that nurses are not classed as first aiders and that most wards now have designated trained first aiders even though the registered staff have degrees and wards must have green box FAK's.
 
dont think it really matters what form of breaths to compression you do does it each or all have worked at some time , so as long as your doing it and in SHTF no ones going to sue!
 
Every three years I had to update my training and everytime there were changes to cpr.
 
Top post :thumbsup: can’t be to complacent about heath and health care. It would be really interesting to see how other members take steps to care for themselves or families:thumbsup:
 
Top post :thumbsup: can’t be to complacent about heath and health care. It would be really interesting to see how other members take steps to care for themselves or families:thumbsup:
I always carry a small first aid kit Mar with plasters bandages etc but I also carry a spray on plaster for use on smaller cuts and grazes. For any of the larger meets I would suggest a larger FAK and a roll of clingfilm for covering burns
 
I admit my first aid training is long out of date. My last issued first aid instruction manual instructs..." First remove patient's chain mail to allow access to wound ".......So that needs updating. :D
Seriously, my knowledge is of the.. If he's screaming, He's alive variety, but I do carry a field dressing and various sticky plasters, sterile gauze and medi wipes etc: and as I'm always solo when in the woods or countryside I feel I can sort myself out in most circumstances.
 
My training is also out of date but I keep up to date with the many very good YouTube videos that are available. I intend to update my training through a Red Cross or St John's training course in the near future. I don't have a first aid kit and would like some advice on what items members feel are essential for a household of two healthy OAPs who may need to bug out when the SHTF ?
 
I was trained as a Regimental Medical Assistant may years ago as a young squaddie , I have held first aid qualifications continuously since the 1980's including a specific outdoor related emergency care qualification when completing summer mountain leader training. I currently hold a first aid at work certificate and always take a first aid kit into the field with me .

From a prepping perspective I also have a trauma kit designed for when I'm using public transport ( say a train journey or tube journey in London , my wife travels there regularly ) where I might get caught up in a significant event ( terror related or accident ) and might need to keep myself alive whilst emergency services get on site . If you look at the delays at the Manchester arena attack having resources ( trauma bandage and tourniquet ) and appropriate knowledge might mean the difference between survival or not .........
 
Ok I carry 3 trianguar bandages several bandages of mixed sizes roll of elastoplasr medicated wipes spray on plaster which can also be used to fashion a light splint small forceps for the removal of splinters and a tick removal tool. Better to have it and never need it has always been my policy
 
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