The First Aid Kit -  Break a A Leg!

 How are you fixed up for a First Aid Kit? A few bumps and scratches of late has shown that not all folk that go travelling with the club are equipped to take care of the day-to-day mishaps that can easily befall travellers in the bush. A cut here and a headache there is one thing - someone will always have a Bandaid on hand - but what about the really big mishaps, especially if you’re out and about with the family, or worse still, on your own? The Aussie Bush can be an unforgiving beast.

Think back to that hike on a warm sunny day when you startled a snake (or was it the other way around?). He could have quite as easily chomped on a hairy leg as taken off at high speed. Or heaven forbid, bitten one of your kids! Do you carry the gear to handle a snake bite when you go walking? It’s no good back at the car!

That trip, stumble and fall on a rocky slope that you should have been driving down, not climbing; if you had broken that leg, do you have the knowledge and necessary kit to splint it? Or the bleeding that just won’t stop after that nasty rollover. Dare we even mention breathing difficulties or a heart attack (that last hill really was scary)?

Bottom line is, every club vehicle should have its own First Aid Kit on board. The one that the duty club member carries should be seen as insurance, not a reason not to carry one yourself.

First Aid kits can be bought already made up. Prices vary from few dollars for a cuts and scratches type kit to about $130 for one that takes care of just about everything. The latter is usually contained in a multi-tiered fishing tackle type box which you can make up yourself and tailor to suit your own requirements for a whole lot less. For instance, if you travel to the beach, your kit may want to include more things to alleviate all the nasty stings the beach has to offer, while for bush work, a more general purpose fix-everything kit may be required.

Don’t forget, for hiking, crepe bandages should be carried in your pack as a minimum to cater for snake bites. The bigger the trip, the wider range of First Aid equipment you may need. If you need advice on what to include, see Beth. On the surface, she’s a Yank, but deep down she’s really a nurse.

Oh, and don’t forget to include a First Aid instruction book. When all else fails, the panic stricken First Aider can always look up the instructions - especially recommended if you are the victim.

Better still, sign you and your partner up for a St John’s First Aid Course - you get the book as part of the tuition fee.

Danny Williams SC412