Congratulations! You found the cache! As the euphoria starts to wear off, you become aware of a stinging feeling in your leg and something warm going down the leg. You look down and see that you are bleeding and it's running down your leg. "Oops! How did I do that? When did I do that?" It's a good thing you remembered to bring your first aid kit! You clean yourself up and you are on to the next cache in no time!
I researched many different sources to find out what makes a good In-The-Field first aid kit. There are many good commercial first aidkits available for purchase on the Internet. I also asked several geocachers what they carry in their first aid kit. There are a variety of first aid kits available for day hikes, family camping trips or backpacking treks. Kits should be tailored to your trekking terrain, weather, the ages of hikers, and your group's special medical needs. The farther from the beaten path you venture, the more prepared you should be for a medical emergency. Always carry a first aid kit designed for the type of trek and the number of people in your group.
It is important to know how to use everything in your first aid kit beforehand. You won't have time in the middle of an emergency to read an instruction manual.
Before you go, learn about any possible hazards at your destination, such as poisonous plants, snakes, and insects. Ask local officials or park rangers if you need any special gear or clothing. Locate the road and public phone closest to your campsite or trail, so you know where to summon help if it is needed.
All too many hikers and backpackers jerry-rig first aid kits, taking a bit here and there out of existing supplies found in their bathroom medicine cabinets. Unfortunately, this method of compiling a first aid kit for hiking and backpacking doesn't work too well. Other than having a couple of band-aids, these jerry-rigged first-aid kits generally lack the most important pieces, such as instructions on basic first aid, scissors and other cutting objects, specialized bandages designed for hiking/backpacking injuries, and other unique but helpful items. And, what is even sadder is that purchasing all the items you need individually usually ends up costing more anyway than just buying a quality first aid kit and being done with it.
I researched many different sources to find out what makes a good In-The-Field first aid kit. There are many good commercial first aidkits available for purchase on the Internet. I also asked several geocachers what they carry in their first aid kit. This is what they had to say:
Kealia: A standard first aid kit, small utility knife for cutting or cleaning as needed. AND Tecnu (a liquid cleanser which removes the resinous rash causing oil of poison ivy, oak, and sumac from the skin if applied within four to eight hours of exposure.)
Evergreenhiker!: In my day and overnight packs, I have a (pre-)packaged first aide kit...Hiker Model...from REI. AND Bear Spray!!! Not really first aid, but it could prevent need of serious first aid.
JMBella:
I carry the essentials like Band-Aids, antiseptic wipes and larger bandages in case I really get banged up. In addition to that I may carry poison ivy, oak and sumac ointment. I also have one of those survival kits complete with thread and needle in case I think I'm Rambo, jump off a tree and put a branch through my arm. If I hike in a more wildlife kind of environment I may take an emergency blanket and water filtration system. Of all the safety equipment you can have I think the most important thing you can carry is a cell phone. And then pray you get a signal.
(Editor's Note: I have professed this point this many times! Glad to see people are getting the message!)
Bigredmed:
I carry a commercially available kit in my car. I don't carry much in
my cache bag as I rarely am more than a 1/2 hour from my car. Cuts and scrapes, I take care of with pressure (or milkweed sap if available). If we are really talking wishes, we could all carry a Novoseven soaked bandage and really stop bleeding...
(Editor's Note: NovoSeven® is recombinant Coagulation Factor VIIa which is part of the coagulation cascade responsible for forming clots. By the way, a 1.2mg vial of Novoseven costs $1400)
Briansnat: My kit has 5 gauze pads, a small roll of gauze, a small tube of Neosporin, a few Band Aids, some alcohol wipes, some iodine wipes, small scissors, tweezers, a small roll of 1st aid tape, a few small packs of Advil, aspirin and Tylenol, 4 safety pins, a few Immodium tablets, a small bottle of water purification tablets, a small supply of any prescription medication that I might be taking, butterfly stitches and a small tube of superglue (for emergency stitches). I use the moleskin most often and if I run out, its the item that I most wished I had.
Tahosa: My kit is a homemade one. Bandages, Neosporin, Gauze Pads (several sizes), moleskin, duct tape, cravats, ace bandages, Kotex Pads (excellent for large wounds), tweezers, gloves, insect bite remedy, several large cloth napkins. A small bottle of hydrogen peroxide (makes them ticks back right out). Eye wash fluid, aspirins (for the young cachers that I wear out when we go a hiking), an emergency space blanket, and an emergency cold pack (chemically activated). I guess I'm lucky that I haven't had to use it, considering all the hiking I do with the USFS and caching. Another thing I carry when its hot out is a Rehydration Drink (not recommended for children under 12). My kids call it Tahosa Juice and won't even touch it. But I use it as a sip and go when it's hot out. One sip and you'll even appreciate Lite Beer.
- 1 qt. water
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3 Tbsp. sugar
- 1/4 tsp. lite salt
Are you taking the kids geocaching? While they'll probably be obsessed with the trail mix and juice that you bring, you should be more concerned with the first aid equipment you're packing. "Kids are more sensitive to the elements," says Jordan D. Metzl, M.D., an adolescent sports medicine physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, "and are more likely than adults to suffer from overexposure to the sun, the cold, the wind, the bugs--you name it."
Though a first aid kit for children doesn't differ from one that adults would use, says Kelly Alexander, a spokesperson for the American Red Cross, kids' sensitivity makes the kit that much more important to bring along. "Families tend to keep the same first-aid kit around for years," Alexander says, "but parents should check the kit regularly to ensure that all the items are still in good condition." Make sure that the flashlight batteries still work, check expiration dates and replace any used or out-of-date contents. According to the Red Cross, a complete family first-aid kit includes the following:
- scissors
- tweezers
- hypothermia thermometer
- over-the-counter pain medications, such as Tylenol or Advil
- an over-the-counter antihistamine, such as Claritin or Alavert
- antacids
- antibiotic ointment
- adhesive tape
- roller gauze (2- to 4-inch)
- sterile, nonstick dressings
- adhesive bandages
- sun block (with at least a SPF 15)
- lip protection
- sewing kit
- soap
- cotton swabs
- tongue depressors
- eye drops
- rubber gloves
- allergy kit
- water purification tablets
- knife
- matches
- spare socks
- heliograph mirror/whistle
- flashlight and spare batteries
- foot powder
- magnifying glass
- sheet of aluminum foil
- nylon cord
- emergency blanket
- compass and map
- insect repellent
If you're just going on a day hike, you probably won't need to bring all of the above items. Instead, dress the little ones in layers that they can take off or put on, depending on the weather and altitude, slather them with sun block and insect repellant and pack any special medications that they require. The most important thing you can do to avoid ever having to break open your first-aid kit, Metzl says, is to continually ask your kids how they're feeling. Are they hot? Cold? Does anything itch or feel sore? Are they tired? Thirsty? If you stay on top of how your kids are feeling, a snack and juice break or applying a bandage before a blister forms may be the only first-aid they'll need.
The Cincinnati Veterinary Medical Association gave a lecture to police dog handlers at a recent workshop. Their recommendations for a dog are quite similar to what a person would need with just a few exceptions.
- Gauze sponges
- Triple antibiotic ointment
- Rubbing alcohol
- Ear syringe -- two ounce capacity
- Ace self-adhering athletic bandage -- three-inch width
- White petroleum jelly (Vaseline or similar)
- Eye wash
- Sterile, non-adherent pads
- Pepto Bismol tablets
- Generic Benadryl capsules -- 25mg, for allergies
- Hydrocortisone acetate -- one percent cream
- Sterile stretch gauze bandage -- three inches by four yards
- Buffered aspirin
- Dermicil hypoallergenic cloth tape one inch by 10 yards
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Kaopectate tablets maximum strength
- Bandage scissors
- Custom splints
- Vet Rap bandage
- Blanket
- Tweezers
- Muzzle
- Rectal thermometer
- Ziploc bags
- Paperwork, including the dog's health record, medications, local and national poison control numbers, regular veterinary clinic hours and telephone numbers, and emergency clinic hours and telephone number.
Finally I would like to add that If you have never needed a first aid kit while geocaching, then you are probably not doing it right!