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You are sitting in the driveway, hand poised to put the car in reverse. Last chance to remember, is everything you need in your pack? You do a quick mental run through of what you have with you.
Water? Check.
Map and GPS unit? Check.
Snacks? Check.
Sunscreen and bug spray? Check.
Raingear, after all this is Florida, folks. Check. You put the car in reverse, are about to pull off the brake and then you think, “What’s in the first aid kit? Better yet, WHERE is the first aid kit?” Okay, so maybe this has never happened to you….but it should have. We all know the standard essentials required to keep our bodies happy on the average day hike. We march off from the trailhead with everything we need to bravely bear the elements, banish hunger and thirst, and combat mosquitoes, but do you have what you need in case your hike turns south from average and turns into an emergency? While a first aid kit alone is of little help, a clear mind, the proper training, and a first aid kit make the ultimate trifecta in dealing with an emergency in a backcountry setting. If you are lucky, and quite frankly most are, you will never have to pull your kit out for more than a blister. However, if the day comes when you stumble across your unconscious hiking partner or you unknowingly try to remove your own finger with a pair of loppers, you will be grateful for both the training and the first aid kit. The clear mind may take a minute to find! Complete first aid kits can be purchased from various vendors such as your local Red Cross chapter, pharmacy or even grocery store. However, you will probably find that they are big, bulky and over packed for your own needs. Use the list below to pare down a store-bought first aid kit, or make your own using these basic essentials you’ll be able to find in your medicine cabinet. You can add to this basic first aid kit by adjusting for your type of activity and number of traveling companions; just remember that whatever you pack you’ve got to carry! If you are interested in getting the training to use your new first aid kit visit the Florida Trail Association website at www.floridatrail.org/options/Certification-Trainings/ to view the current schedule of First Aid/CPR courses being offered by the FTA. Or, to find an American Red Cross chapter course near you, visit http://www.redcross.org/where/chapts.asp and type your zip code into the search engine. First Aid Kit Basics Checklist
Use the following list to pare down a store-bought first aid kit, or make your own using these basic essentials:
• Medications: anti-inflammatory/painkiller, antihistamine, anti-diarrheal and also any prescription medications with written instructions for administration
• Sterile, non-stick gauze bandages
• Waterproof tape
• Sturdy bandage for wrapping, such as an ace bandage or cravats
• Small assorted bandages and moleskin for blisters
• Anti-septic wipes such as alcohol or povidone iodine
• Tweezers
• Gloves
• Irrigation syringe
• Trauma shears (to cut clothing to access a wound or to make bandaging if you need to improvise. They are lightweight, can be bought at your local drugstore, have a blunted nose to keep from creating new wounds and are strong enough to cut through a penny!)
• Emergency heat blanket
• Pencil and Paper
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