What You Should Have in Your First Aid Kit
September 11, 2008 by Richard Martens
Filed under Tips
It is unfortunate, but every day a biker is injured. While any injury sucks, having a first aid kit can be a very good thing. In fact a good first aid kit can mean all the difference in an emergency situation. However the off the shelf first aid kit, while good, needs a bit more added to it. This article is meant to be a guide as to what should be in a first aid kit.
The Basics:
- Gauze bandages. These guys are great for stopping bleeding and will help the body clot the blood.
- Band aids. There is nothing better for treating minor cuts and scrapes than a band aid.
- First aid tape. An absolute must for attaching Gauze bandages.
- Alcohol wipes. Treating any cut with alcohol seriously reduces the chance of infection
- Ace Bandages. Joint injuries are unpleasant, but one of these bandages can help support an injured joint until you have time to get medical attention.
- Tweezers. Never think that tweezers will not come in handy.
- Tourniquet. One of the best emergency treatments of a major cut is to cut off the blood supply. While a clean tourniquet is best, wearing a bandana can serve the same purpose.
Good Ideas:
- Splint. Hopefully you never get a broken bone, but if you do having a splint will help keep the limb immobile.
- Smelling Salts. When someone knocks their head these will help get them alert again.
- Aspirin or Ibuprofen. Both of these pain relievers are not only good for discomfort but can reduce swelling as well.
- Icy Hot. Straining a muscle can hurt. Having Icy Hot around will help you get back home.
- Electrolyte Solution: Dehydration(place link here to dehydration article) is a very real danger. Having a solution to mix in water will help replace the electrolytes and keep you on the trail.
Things to Consider:
While having a first aid kit is great, it will do you little good if you don’t know how to use it. For this reason it is a good idea to take a first aid course. Most chapters of the Red Cross provide first aid training and other courses, such as CPR, for little to no cost and are a great way to learn valuable information.
Also remember that first aid is just a temporary treatment of an injury. You should always consult a doctor if you suffer a severe injury. Also if you are seriously injured, get to an emergency room as quickly as possible. Doing this can help an injury recover better, and in extreme cases may save a life.
As always remember to ride safely and wear the appropriate protective gear. The best way to deal with injuries is to not get one in the first place.
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This post was written by:
Richard Martens - who has written 16 posts on Mountain bike product reviews, bike builds, trail reviews, forum, and tips – MTOBikes.com.
Tourniquets are ONLY useful as a last-ditch effort to stop severe bleeding that is about to take someone’s life. Their use all but guarantees amputation of the limb it’s applied to, as cutting off the blood flow to tissue for any amount of time can cause severe and unrepairable damage.
I’m not saying there isn’t a time and a place for their use, but your article makes it sound like you can just throw one on any bad cut and not cause any new problems (like a dead limb).
On a related note, I’m planning to add some of this to my bike bag:
http://www.lifescienceplus.com/bloodstop/general-gauze