Posts tagged first-aid
I need to take either a WFR recert or a WFA before July and am wondering how Covid is affecting them. Both types of classes usually have close contact between participants but I do know they are st...
They are said to be little patches that simply stick onto clothing, lasting for 12 hours. They are made from "natural ingredients" and DEET-free so I have my doubts. How well do they work?
In all of my Wilderness First Responder classes and books, they have said that people who have been struck by lightning and need CPR have the best chance of it working (in general save rates with C...
I saw a bird with an injured wing among the rocks on a beach in Portugal (Algarve). The bird has been on the beach since Friday evening, and her wing feathers have completely dropped off by now. I...
What are must-have items in an emergency kit for a multi-day hiking trip?
Assuming I am not allergic, or showing signs of allergic reaction, what's the best way to treat multiple yellow jacket (a type of wasp) stings in the outdoors while hiking/backpacking? My key conc...
There are many, many articles and web sites that will tell you what to do if you develop a hot spot or blister while on the trail, and need to perform some field treatment to allow you to get back ...
Back in the old days, it was recommended that for a snake bite you cut an X and suck the venom out. That is no longer recommended, however, they still sell suction devices such as the Sawyer Extrac...
I'm going to be doing some backpacking in a desert environment state park. In the event that someone in my party is stung by a scorpion, what is the proper first aid? Note that we may be in a remo...
Suppose you are out hiking, many hours from the trail head and someone has a severe allergic reaction (ie, anaphylactic shock or Anaphylaxis). In this case, what is the best course of treatment to...
I am a big fan of zinc oxide products for minor outdoor injuries, e.g. zinc oxide tape for blisters on feet, or products like Sudocrem for sunburn and so on. They certainly seem to help the healing...
I'm a bit curious about this since the day I read an infographic tip from a veterinarian. The reason stated by her is that it helps to not enlarge the site of the snake bite. Is this correct? Bec...
I am looking at taking a WFA (Wilderness First Aid) class and there are a couple of outfits in my area offering it. Namely, SOLO, NOLS, and The American Red Cross. I have heard nothing but great th...
There are a lot of options for trying to prevent mosquito bites (DEET on skin, permethrin on clothing, mosquito nets while sleeping, etc.), but what about after you get bitten? What is the most eff...
Background: This question is motivated by an accident that happened to my sister in a very rural area. She was on a fence and fell onto a t-post which basically impaled her, but which fell out by ...
You see this a lot on films, the hero/heroine is injured and disinfects their wound(s) by pouring whiskey on it. I'm a bit sceptical. If I'm in an emergency scenario and need to prevent infection...
A few times I've been out walking or backpacking and have no moleskin with me. Sure enough, my boots start giving me blisters. How can I prevent or treat hotspots and blisters without using moles...
If I'm struck by poison ivy, what should I do? Is there a way to suppress the itch?
The last time I was attacked by leeches I thought I'd taken enough precautions such as pulling my socks over my trousers and avoiding walking through particularly wet areas or long grass but I stil...
A lot of hikers carry denatured alcohol for cooking. Is there any risk to using it as an antiseptic for cuts and lacerations?
Excluding parking the car in the shade or carrying the kit in person, what are some solutions to handle emergency car kits in the heat? I am aware medications, ointments, creams, adhesives are the...
I occasionally hike in the Sahyadri ranges in Maharashtra (India). During the rainy season there are a lot of crabs on the trail. In case the crab bites, what are the first aid steps that can be ta...
You know that bleeding lung feeling you get after going out for a long run on a freezing cold night? The one where you can taste blood in the back of your jaw, and begin to wheeze and cough as flui...
Although leeches are relatively harmless, and you are not likely to bleed out from a bite, the blood stain on your clothes can be off-putting to your hiking buddies. Is there any effective way to ...
Why are tying the tourniquets or restricting bandages not recommended or in fact to be avoided to treat a snakebite before getting the proper medical attention? Closely related questions: Am I a...
You can go into almost any pet store in the UK, especially the big chains, and see first aid kits for your dog. Is there anything specifically required for a dog first aid kit, or will a human fir...
Suppose a leg is wounded (either from a gunshot or a knife) and there is significant bleeding. We see in movies that a fabric is tied around the place of bleeding to decrease/stop bleeding. My q...
I was going through one of the most amazing posts on The Great Outdoors which talks about if sleeping naked in a sleeping bag keeps you warmer than with clothes The is something said about Burrito...
On some occasions you don´t have anything to desinfect wounds, for example during a (short) walk along the beach. If you cut yourself or have a an small wound that needs cleaning, would it be wise ...
Another question asked what survival equipment should be carried in an emergency kit. But very little was about medical or first aid supplies (band-aids, gauze, tylenol, moleskin, etc). What items...
If someone is feeling bad at high altitude, how do you tell if their condition is so severe that it threatens their life unless they descend immediately?
I know the theory behind effects of high altitudes on the human body is not entirely understood and because of cross-influence it is a difficult topic. It's not an exact science. Having said that ...
My brother and I were out backcountry sled-skiing yesterday, and my brother froze his feet in his new ski-boots. We were sitting at just above 2000m, my brother had his boots off and was trying to ...
You should obviously avoid rattlesnakes if at all possible. But if you do get bitten by one, what should you do? What supplies can be brought ahead of time to allow for the best treatment, and what...
From what I understand the most important thing to do when bitten by a rattlesnake is to get to a hospital. I often go on hikes where I am a few hours walk from civilization at the midpoint of my ...
It's been a couple of years since I last had bad shin splits but I can still recall how painful they can be. I was able to heal them before mostly with a couple weeks rest. If the pain came back ...
If one is out fishing and someone gets a fishhook stuck in them, what are the different techniques for removing it?
When I'm home running or on a day hike, I prefer to pierce the skin as soon as a blister forms and drain all fluid from a blister to reduce the pain and further irritation/inflammation. In this cas...
I have a short camping trip coming up. This week, from using a wooden tool, I got blisters on my hands at the base of some fingers. In the future, ideally, I would take precaution to not get bliste...
My question is prompted by the answer of @WedaPashi to this question, which is about rattlesnakes, specifically: • Remain calm and first move beyond the snake's striking distance. • Keep c...
Leeches have been known to fall and attach on the eyeballs of hapless hikers. Where I'm from, if a leech attaches itself to you, you just spray it with alcohol and it will shrink and fall off. Obvi...
If someone were to get an open wound in the back country, say a knife slipped while cooking dinner and sliced the person, how would you treat that? We already have one question about using whiskey...
Someone told me that you should treat a snake bite (in the wilderness) by cutting a X in the skin (with a knife) and sucking the stuff out of it. This sounds a little weird to me. Is this really a ...
Someone told me that you should treat a snake bite (in the wilderness) by cutting a X in the skin (with a knife) and sucking the stuff out of it. This sounds a little weird to me. Is this really a ...
I have been looking around and I see some claims of 15 to 30 minutes. Googling 'snake bite fastest time to death' brings back many different answers. In one place I see Black Mamba with 30 minute...
I know that boiling does little to break down chemical contaminants or heavy metals. But I'm unsure if it kills all microbial life. Are there any waterborne illness-causing viruses/bacteria/protozo...
Possibly the most common injury I see when hiking with groups is when someone turns or rolls their ankle. Assuming that access to a vehicle is not feasible, what is the best way to deal with the i...
I went hiking with a friend a few years ago who had adjusted his new 90 liter pack to sit pretty high up on him. As a result he managed to create two very large blisters right above his buttocks. ...
Recently I fell ill whilst car camping and it made me consider the situations when not around amenities. In addition to this I recently was part of a four man, one dog team climbing Snowdon and one...
Assuming you or one of your party has broken his leg (or something). How can you create a provisional splint or cast to bring you/him/her back to the next hospital etc.? Would be cool if it's made...
