What About A Digital 1st Aid Book?

I already own an AMK kit, so it came with the book. The book does not run out of batteries and is still readable when wet. It’s also, in its entirety, lighter than my Treo 650. Even though I now construct my own kits from scratch, the book is still a valuable reference tool (along with the NOLS Wilderness First Aid – too big – and American Red Cross first aid class materials – too thin). Nice to brush up on it at night while trying to fall asleep.

Useful? For sure. They’d do a huge service by releasing it for download free of charge…building the knowledge will certainly help drive the purchase of first aid materials (an “intellectual razor blades” business model). PDF or HTML would be fine, IMHO. But hardly something I’d lug into the backcountry on a device.

Although I freely admit to playing Scrabble on the Treo in the High Sierras once. :-p

an e-book form for that reference.

sure, i wouldn’t mind having it on my laptop at home/work. But…

i wouldn’t personally lug it into the backcountry. i could see if you already carried a device to read the e-book. it might be an interesting read before turning in after a hard day on the trail. there are worse things one can read before catching some shut eye.

One cautionary note, i would hope no one would primarily rely on a book in any form, paper or paperless, in the event of most emergencies and so feel a false sense of security. The procedures that should be taken in any emergency situation should be known stone cold and not require looking up in a book AT the time of the emergency – sometimes every second counts. That said, most everyone needs a “refresher” every now and again, and so reading the book again before a trek as well as before turning in is not a bad idea by any means.

my two shekels. YMMV.

Mark, I like the idea of a digital format for the book. Yet, I don’t carry my Blackberry, Palm, or other device with me in the field. It would be another quality source to use at home.

Nathan–great idea about the free down load.

pj–I absolutely agree with you. In life threatening situations, KNOW your stuff BEFORE you NEED to use it. That being said, a reference to cover some of the non life threatening, but trip threatening problems could come in handy. And as you point out a “refresher” isn’t a bad idea for the more major things.

Phil–I don’t carry my phone or palm with me either, but when hiking with my kids we take small walkie talkies since they always seem to be a mile ahead of me.

I appreciate the input. Personally, I would like to get the book in a lighter version or be able to use a digital version to print my own smaller copy. Of course AMK sell their stuff to sailors, cyclists, kayakers and canoeists, hunters, car campers, boy scouts, 4 wheelers, and other adventurers, many who don’t care about an extra pound here or there and some that do. I guess we’ll have to see what AMK does with this.