First Aid Kit

[Ernie Delcher]

I've seen threads on most of the needed crew gear (tarps, tents, stoves, pots, bear bags, bear bag ropes, water filters, etc.). Everything except first aid kits!

There is a list of recomended items in the Guidebook to Adventure.

What have you taken?

Was it inspected by a ranger?

Was it one package or several split amongst the trek?

Anything special on your "must have" list?

Thanks
Ernie

[Carl Zimmerman]

I did a trek in 2007 & 2008. I did a cavalcade in 2010. Each time, I only had to show that I had a first aid kit. It wasn't inspected.

We suggested to our crews that they each carry a few bandages & blister care in a small ziplok baggie. That supplemented our main kit carried by leader w/ Wilderness First Aid training. In my experience in the Philmont backcountry, you have a lot of minor problems – blisters, upset stomach, etc – or you need a medivac. The minor problems are annoying. The medivac episode we had (heat exhaustion/unconscious Scout) really scared us. Since that 2008 medivac episode, we haven't been on a High Adventure trip that we didn't also have a SPOT emergency beacon with us (09 Northern Tier, 10 Cavalcade, 11 Sea Base, our planned 2012 Northern Tier trek, and three Grand Canyon & Big Bend backpack trips).

[John Myers]

We take an Adventure Medical kit that has a very similar list to the Guidebook one.
Our kit was not inspected last time, the ranger just confirmed that we had one.
We keep the troop kit in one package and the advisor with the Wilderness First Aid training carries it (it's pretty light).

Nothing special on the 'must haves', but we do encourage every scout to bring their own small 1st aid kit with blister care, adhesive bandages, something for upset stomach and maybe a few Advil (or similar).

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