If you’re camping in the wild or at your local lake, you must always ensure to take the necessary measures to safeguard yourself in the event of an emergency.
If you have a solid first aid kit loaded with the correct materials, you can have a sense of security on your vacation. So here are some thoughtful modifications that will keep you warm and secure while enjoying the wilderness.
Wandering or hiking in the highlands or forest when camping in the presence of nature increases the risk of nicks, wounds, and scrapes.
Together with your usual camping gear checklist, you must have a well-stocked camping first aid kit on hand in the event of an emergency.
What to Put in a Camping First Aid Kit?
Certain basic care products are vital for a first-aid kit. Below we are mentioning those essential items that you must have with you when going out on your camping/hiking trip. This way you would be able to enjoy your trip peacefully, knowing that you have a backup for when there is a medical emergency.
- Antiseptic Wipes
Antiseptic wipes are the essential items in a first aid kit. To cleanse wounds and areas around them to either cover the wound or to apply some medication. For minor cuts, antiseptic wipes can be used to clean over them, as they do not sting. But should not be directly applied over larger wounds as it would sting.
- Antibacterial Ointment
Topical antibacterials prevent and treat bacterial infections or minor skin infections that might be caused by cuts, scrapes, and burns that you might get while you’re on trial. If left untreated the wound can worsen.
- Compound Tincture of Benzoin
You can get minor skin sores or wounds where you can apply this product to prevent irritation and infection. Benzoin can heal sores in and around the mouth. Minor irritation can be relieved using a benzoin tincture.
- Assorted adhesive bandages, Butterfly bandages / adhesive wound-closure strips, Non-stick sterile pads
For small injuries that are not of major concern. Butterfly stitches substitute the classic needle and thread for wound closing. In the case of venous leg ulcers, and pressure ulcers, non-stick sterile pads are employed.
- Gauze pads (various sizes)
These are used for cleaning, dressing, prepping, packing, and debriding any wounds. You can use them as an absorbent while you dress your wound.
- Medications
You must make sure to carry varying important medications such as blister treatment medicines/ointments/gels, for pain relievers you should keep ibuprofen / other pain-relief medication such as NSAIDs, or Aspirin.
Nature has a variety of insects to offer so it’s best to keep insect sting / anti-itch treatment with you. You can get hit by anything and develop an allergy, so you must have antihistamines to treat allergic reactions.
- Additional Medications/Treatments
Any prescription medications are essential to be carried with you in your kit. Other medicines such as for temporary relief of sore throats, irritation, or cough, throat lozenges are useful.
There must be sunburn relief gel or spray, lubricating eye drops, diarrhea medication, Antacid tablets for digestive problem relief, and oral rehydration salts to helps you with dehydration conditions. Glucose or other sugar to treat low blood sugar levels. Injectable epinephrine is extremely important to prevent life-threatening allergies or insect/bug bites.
- Splinter (fine-point) tweezers
These are extremely important as you will be exposed to the wild and nature, and so the chances of the smallest of the particles be embedded in your skin.
- Other items
For minor wear and tears, or to secure a bandage safety pins and medical adhesive tapes come in handy. Safety pins will be helpful in temporarily holding together torn fabrics and can be employed in fixing bandages.
Bandages, gauze, and other coverings are attached to the skin around wounds with medical adhesive tape, also known as surgical tape. Usually, sticky tapes are pressure-sensitive tapes, which means they adhere and remain stable when you apply firm pressure.
With every kit, a first-aid manual is contained which has information regarding the items included in the kit as well as the “how to use” description is there for those who do not have any knowledge about it.
In an Android environment, the First Aid Manual is a complete reference that offers vital information and valid responses for various pathogenic illnesses in everyday situations.
Wraps, Splints, and Wound Coverings
Since you’re out in the wild, hurting yourself is highly expected. You will be more involved in physical activities on your camping/hiking trip than you are on a regular day. It is highly recommended that your first-aid kit must have the following in case you’re in a situation of dealing with cuts, bruises, and wounds – minor or major (as in those that can be handled for the time being and do not require urgent need of a doctor or hospitalization).
Read through to get an idea of what should be considered essential.
- Elastic wrap
To reduce inflammation and discomfort, an elastic bandage applies gentle, uniform pressure to the tissues around an injury. It also aids in the healing of an injured region. Any of the following circumstances may necessitate the use of an elastic bandage: To increase the blood circulation to a limb.
- Triangular cravat bandage
Oversized triangular bandages could be used as dressings, slings to brace a limb, or to keep a dressing in place. If you’re slinging an arm with a triangular bandage, make sure it’s flared out.
This is used to minimize bleeding as an arm sling or a pad. It could also be used as makeshift padding over a devastating condition or to assist or immobilize a bone or joint injury.
- Finger splint(s) and SAM splint(s)
Your physical activity could also lead to injuring your fingers or arms accidentally, therefore your kit must include finger splints and SAM splints.
Finger splints can be used to keep the delicate appendages in position while they heal following a fracture or break, as well as to help enhance limited mobility caused by a persistent ailment.
The SAM (structural aluminum malleable) splint is a small, lightweight, and extremely adaptable device used in emergencies to immobilize bone and soft tissue injuries. It is made up of a covering of soft aluminum strips measuring 0.016 inches (0.41 mm) and a polyethylene closed-cell foam coating.
- Rolled, stretch-to-conform bandages
The Elastoplast Conforming Bandage supports damaged joints in high-motion areas such as the wrist, thigh, or knee. The bandages take the shape of the applied area as well as provide comfort and light pressure. They are popularly used for dressing preservation.
- Hydrogel-based pads
With their cold, high-water content, hydrogels stimulate healing of wounds, supply hydration, and give therapeutic benefits when used as a wound dressing. The use of hydrogel in a gauze patch can help keep the bandage from clinging to the wound.
- First-aid cleansing pads with topical anesthetic
Make very sure your first-aid kit has a packed sterilized cleaning pad for washing gunk out of scratches caused by rocks or logs. Many of these pads contain a dermal anesthetic, such as lidocaine, to assist in numbing the region while massaging and cleansing. If your pads haven’t been sterilized, ensure to include a bottle of topical anesthetic in your kit (purchased from drug stores).
- Hemostatic (blood-stopping) gauze
Whenever the bandage comes in direct contact with blood, it becomes highly sticky. The injury is sealed and bleeding is controlled by the adhesive-like effect. The dressing’s positive charges attract positively charged red blood cells due to its molecular structure.
To prevent bleeding from artery wounds, blunt force trauma, motor vehicle crashes, and other extreme bleeding injuries place gauze immediately on the bleeding site and exert pressure for three minutes.
- Liquid bandage
They’re a clear, adhesive liquid glue that can be directly applied to an injury to keep torn flesh edges around each other. The liquid suture forms a coating that seals and shields the wound as it hardens. Liquid stitches often referred to as liquid bandages, are a type of liquid stitch.
Other camping essentials with first aid kit
- Knife
In any wilderness situation, a dependable cutting tool and a multi-tool are essential. Cutting garments, dismantling things to build improvised emergency goods, cutting tape, moleskin, or dressings, and so on are all circumstances when a sharp knife or multi-tool will come in helpful.
- Blunt-tip scissors
The blunt-ended scissors were designed exclusively for therapeutic purposes which can be used to cut plasters, bandages, and dressings without hurting the flesh. With a sharp, sleek blade, the incredibly simple scissors cut across thick fabrics with ease, leaving a straight razor.
- Safety razor blade
Razor blades can be used in place of scissors. It could also be used to scrape skin before placing tape or a snake bite kit’s suction cup.
- cotton-tipped swabs
Because they’re sterile, these first-aid equipment are preferred for using your fingertips to apply topicals, which might spread infection. Applicators, popularly known as cotton swabs, can be used to clean the region around an injury, clean the exterior ear, and apply makeup.
- Standard oral thermometer
An oral thermometer is a device that detects the body’s core temperature. When the temperature gets too high or too cold, it affects body systems. A first responder’s ability to correctly monitor a temperature is critical.
An oral thermometer would be a convenient choice to be kept in your first-aid kit. You can get yourself a digital thermometer with which you can measure the body temperature by placing it in the ear. The latter gives you a better temperature reading but it is more expensive.
- Irrigation syringe with 18-gauge catheter
Using the syringe, rinse the wound completely with clean water. Ensure you get as deep as possible through into the injury and also that you clean each aspect of the injury.
For irrigation, a 35-mL piston syringe with an 18-gauge or 19-gauge tip is recommended.
You can spray a jet of water with just enough intensity to clear dirt from most wounds with this easy, lightweight instrument.
- Medical/surgical gloves
In a first-aid emergency, disposable gloves provide an effective barrier to infection. First responders must always have biodegradable, latex-free gloves on hand. They should be worn by the first responder when there is a chance of direct contact with body fluids.
- CPR mask
CPR masks have been used in the recovery of patients who have lost consciousness or are breathing insufficiently, and they are aimed at preventing the transmission of potential germs during mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
- Small notepad with waterproof pencil or pen
You can document vital signs and other crucial information in a small notebook with a waterproof pencil or pen. Throughout most weather conditions, a pencil will function on waterproof paper, but a pen will scribble on the rear of your latex gloves.
- Medical waste bag
These red medical waste bags are designed specifically to hold medical or biohazardous material. Discard solid or liquid goods tainted with blood or body fluids and contagious substances using these bags (OPIM).
- Waterproof container to hold supplies and meds
You should be careful when picking out a container to store your supplies and medications, which would act as your first-aid kit. It must be waterproof as well as weatherproof so it’ll keep your stored supplies safe against potential external hazards.
- Emergency heat-reflecting blanket
An emergency blanket would return up to 80% of the body temperature to the victim. Aluminum film blankets are being used to heal shock or hypothermia by keeping the body warm and reducing heat loss.
- Hand sanitizer and biodegradable soap
Both filth and oil can be removed with biodegradable soap and water, while hand sanitizers can kill most pathogens. Sanitizers should always be worked in for around 30 seconds, and the quantity spilled must be sufficient to keep the hands moist for 10 to 15 seconds. The Best Hand Sanitizers for Your Needs should be included in your first-aid kit.
Conclusion
Lastly, note that learning CPR, the Heimlich maneuver, as well as other simple procedures, are the greatest approach to defending oneself in the case of a medical emergency. Keep in mind that everyone in your camping group knows what to do when someone develops hypothermia, has a serious allergic response, breaks a bone, or suffers from some other common ailment. Check out if anyone in your group has allergies if someone can’t swim, and anything that can hinder your vacation.
Early planning is crucial, and you won’t be sorry for taking just a few minutes to understand procedures that will save the lives of your campmates.