There are some bushwalking topics we will never agree on. There is never going to be the perfect gear list, the best footwear or most ideal shelter. So as I write this article about what your first aid kit should look like I do so from a bunker buried deep in the earth with the expectation it will never be safe for me to surface again, rest assured, the bunker is equipped with a very adequate first aid kit.

38 | BWA August 2017

Garmin Oregon 650 near Mt RufusWeiyun Yu

This kind of first aid may be less glamorous than dealing with blood or broken bones, but done well it can have an enormous positive impact on the person's life and the outcome of your bushwalk. As first aiders it is helpful to be trained in psychological first aid for our own wellbeing; we need to take care of our own health.

Why do we even need a first aid kit?Now don’t get me wrong here, it is not just knowledge and experience, and I encourage you to carry a first aid kit. In some situations, a few simple items can save people's lives, like an allergy or a heart attack. Other items buy you a lot more time for help to arrive, like bleeding or snake bite. Small items allow you continue your adventure, such as blisters, small cuts or burns.

There are a bunch of factors such as terrain, length of walk, isolation, weather, and group size that will impact on the items and number of each item you carry. Possibly the biggest impact will be how you perceive the duty of care you own to people in your group and yourself. Duty of care is simply a moral and potential legal obligation to ensure the safety and well-being of others. Yes, it is possible to do the minimalist thing and manage a wound with toilet paper and leaves, but when you think through your duty of care you can decide if that is actually what you

want before you leave home. Consider the consequences of specific injuries/illness occurring and the gear required to manage them adequately. Consider the probability of such things happening, and how you would feel if you did not have the gear.

Suggested listHelen Smith and I on a project at National Parks Association NSW decided to make up a set of first aid kits up for bushwalking leaders. We made our own because we needed a lot of them and the ones in store just did not cut it for us. For most of us bushwalking types, I think the way to do it is to start with a good kit that has the contents and casing that suits you then add and remove from there.

Keep in mind this list was created for club group leaders, so it has been designed to cope with various conditions, larger and diverse groups of people.

Personal medicationsThere are some first aid items that people in your group may carry themselves. Such as medications for allergies, asthma, heart conditions and much more. Hopefully along with the medication they will have an action plan that outlines the process of managing the condition if it fairs up. Speak with them about it and know where it is in their pack.

40 | BWA August 2017

This is a good reminder to us all, let people in your group that you trust know what medical issues you have and how to manage it in an emergency.

But what about ...?Yes I can hear you screaming, but what about …? If you want it, add it. How far do we take this is always going to be a question. Should we carry oxygen cylinders? A semi-automatic defibrillator? Splints? Stretchers?

Maybe, consider vulnerability in your group, costs, weight etc. Think about what is normal and what most other people would do in a similar situation. Think about stuff going bad and how you would cope without having it. You can’t carry a full emergency room with you - our backs are just not strong enough, so there will always be compromise and that is okay.

BWA August 2017 | 41

It is not normal (yet) to carry a defibrillator on a bushwalk, when they become as small and cheap as your phones then I suspect they will be added to our backpacks. The first aid kit will always be changing as technology, medicine, communication and transport improves.

How to pack itIt seems that most walkers have a first aid pouch and pack it near the top of there pack. Usually the PLB is separate. This works, I do things a little different. I have 2 first aid kits as well as a bandage and PLB separate. Let me explain.

PLBs need to be handy, but not the first things you grab, so it lives in the main section of my pack.

I carry a roller bandage in snap lock bag in an outside mesh pack pocket. I just find if I need anything from my first aid kit is almost always a roller bandage, usually for a minor strain or sprain. I keep it handy for that reason. It also quick and easy to access in case of a snake bite, or major bleeding.

Oh crap! Bag. My first aid kit is for those moments when someone shouts out. Maybe a trauma kit would be a better

name, but I prefer mine. This is a clear vacuum sealed back (or just suck the air out of a snap lock bag) with triangular bandages, shears, gloves, shock blanket, etc. Basically stuff to help when someone has likely in a lot of pain or at risk of bleeding out quickly. This bag rips open quickly and hardly ever gets used, but sits at the very top of my pack.

Oh yeah! Bag. This is all the other stuff in the main first aid kit list. It is the part of the first aid kit that gets the most use. It is for dealing with the small stuff, before it become big and ugly. For blisters, small cuts etc.

Getting helpRemember that first aid is mostly about buying time before medical aid can be accessed, and avoiding things from getting worse. For most minor issues you can visit a doctor after you finish the walk, if you need to all. Occasionally someone in your group, or someone you find on the track may need medical aid urgently. In situations such as a heart attack, stick in the eye, significant bleeding, severe allergic reaction the faster you get help the more likely the person will survive as well as have a faster and better their recovery.

42 | BWA August 2017