James Wesley;
As a First Aid instructor trainer (I teach teachers how to teach First Aid) for Emergency First Response Corp., a subsidiary of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) , I read with great heartache the letter “First Aid Kits are not enough” and felt deeply for it’s author. We teach the importance of self reliance in an emergency situation because there are times, like the one so eloquently shared here, that EMS just isn’t coming. I applaud his courage and level-headedness.
One of the things I ask my students is if they have a “well stocked” First Aid kit. The response is usually about 50% say the do. When I start to go over the list of what goes into a “well stocked” First Aid kit, I am met with blank stares. Most people go to their local drug store and buy a 250 piece first aid kit and store it away thinking all is well. Those “drug store” kits are nice for everyday cuts and scrapes, but as the author of the letter describes, you need a lot more than you think you do. I call the drug store kits, boo boo kits, because 200 of the 250 pieces in that kit are merely band aids and “boo boo”. That is about all that about all they are good for. Although I applaud the author for his coolness under stress and his ability to literally save is wife’s life, I do have some additional thoughts that may help others who may find themselves in a similar situation; the author sates “I set the phone down near us as I replaced the dripping bandages.” One shouldn’t remove blood soaked bandages if you want the blood to clot. If the bandage becomes blood soaked, place another on top and continue to wrap the new bandages over it. He also didn’t tell us if he used firm direct pressure on the wound, which combined with elevating the wounded area above the heart is the preferred method of stopping severe bleeding. The fact that he went through so many gauze pads is an indication of his pulling them away and aggravating the wound and keeping the wound from clotting properly. He also stated “My wife, now shivering from slight shock of the incident was nauseous and dizzy. I took appropriate actions and assured her everything was going to be fine.” By proper actions I’m assuming he treated her for shock (Elevating the feet six to twelve inches and maintaining her body temperature), and not just tell her everything would be okay. He notes that, “It was 9 p.m. when I ran out of bandages. In four hours I had gone through three boxes of gauze as the wound wept, the ‘dull thudding pain’ also taking it’s toll on the medication we had in the kit”.
If in his kit he had had some blood stopper trauma dressings or steri-strips (Butterfly bandages) or more than a few 4″ x 4″ gauze pads, he should have been able to slow the bleeding to a manageable level, place on the butterfly bandages and then covered the wound in a sterile dressing, saving him the dangerous trip out for more supplies. One thing he didn’t think of (and most people don’t) and that is the use of feminine hygiene products for stopping severe bleeding. I’m sure his wife would have such products (tampons, and pads) somewhere in the house. Although you can use these to stop the bleeding, most have added fragrances and chemicals so their long tern use in not recommended. But if he had used a few Maxi pads to gain control of the bleeding, he surely wouldn’t have had to make that harrowing trip out in extremely dangerous weather.
It’s story’s like these that can help all of us prepare for those times when the emergency strikes and we are on our own, Note this wasn’t TEOTWAWKI, situation, his was a weather caused emergency, and those happen all the time. There are three things each of us should do:
• Get trained – Seek out a professional CPR/First Aid course in your area. having had Red Cross, Medic first aid and the American Heart Association’s training, I prefer EFR’s training method best, but you be the judge.
• Get a Kit – A rifleman with out a good rifle is no rifleman at all. A well stocked First kit is essential. You should spend at least $80.00 to $100.00 for a decent kit. After you buy a kit, add to it with back up supplies. I have an entire plastic stack-able office bins dedicated to first aid supplies.
• Get practice – After you have learned the basics of First Aid, PRACTICE. Just like owning a surfboard doesn’t make you a surfer, and owning a rifle doesn’t make you a marksman, taking a First Aid course doesn’t make you a First Responder. You must PRACTICE! So how do you get practice and experience? Join a volunteer organization, Church or service group and volunteer to be in they’re first aid tent. Ask to do a ride along with the EMTs (if they allow it). Next time there is a family/Friend/Work gathering make sure you take a long your new and improved first aid kit, and let everyone know you have it. Most will think your strange until the first time they need your supplies and talent. Have you ever been to a family BBQ and little Johnny got too close to the BBQ and burned himself and then the hostess of the party had to run around and empty her entire medicine cabinet looking for the right stuff? How much better it would be to have your kit at the ready! Trust me, you’ll be the “go to” guy from now on. Get all the practice on the scraped knees and slightly burned fingers now, and when you REALLY need your skills to save a life, you will be prepared.
Remember the three “B”s….Bullets, Beans, and Band Aids, may I add the three “Gets” Get trained, Get a Kit and Get Practice!
Make sure you have plenty of each! – Kory Mikesell