First Aid Basics
Drink plenty of fluids and watch your urine color.
What is dehydration?
Put your stove/fire out cold and manage your fuels. Be ready to put it out fast (and how).
What is a fire? Fuel shut-off, water, fire extinguisher, shovel. Make sure everything is hooked up right!
Remain calm. Identify offending animal. Keep affected area below the heart.
What is a snakebite?
A nice sunny day and my arm and nose are all red and swollen! Maybe there is some cream for this?
What is sunburn?
Use of a map and compass might help avoid this problem.
What is being lost?
Break in your boots and use moleskin to avoid these.
What are blisters?
1st & 2nd degree - clean, cool and lightly bandage. Maybe some cream.
What are burns?
These guys are tiny but can pack a major punch. Check carefully. If set, remove completely with tweezers.
What is a tick?
Warm, groggy and sweating profusely. Eventually, stop sweating but can pass out (unconscious). Rest, remove excess clothing, drink fluids to avoid these.
What is heat exhaustion and heat stroke?
I must have forgotten that! Be like Santa.
What is making a (packing) list and checking it twice?
Have a rest to calm down. Talking with someone helps to slow this down.
What is hyperventilation?
I am injured but noone can help me! Too bad I wasn't using this.
What is the buddy system?
Cooling and careful use of a credit card can help. Be careful of allergic reactions.
What is an insect sting? (Bees, wasps, etc. - quick action may be required with e.g. an Epipen.)
I'm not thinking straight and need to get warm & dry because my core temperature is too low. Eating something and warm liquids will help too. Ow! My finger needs something more!
What is hypothermia and frostbite?
I swear I left my messkit right there! It's getting dark and I can't find my flashlight. Where's my knife?
What is disorder or being unorganized?
What is muscle strain?
We just ate and I don't feel so good... (at least one example)
What is food poisoning? (Cold storage of meats, cross contamination, raw or undercooked foods, moldy or rotten food)
Commonly associated with bats and dogs, it can be carried by other animals too. If injured by such an animal, seek medical assistance to prevent this.
What is rabies?
A storm blew through and relocated our dining fly. Some tree branches fell next to my tent.
What is high wind?
I'm completely organized but my camp chair is gone! Someone must have taken it!
What is theft? Fact of modern life. Secure your items when away from camp.
Keep hydrated, plan time to acclimate then "climb high, sleep low" to avoid this.
What is altitude sickness?
Know what you drink and make it safe using a variety of methods (at least one example).
What is water treatment or purification? (Boil, filter, tablets, etc.)
This airborne virus is associated with rodent droppings & has flu-like symptoms. Inspect areas and clean before use.
What is Hantavirus?
Our group spread out, 30m apart, low to the ground in a dense forest to wait this out. There is a special position.
What is lightning?
Our food was eaten and gear damaged by these. We could have been injured or eaten too! (Provide one example.)
What are large (predatory) animals? In Germany, it's just the wild boar. In other places, it can get scary!