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PART 10: First Aid

Every leader should make it their business to attend a formal first aid course run by any of the voluntary association such as the Red Cross or St. John's Ambulance Brigade. We present here a few reminders.

Basic rules of first aid
Don't panic. Try to remain cool and act quickly. The victims life may depend on your actions.

If an accident occurs in wild countryside it is unlikely that a doctor or assistance will be available for sometime therefore the care and attention of the victim will be your responsibility until help arrives.

Before approaching any injured person first secure their position, by that we mean that you should protect the victim from further danger, perhaps falling rocks etc. You should also protect yourself.
When you reach the victim, assess the injuries and handle in the following sequence:-

Restore and maintain breathing / heartbeat
Stop bleeding
Protect wounds and burns
Immobilise fractures
Treat shock

Your first concern is always to maintain breathing and heartbeat. Check your victims breathing and pulse immediately. The brain dies if it is deprived of oxygen for more than three minutes, so if the victim is not breathing or has no pulse then time is limited and you must act immediately to restore breathing.

If the victim is unconscious, check first for breathing, check for external injuries, try to establish the cause of unconsciousness. If unconsciousness is as a result of a fall then do not attempt to move the victim until consciousness is regained for fear that the victim may have a spinal injury. Maintain breathing and keep victim warm until help arises or until victim regains consciousness and can tell you of their injuries.

If your victim is conscious, give comfort and reassurance to reduce shock.

Provide shelter, warmth and comfort until help arrives.

Never, never give an alcoholic drink of any sort.

If the victim is conscious and complaining of a pain in the back or neck, particularly if this is associated with
(a) inability to move arms or legs,
(b) shooting pains down the arms or legs
(c) areas of numbness, decreasing sensation or pins and needles.
Then the likely hood is that your victim is suffering from a spinal injury and should not be moved, unless to save life.

Not all accidents on the hillside will be serious most will be just minor scratches and cuts. These injuries should be treated immediately to prevent infection. A personal first aid kit should be carried by everyone in the group. Patrols should be encouraged to have a little more elaborate kit which includes a first aid handbook. The leaders of the group should also have first aid kits and know how to use it.

Personal First aid kits
Assorted Plasters
A Cleaning swab
A Needle and safety pins
A small one inch bandage roll
Some disinfectant in a sealed container (film container)
3 triangular bandages 

Patrol First aid kit
( This kit can be shared out among the members of the Patrol)
2 triangular bandages ( in addition to those in personal kits and scout neckerchiefs)
Disinfectant ( diluted ready to use in plastic bottle)
Needle and thread
Assorted plasters
Bandages (one inch and one and half inches)
Small scissors
Cotton wool
Sterial cleaning swabs
Headache tablets
Tweezers
Chap stick
Water purifying tablets
Safety pins
Tissues
insect repellant (summer only)
Sunburn Cream (summer only) 

Treatment of Blisters
Blisters are minor inconveniences causing major misery. They can transform a happy day on the hills into a painful experience.
Blisters are more likely to form on the feet and ankles if boots are too tight, or new and stiff. When a boot and sock are rubbing uncomfortably against the skin, they cause friction on the skin of the foot causing a blister to form. Fluid collects under the skin which will be released if the blister is left alone however, if neglected it can burst and cause infection.

Treating a blister.
At the first signs of soreness, before a blister can form, cover the sore area with a dressing, so that the protective pad can prevent friction.

If the blister has already formed you should clean the area around the blister with an antiseptic cream or fluid.

The area should then be dried carefully. You should not attempt to burst the blister. Unless you have a sterile needle this can cause infection, and if you still have some distance to travel will increase the chances of infection from socks etc.

Protect the blister with a big plaster. You must try and prevent further friction on this point. This could be done by wearing another pair of socks or padding the area of the foot. You should also check the inside of the boot just in case theremaybe a blur or flaw on the inside of the boot which is causing friction on this point.

A useful trick is to fold up a small plastic lunch bag. This bag is then placed in the boot. You then put on the boot. The plastic bag absorbs the friction inside the boot. Please note you do not put your foot inside the bag. The bag is between your socks and the leather of the boot.

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