Wilderness Medical Kits
Eric Johnson, MD
Board member, WMS
Emergency Medicine of Idaho, PA
Volunteer Physician for the Himalayan Rescue Association in
'98 and '02.
NAUI Dive Instructor #22649
Ejohnson@emidaho.com
This topic is wide and very individual as to preferences, etc. My goal is to
give you some ideas and thoughts, which may form the basis of your own
medical kit.
General Thoughts:
1)
The "five W's" of a medical kit:
a.
Who
i.
Number on trip
ii.
Medical expertise of members.
iii.
Age of participants.
iv.
Pre-existing medical problems
v.
Are you caring for "others"...i.e. locals?
b.
What
i.
How long?
ii.
Other resources available such as communication tools.
iii.
Do members have rescue insurance?
c.
When
i.
Time of year may impact what you carry or need.
ii.
Endemic diseases may be more prevalent in one season vs.
another time.
d.
Where
i.
Distance to definitive health care...i.e. when diving, where is
the closest recompression chamber.
ii.
Environment...i.e. Marine, mountain, desert, jungle, etc.
iii.
Availability of aero-medical rescue?
iv.
Travel medicine and endemic disease issues.
e.
Why
i.
Reason for the trip. Is this a day hike or doing a new route
on a peak requiring one to move fast and light. How much
are you willing to risk?
2)
The "KISS" principle.
a.
"Keep it simple, stupid". Must THINK about what you truly might
need as heavy, large medical kits tend to be left behind. Try to use
meds/medical tools for multiple purposes.
3)
The 6 "P's" of life and medical kits.
