You may have noticed that the club first aid kits now look different. The lunch boxes have been changed over to soft packs. This makes them a little easier to pack in your pack. Sorry that they aren’t any lighter, but also they aren’t any heavier. They also aren’t waterproof (neither were the lunchboxes), so if this worries you we also have some DoC garbage bags that they fit neatly in to – just ask for one when you are collecting gear.
The contents have also changed slightly. The eye loop has gone (if you don’t know what that is, don’t worry as it is not for you anyway). As has the needle (there are still safety pins). The additions are some betadine (good to stop scratches/cuts/gashes going too septic), over the counter pain killers, optiflex (a stay-dry wound dressing covering for those out where it might be wet). There are also some minor changes to dressing and bandages that you probably won’t notice.
This is the list of what you will find in the first aid kit:
1 First Aid Booklet
2 Crepe Bandage (7.5cm x 4.5m)
1 Triangular Bandage
1 Roll Strapping Tape
50cm Elastoplast Strip
8 Wound Dressing Pads(telfas)
6 Steri-strips
1m Optisite Flexifix
6 Safety Pins
1 Tweasers
1 Scissors
1 Single Edge Blade
1 Thermometer
2pr Rubber Gloves
10 Panadeine Tablets
10 Panadol Tablets
1 Pencil
1 Whistle
1 Water Proof Matches
1 Emergency Blanket
You will need a knife or good teeth to break the seal to get in to the first aid kit (yes I did test it and I can get it open in a few minutes with deprived-country-girl teeth so town teeth should be just fine). We seal them so we know when they have been opened as some people forget to tell us. Check out the seal and know you have what is needed to break it before you head out.
I recommend doing an outdoors first aid course (these are noted on the trip schedules). Any questions or suggestions on the first aid kits see me. It goes without saying that if you use one or it gets wet, let the person on the gear cupboard know.
A big thank you to Louise Hargreaves for all the time and help she gave to this.
Marie Henderson, Gear Custodian