Pocket-Sized Emergency First Aid Kits (For Your PFD)
HAVING A ROBUST RESCUE KIT AND FIRST AID KIT ARE IMPORTANT ITEMS FOR A RIVER TRIP OR A SWIFTWATER TEAM TO HAVE.
But what do you do when you find yourself separated from your primary kit in your boat or vehicle? Over the years we have found that having a small kit with basic items can make the difference when you are caring for yourself or others on the side of the river. These suggestions come from personal experience and the experience of others who had to care for themself or others while away from their main supplies. Having these when things go wrong can make a huge difference until the larger emergency kit can arrive.
This pocket sized emergency first aid kit includes crucial items needed to begin administering care if you find yourself separated from your full first aid kit. It’s an excellent item to have on hand for river-runners or rescue teams.
Emergency Blankets have a great amount of tensile strength allowing them to be used for a variety of uses. These include: shelter for yourself or a non-mobile patient from wind and rain, creating an improvised sling and/or swath for shoulder/elbow injuries, a pelvic binder for unstable pelvic injuries, making ties for splinting, an improvised tourniquet, and many more uses.
Small CPR Barrier: While this type of CPR barrier is not the ideal, it is one you can carry with you everywhere. With water sports having a higher incidence of drowning, having a barrier device with you can protect you while you give immediate life saving rescue breaths while someone else works on bringing a full size CPR pocket mask from your larger first aid kit.
Disposable Gloves, of course, do the obvious job of keeping things that are wet and sticky and not your own, off of you. Having gloves on makes it easier to get over your squeamishness and quickly apply direct pressure to a wound while preventing the transfer of pathogens from one person to another.
Fire Source Bic Lighters are one of the most reliable lighters we have come across. Even if they get wet they will still spark after a few good blasts of air on the flint and striker. They can provide a spark to alert others to your location in the dark and provide a fire source to provide light and heat in the dark.
Fire starter in the form of a small bit of rubber for fire starting, will light and stay lit even in terrible weather, allowing you to build a fire for heat and mental comfort. We find a couple of strips of an old bike tube work well.
Light Source Small Disposable LED Lights provide the obvious light you need if benighted and it can be a huge help when caring for yourself or a patient. Additionally, they provide a way to signal and be seen by those who are coming to your aid.
Waterproof Container: We have had great luck with ALOKSAK bags. These storage and transport dry bags are guaranteed to be waterproof and have been certified to 60 meters for over 2 weeks. Leakproof, double-zipper products offer unparalleled water-tightness in a reclosable bag. Durable 6 mil film has a “cold-crack” tolerance to -40F/-40 C, Far lower than that of PVC or Vinyl.
We are huge proponents of everyone carrying these and the 3:2:1 or 4:3:2:1 system on their person. Doing so takes very little room in your PFD, but provides huge benefits to yourself and the group in the event of an emergency.
Feel free to utilize this list to make your own personal kit or purchase a fully stocked kit from us.
Packed properly, this pocket-sized emergency first aid kit fits into the front pocket of your PFD.