Camp Month: Basic Medical Kits by Todd Kelly, EMR Firefighter

robby denning · Apr 4, 2015

Camp Month is rolling here on Rokslide.

I received an article query last week that I thought might be the most important article we could publish during Camp Month.

Todd Kelly is a Rokslide member from Canada and an Emergency Medical Responder Firefighter. Todd shares his wisdom in designing medical kits for the backcountry, base camp, and even the truck. This article could save your life. Check it out:

http://www.rokslide.com/2012-01-09-05-09-42/essentials/340-basic-medical-kits

Matt W. · Apr 4, 2015

Good stuff Todd! I like the idea of combining the kill kit and 1st aid for backpacking.
I'm a big fan of those Kifaru pull out and the SG Camp Pockets. Light and useful.

Have you (or anyone) experimented much with various Quick Clot Alternatives? Celox Gauze is one that intrigues me.

CA Karen · Apr 4, 2015

I have used Celox itself and keep a couple of packets of it in my backpacking first aid kit. But plain gauze 4x4's work about as well depends on how well packed the injury site is and direct pressure on the wound.

Becca · Apr 4, 2015

Great article Todd, and great food for thought. I have revamped our BP first aid kit a lot over the years, and it's nice to see we have a lot of the same supplies

I have needed for a while to do a better base camp kit, and you gave me some concrete options to consider.

Glad you mentioned emergency comms as well...we don't go without the sat phone ever!

Thanks for an awesome article!

Mad Mountain Mike · Apr 4, 2015

Thanks for taking the time Todd, great read. The QuikClot is something I've not thought of before now but will be adding to my kit before the next trip.
An EMT/ fire fighter friend of mine told me once that God created Fire fighters so that policemen could have heroes too. Is that true?

Rizzy · Apr 4, 2015

For me, the quickclot is a good complimentary item to go with my havalon

Anyone actually use it yet? What was the determining factor?

PNWGATOR · Apr 4, 2015

Nice article with some excellent, well thought out information.

Id recommend one addition. A Combat Application Tourniquet (CAT) should also be included in order to control arterial bleeding from an extremity. They're a little pricy, but worth every penny if needed. Make certain to stay away from the counterfeit ones. Also, do not rely on a field expedient tourniquet. Will they work. Maybe. Maybe not. You may not have the dexterity necessary to fashion one or remain conscious long enough to find out. I've tried a lot of tourniquets and the CAT is easy to self apply to both upper and lower extremities. Lightweight, simple and highly effective.

todd kelly · Apr 4, 2015

Thanks everyone! I enjoyed doing this one. Thought it might help out some guys who have never pack any F.A. gear like I use to do.

Hope everyone has a Happy Easter weekend!

Randle · Apr 5, 2015

Thanks Todd for the article I carry a minimal kit and the Metronidazole is interesting to me, do you use it instead of a filter?
I knew a guy that said thats what he did. He took the med instead of a filter, did not sound like a good idea at the time.

Becca · Apr 5, 2015

I didn't mention it, but I thought the inclusion of the metronidazole was interesting too. My understanding is that giardia takes a week or more to cause symptoms after you are exposed to it, so even drinking unfiltered water you wouldn't need it along except on trips longer than a week, correct? I am unaware of any recommendation for "preventative" treatment. And there are some other water borne illnesses not treated by metronidazole as well, so its not a good substitute for preventing exposure in the first place. Ihave always thought that an ounce of prevention was worth a pound of cure, so we always filter...

Certainly not questioning your judgement, just interested to hear your rationale Todd. Also, in the US anyway, it's only available via prescription as far as I know. We carry some strong pain killers, but I have never carried antibiotics or antiviral/antifungals. Figured the chances of an acute injury and debilitating pain were a greater risk to us in the backcountry setting than an infection. Then again, I haven't required antibiotics of any type in over 10 years...

Matt W. · Apr 5, 2015

Becca, whats your trick for avoiding antibiotics? It seems like the doc is always prescribing them for the kiddos. Ear infection, strep throat, sinus infection, etc.

Becca · Apr 5, 2015

High Country said:
Becca, whats your trick for avoiding antibiotics? It seems like the doc is always prescribing them for the kiddos. Ear infection, strep throat, sinus infection, etc.

Matt, I am not about to second guess your kid's doctor...children get sick a lot more than most adults as they build immunity. Antibiotics are often over prescribed though, and I do think doctors feel a lot of pressure to "do something" for sick patients that they see in their clinics. Most of the time healthy adults will clear most cold and flu bugs on their own without needing antibiotics. Again, not second guessing your family doctor, as there are occasions in which people really do need antibiotics to get over infections. Some people are predisposed to recurrent infections too, and those folks usually know when they need antibiotics right away and should probably carry them in the field.

I was on 7 consecutive rounds of Levaquin in a 6 month period my sophomore year of college, fighting back to back episodes of strep throat. I finally had my tonsils removed over Christmas break that year, and while it was a miserable post op recovery, getting those things out was totally worth it. I have rarely been sick since, and have not needed any antibiotics since. I attribute it to generally good health, good immunity from my repeated exposures (I work in a hospital), good hand washing practices, and trying to stay home and recoup when I do get sick. Since I am not prone to recurrent infections, and Neither Luke or I have taken antibiotics in the recent past, I wouldn't know what contingencies to plan for or what antibiotics to carry.

todd kelly · Apr 5, 2015

Good questions guys, I thought about leaving it off the list but wanted it to be 100% Accurate for what I actually pack.

I started carrying it (Metronidazole) in my guiding days as I would be in a fly in camp from June to mid Oct. so there was no way of getting any meds if one were to get sick during the season.

Now I carry it as I am usually on a 12 days hunting 4 days working 12 days hunting rotation during the fall so if I were to get Beaver Fever on my first trip and ended up getting the symptoms by my second trip I would have the meds on hand to deal with the issue and not ruin my second trip. I do a lot of solo backpack and fly in trip so getting sick would really suck.

I never filter my water (unless I am doing a family trip) so I have a higher risk of getting beaver fever than the average guy. I have never been sick before (knock on wood) but still think it is worth paying for and packing the meds with me just in case (I have never taken the pills in 10 years of packing it). I return the old prescription at the end of the year for disposal and get a new one by spring bear season.

It might be over kill and not needed, but for $7 a year its cheap trip insurance. I've seen a few guys in major pain and discomfort by the symptoms of beaver fever.

Randle · Apr 5, 2015

Well that makes a lot of sense, I have had the fever once in Colorado years c ago and I am not going to take that chance again. But your thought process sounds good for sure.

Thanks for the answer

todd kelly · Apr 5, 2015

My thoughts on not filtering water is coming from the same thought process as Becca's thought process of exposing yourself to (bugs) all the time (IE Hospital setting) and letting my body build up natural immunity. Not too sure if it works or not but it's something I have always done since I was 10 years old or so.

Might be crazy talk, but it has work thus far.

I know there are people on here with more knowledge than myself so please feel free to step in and correct me if I miss speak!

Were all here to learn new things!

Becca · Apr 5, 2015

todd kelly said:
My thoughts on not filtering water is coming from the same thought process as Becca's thought process of exposing yourself to (bugs) all the time (IE Hospital setting) and letting my body build up natural immunity. Not too sure if it works or not but it's something I have always done since I was 10 years old or so.

Might be crazy talk, but it has work thus far.

I know there are people on here with more knowledge than myself so please feel free to step in and correct me if I miss speak! Were all here to learn new things!

Interesting... Not sure if you can develop immunity against giardia through repeated exposure, although I suppose its not that different than why we get sick drinking water in foreign countries when the locals drink it all the time with no problems. To me, filtering is so easy with an inline filter, that I can't come up with a convincing reason to take the chance.... I suspect that if you ever need to take the metronidazole, by the time it's happened you may wish you had made a different choice

the saying I have heard about beaver fever is that it doesn't often kill you, it just makes you wish you were dead...

Great discussion, and lots of points to think about. I know we have a couple docs and other medical folks around here, maybe someone with more specific knowledge will chime in...

Randle · Apr 6, 2015

Todd do you chose your water sources , as in seeps out of the hill sides or direct at the source of the creeks or just drink right when and where you find water?

Mike7 · Apr 6, 2015

Todd, it sounds like you may want to add something like this below to your kit...Lol.
Mix rehydration solution as follows:
•1 quart or liter of clean water (boil the water 5 minutes if you are not sure it is safe to drink)
•2 tablespoons of sugar
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1/4 teaspoon of baking soda.

I personally would really hate to get sick while hunting, because those are precious days off for me that I look forward to, unlike work days...and Giardia is not necessarily the only thing that a person can get from unfiltered/treated water.

But as far as I know, there is something to what Todd is saying. Like George Carlin used to say in one of his skits, "I never get sick as an adult, because as a kid we played football in raw sewage where I could get exposed to everything."

People definitely seem to obtain some immunity/antibodies to the local bacteria/toxins(usually E.coli) which are the most common cause of traveler's diarrhea, if they stay in that particular 3rd world locale for some time. And even in people who get symptomatic Giardia infections on multilple occasions, the severity of these infections tends to become less with subsequent exposures. Many non-pregnant adults can get infected with Giardia and be completely asymptomatic, even with their first exposure apparently. There is no safe prophylactic medication recommended for Giardia.

todd kelly · Apr 6, 2015

Randle said:
Todd do you chose your water sources , as in seeps out of the hill sides or direct at the source of the creeks or just drink right when and where you find water?

Like I said above I am probably crazy and just taking an unnecessary risk. I have always just drank from water from where ever I am, all year long. Even on road trips with the wife and if I need to fill my water bottle, I'll just stop at a runoff stream on the side of the highway and fill my bottle. If I am out at the local tout pond and need a drink, I drink straight from the lake.

There have been some funky stagnant ponds that I have chosen not to drink from but they are far and few between. I think living in the mountains of BC does make a difference on water quality than a lot of areas in the rest of the country and lower 48. I have always just thought that the North American Indians and mountain men never had water filters so why would I need one. I am more worried about drinking water near industrial sites and lakes where people are spilling fuel ect.....

EDIT: I don't want to give the wrong impression or idea to anyone. I am not recommending any one to skip the water filter and pack antibiotics instead. This is something I have done for over 23 years. I am hunting, fishing or hiking 3-4 days of the week all year long and drinking unfiltered water all the time all year long.

I do pack a water filter when hunting with my dad because he does have a sensitive gut and gets diarrhea very easily if he drinks unfiltered water, meanwhile I will be fine drinking the same water. So it's not for everyone.

I also pack a water filter when camping with friends and family for them to use.

RCA Dog · Apr 6, 2015

I do the same as Todd as well. I think where you are on the continent has a large part to play in whether you filter or treat with tabs, or do nothing. I do nothing, and have done for 20 something years, but only around here. However, I had a backpacking trip planned to Kauii that fell through, but I purchased a pump style filter for that trip. Apparently the locals drink the water without filtering, but I didn't want to take the chance. Maybe there is something to becoming accustomed to your local bugs and crawlies. I know for a fact it works for mosquito bites; the ones here don't bother me, but when I get bit in northern Alberta, the bites swell up and itch like crazy. When I lived there for a few years, I got used to it and they didn't bother me at all. Then I moved back to BC, and the bites bothered me again, until I got used to it.

Camp Month: Basic Medical Kits by Todd Kelly, EMR Firefighter

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