What should you do if someone in your group falls and injures themselves? Learn about the first aid kit you need to have in your backpack.
Imagine that you are hiking in the mountains with friends. You are crossing a scree slope, jumping from stone to stone. Suddenly, one person in the group stumbles and falls forward.
She tries to catch herself with one arm and immediately feels intense pain. The arm may be broken.
What should you do in a situation like this?
“An arm fracture in itself does not necessarily have to be very serious. But when you are far away from help, the situation can quickly become dangerous,” says Erling Rosenstrøm, a doctor with extensive expedition experience and a first aid instructor.
“Can you move to a place where you can get help? Can you keep the injured person warm? These are very important questions when helping someone who is injured in the outdoors.”
Stabilise the injury
According to Rosenstrøm, the best pain relief for a suspected fracture in the outdoors is often immobilisation.
“In the field it is not always easy to know whether it is actually a fracture. But stabilising the injured limb can reduce pain and prevent further damage until the person receives medical treatment.”
He demonstrates a modern splint called a SAM splint, which weighs almost nothing and can easily be shaped to become rigid, almost like a plaster cast.
“Your first aid kit should be simple and functional. But most importantly, you must know how to use it – and be able to improvise.”
Small and light equipment
Always carry the necessary equipment to help yourself and others. Photo: Martin Innerdal Dalen
Rosenstrøm emphasizes that it is actually quite easy to be prepared for accidents when going on a trip. He has extensive experience advising hikers heading out on both short and long journeys.
"Why this choice?"
“Over time I realised that many hikers – both professionals and recreational – need more knowledge about first aid. Many people find first aid intimidating and rarely practice it. Often they attend a CPR course, and then it stops there.”
“With simple preparations, you can make your trip much safer. If help is delayed, you will be much more confident in taking the basic steps that can improve the situation.”
The most important rule
“First of all, you must understand the trip you are going on,” Rosenstrøm explains.
Ask yourself questions such as:
How remote is the area?
How long are the daily stages?
What is the fitness level of the group?
Secondly, your first aid kit must be small and light enough that you always bring it with you.
Should you buy a standard First Aid Kit?
Rosenstrøm actually recommends making your own.
“Many pre-packed first aid kits contain items people don’t know how to use, and a lot of equipment that you may never need.”
For example, he mentions the aluminium emergency blanket often included in first aid kits.
“It can quickly become a false sense of security. It is difficult to wrap someone tightly enough to prevent heat loss. Two large garbage bags can actually work better – they are simple, effective, and easy to replace.”
Course instructor Erling Rosenstrøm shows how to put tape on a sprained ankle. Photo: Martin Innerdal Dalen
Be creative
Rosenstrøm has training in mountain medicine, where outdoor conditions play a much larger role than in traditional medical settings.
In the mountains, wind and weather can quickly lead to hypothermia, which can become life-threatening. Preventing heat loss should therefore be a high priority.
After ensuring that airways are clear and bleeding is controlled, the injured person must be insulated and protected from the cold as quickly as possible.
“The most important thing to remember is that you cannot always rely on immediate rescue when you are far into the mountains,” he says.
“You must be prepared to handle the situation yourself.”
That is why it is important to use the equipment you have creatively.
A simple first aid kit for hiking
The most important thing about a first aid kit is that you know how to use it. Equipment that can serve multiple purposes is especially useful.
Your first aid kit should be:
Simple
Lightweight
Compact enough that you bring it on every trip
Used correctly, even a small first aid kit can make a big difference in an emergency.
