Preparedness for when

[Deleted User]

http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/first-aid-advice.aspx

If you cannot remember what to do, then make a card that you can keep handy. I trained in first aid and we should all know what to do in cases of drowning, electric shock, bad bleeding, choking, heart attack, burns and so on. I could treat dh but he couldn`t :eek: treat me for the major stuff

re the water scenario. I had been going on about water filters for us and we can get access to a big canal of water but I am having a re-think here. We were snowed in for 6 whole weeks, two winters ago because it was just too dangerous underfoot to go out, so how the heck would we get to that canal? Next month I am getting a few gallon containers of water

I have a few strong paper bags in, helps calm breathing during panic asthma etc

fuddle

born_blonde wrote: »

First of all I think you have to think about your current situation, what you are dependant on and what and who is dependant on you.
And lists and then more lists, I woke up in the night and added ibuprofen ( 3 packets of 16 for a £1 from Poundland). Then Calpol.
Also water purification tablets as we know the pipes freeze at -4.
Nothing excessive and nothing that will easily go off.

Tesco has packs of 16 ibuprofen caplets for 28p each so 3 packs would be cheaper in there. Gotta watch that £land

born_blonde

Thanks Kittie but I must be in one of the last places in England that doesn't have a Tesco.
You are right about Poundland though as I have seen many things for a £1 that are cheaper elsewhere.

fuddle

kittie wrote: »

http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/first-aid-advice.aspx

I have a few strong paper bags in, helps calm breathing during panic asthma etc

Me too. Anyone can have a panic attack at any time, not just those of us unfortunate ones who suffer from them regularly. A paper bag really does help regulate breathing. In a SHTF scenario, however small, I'd be sure to need one. I have them in the first aid kit, in DH's car and in my bag.

valk_scot

Even older first aid is better than no first aid at all. OH was driving home one afternoon when the old guy in the car in front had a heart attack at the wheel and went straight into a parked car. OH had done first aid in the Scouts many, many years previously but his undoubtably out of date CPR technique still kept the man going till the ambulance arrived. No one else in the vicinity had a clue what to do, OH said. My first aid certificate is twelve years out of date, I'm trying to find a course that I can go on with DS now he's 16. But the only one we can do timewise is £70 each and that just isn't going to happen. Given that he goes on lots of DofE and Scouting expeditions I'd really rather he was first aid trained but the school can't afford to run a course either. I'll just have to keep prodding his scout master to arrange one.

ginnyknit

Ok so I was right many of us have already been through scary things already,me included although the psychotic army seargant who went on to mutilate and kill a prostitute was not something I could have prepared for in any way shape or form. He broke silently into my house through heavy duty locks, subdued my dog and (from his diaries they found later) stood over me whilst I slept, apparently my little girl cried and sent him running. After that I doubt zombies would be a challenge. I have helped out in accidents and taken part in a few (Im very clumsy where stairs are concerned and have done spectacular falls including castle steps) Now I have my little first aid kit and emergency stuff in my bag so feel a little prepared. 2tonsils you must have been a cat in a previous life :T

i think ibuprofen is one of the handiest tools you can have, especially for tooth ache and its so cheap. I send lots of it in my parcels to Africa cos it worries me that they have nothing like it, a pack of plasters is £10!!!

I once broke my nose in the Bronte parsonage - I didnt realise there was a protective screen between me and the window on the staircase and hit it being nosey. Boy did I make a mess

boultdj

GreyQueen wrote: »

Can't really advise of first aid kits as my certifiicate expired a number of years ago. I've scanned thru the Adult Ed offerings here and there is no opportunity to do one there, nor anything which could be described as OS or SHTF appropriate. Mainly conversational language classes and advanced cookery.

If you don't have or aren't able to access a first aid course, it might be an idea to get a guide book for first aid (perhaps borrow some from the library to road-test which one would be a good keeper?). The main thing about first aid is to know what NOT to do to worsen the injury before the wounded person can recieve proper medical treatment.

I've had to make some interesting judgement calls as have been first on the scene at a couple of car-crashes over the years. Used to have a driving job. In one, the car had pulled out in front of another car, been hit at 40 mph, spun off the road and ended bonnet-first in the hedge and caught fire. The car which struck it was in the middle of the A road, upslope with a ruptured fuel tank and the fuel was leaking quickly down the road towards the burning car.

I couldn't get that car's driver to tell me if it was petrol or diesel, poor person was in shock. If that fuel was petrol, it would have ignited when it reached the burning car and probably caused an explosion. If it was diesel, you can drop a lit match into it and it'll just go out.

Without that info, and with only a few seconds to spare, me and the blokes who had stopped had to make a snap judgement; get the driver OUT of the burning car. Normally, moving a casualty would be the last thing you'd do. So we did. Mercifully, she was only bruised and shocked and the paramedics were soon there. Saw afterwards that she was prosecuted for it.

Mum was a St John Ambulance first aider for several years, used to go to events etc. I go into hyper-cool mode in a crisis, which is comforting to know.

I know in home town St John's do a 1/2 day basic first aid course 2/3 time's a year, it might be an idea to phone your local group and see if they do something simaler[sp?]

Caterina

Hail All, Zombie Slayers! Just back from my hols, no time yet to go through all the thread since I left, my oh my the lot of you CAN WRITE!

Please put me out of my misery and explain to me what's CRAPROLLZ, I tried to find the beginning of it but failed. From what I read it sounds like something that I might like to join (and likely to qualify for membership hehehe).

See you all later, the kitchen beckons!

rosieben

Here's the Inaugural post, Caterina

Possession

I'd also add Immodium or the equivalent to the first aid box. The Red Cross has this useful site to teach yourself everyday useful first aid:
http://www.redcross.org.uk/What-we-do/First-aid/Everyday-First-Aid

My first aid is very out of date now, and I also cannot kneel or get down on the floor which makes learning (and actually doing) CPR virtually impossible. I'm generally calm in a crisis though which is half the battle.