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Scenario...first aid on the trail

76zimmer

76zimmer

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There are so many possibilities in this category.
First thing that comes to mind that might seem like a no brainer, is in an arid/hot environment is to stay hydrated to avoid heat related physical degradation. Its an easy thing to overlook, but important, water and sports type drinks are good to keep the body functioning.
On to more critical things...
Preventive actions are the best way to avoid injury. Use your safety equipment, and secure loose items. Also use sensible practices to protect yourself inside the vehicle...its a cage, let it protect you by keeping arms and legs inside the ride at all times...:doah:
Think about what you’re doing and how to react to a potentially bad situation.
The obstacles we enjoy as part of a trail can create a hazard to your body, whether you are driving or a spectator. As a spectator, keep away from a potential rollover or worse, you wont win in a battle against a downhill rolling truck. As a driver or passenger, something as simple as a flop can cause injury from loose items in the vehicle to crushed hands being outside of the cage/doors, or even a hit to the head on the cage or other metal.
Obviously a more severe rollover or flip could bring much worse, dislocated limbs, broken bones, head trauma, lacerations are all possibilities. How and when do you treat each one?
Sean is a paramedic, and Ive asked him for his professional experience on this subject.
I hope it is valuable “insurance” for us all.
Feel free to contribute if you can.
 
I have had more go-downs walking on rocks and slippery trails than fails while wheeling.

I did have a mild heart attack at the escalator helping out one year. Had to lay there a while to get back at it.
 
ktmoutfront said:
I have had more go-downs walking on rocks and slippery trails than fails while wheeling.

I did have a mild heart attack at the escalator helping out one year. Had to lay there a while to get back at it.
Click to expand...

won't help the Mild Heart Attack, but go-downs prevention = good foot wear. something with laces or Velcro, and good soles.
No chanclas

On aside Red Cross offers first aid training, and there is always the Boy Scouts, every one, wheeler or other wise, should one of these.
everyone on the trails should have at least a basic first aid kit, preferably an advanced kit, since the risk is higher.
 
I agree with you guys on hydration and preparation being huge. Obviously, avoidance of risky behaviors/spots will go a long way. Cage design can play a big role in preventing injury. For example, I'm 6'3" and when Eric was helping me build my cage we wound up keeping my seat really low and moved it back almost a foot to make sure I had ample head room normally, and if I was wearing a helmet. Good harnesses that are properly attached and routed are pretty important if you're really wheeling hard too. Standard shoulder belts aren't going to keep you in your seat very well compared to a good fitting harness, and can cause injuries if loose or not worn properly.

All that said, stuff still happens out there. First step is going to be ensuring nothing gets worse than it already is. If a vehicle is rolled, make sure it's stable before trying to get to the occupants. If you hurry and try to climb in it could continue to roll and crush you as well and now there are multiple victims. Always try to shut the engine off to prevent fires/hot fluids from burning people. Try to wear gloves also. They protect you and your patient from possible infections. Plus if you keep a box in your rig, they're nice if you're messing with oil/grease.

Head/neck/back trauma is one of the most critical things you may encounter on the trail. If someone falls more than twice their height, or is involved in a bad rollover you need to do your best to keep them from moving until they've been checked over thoroughly. Neck/back trauma can leave someone paralyzed if not handled appropriately, so unless they NEED to get out of the vehicle (fire), you should encourage them to stay still until they are certain they're not really hurt. This is even more important if someone looses consciousness. A bad concussion can lead to death if not caught.

Crushed/amputated limbs are also possible. Crush injuries are a significant life threat due to the way the body circulates our blood. If a limb is crushed, that circulation is interrupted and the swelling in the area can cause the blood to clot or become acidic. If circulation is restored after the person is freed, that acidity or clots can be fatal or lead to a stoke. A tourniquet should always be applied before removing a crushed limb.

One thing they taught us in Paramedic school was that you need to focus on immediate life threats. Just because something looks really gnarly doesn't mean it's the most important thing to address. Most broken bones aren't a life threat, even if they look really nasty. Femur (upper leg bone), especially bilaterally is a life threat however. Enough blood flows through your femurs that you can hemorrhage out from the area. Any broken bone should be at least stabilized with a splint or at least careful handling until it can be set by a Dr, but femur fractures need to be treated as a very real emergency.

Burns are very possible on the trail, and a bad burn to the face can damage the airway and be fatal. Also, a bad enough burn, or one over a large enough area can quickly turn into a very serious infection. Biggest step to take with burns is to flush the area with clean water, then keep it moist and clean.

As far as first aid kits, band-aids, antiseptic ointment, tweezers and some tylenol/nsaids are great to have in a first aid kit but are very likely to be absolutely necessary in a real emergency. Although, some aspirin isn't a bad idea in the event of a possible heart attack. The real important stuff involves the ABC's. Airway, Breathing and Circulation. The most likely to be seen on the road/trail is a circulatory problem - ie bleeding. Gauze, a tourniquet and even quick clot can be the difference between someone making it or not. You can use a belt, a ratchet strap or any number of other things in a pinch, but a good tourniquet is cheap and can go right in your first aid kit where it's easy to find. Here's a three pack for $20
https://www.amazon.com/Tourniquet-E...qid=1581640926&sprefix=tourniq,aps,230&sr=8-4
If someone is involved in a crushed/amputated limb, open fracture (bone coming through skin), or just a really bad cut to an extremity you may need a tourniquet. Holding firm pressure either to the open wound or above the injury is the only way to stop heavy bleeding. If this isn't working to stop the bleeding, quick clot can be used. A snake bite kit isn't a bad idea for your first aid kit either. As someone who got bit by a timber rattlesnake, I highly recommend having this with you, just in case.

I know a lot of the time there isn't cell service when you're in the middle of nowhere, but getting emergency responders to the scene of a bad accident as quickly as possible is paramount. It's not just that they have lights and sirens and can run red lights. They carry a lot of equipment that can save/resuscitate someone that may not survive a fast drive to the hospital in a sweet blazer...

I'll continue thinking about this as the night goes on and add things as they pop into my head. But I think I touched on the majority of the big issues that are truly emergencies on the trail.
 
Great info Sean. I know a few years back, we were on the trifecta going backwards and someone was coming out with a broken arm from a flip in a UTV. Long rough ride to get out, but it looked like they were doing ok considering.
 
i'm wondering if there is a quick-easy to-follow, simple booklet outlining first-aid procedures that could be put in the first aid kit and/or glovebox.

i'm thinking spiral---so that the pages stay open and are easy to turn. Plastic, tear-proof pages. Quick-flip tabs for different types of injuries. Very simple, step-by-step, basic, first-aid procedures for almost any emergency situation for non-paramedics.
 
Also, and this is a bit "mobid" maybe, and i don't like to think about it, but what about painting on the door, in small lettering, your blood type?

If i ever get the dragster finished, i'll put my blood type on my jacket. Not sure if i'm required to have a jacket for 11 seconds? If not, then on the helmet or shirt.
 
Adventure Medical Kits make decent first aid kits. They're not nearly as nice as NAR but they're way cheaper. NAR is what I carry when on foot.

It is worth taking a "Stop The Bleeding" class. Most counties have them, sometimes the Red Cross or a fire department puts them on.

For a vehicle I carry the Adventure Medical Kits .9L kit or the Pro kit. Throw in an aerosol can of Lanacane (for burns), an Israeli Battle Bandage, a SWAT-T tourniquet, and a few 4oz coast guard water pouches inside of the case. If you have a bleeder in the family (blood thinners) then throw in another quikclot bandage. This kit stays light enough that you can carry it with you if you decide to hike away from your vehicle.

People usually die from hemorrhaging first, anywhere, anytime. Anything more than that requires a lot of gear and/or training. For example, I'd put an elastic tourniquet on someone but that's about it. Not going to use a chest seal on them. Good Samaritan laws only do so much. Past hemorrhaging, in the case of the outdoors it will be exposure that kills you.
 
https://mymedic.com/

Found this while cruising instagram. Looks pretty cool and supposed to be veteran owned. They have different setups for different activities which is nice if you do those often.
 
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