First Aid on the ground.

[Loque]

Luckily on of my fellow NCO's is an excellent first-aider who is a member of the order of Malta. Unfortunately too much reliance is placed on this fact. I've done plenty of safety and CPR courses for my profession, but in the RDF nothing I could call a proper course just bits and pieces here and there, definitely not to feel confident enough to treat someone if they had a serious accident.

The Irish Water Safety's 'Basic Life Support Manual' is extremely comprehensive and is based on the protocols which are now used in most of Europe. It's not available on line unfortunately, but is cheap enough to get a copy.

I noticed that much of the First Aid Training that is given by Medics in the FCA is slightly dated and is frowned upon by other organisations which teach First Aid in Ireland. Don't really know what it's like these days, and whether or not they've cleaned up their act, but I remember at my Recruit Camp we got a lecture from a Cpl. with one of the medic companies and the techniques he was trying to 'pass on' were ancient.

He even nearly managed to break some poor lads hand trying to put him into his version of the recovery position.

An Emergency Blanket could be thrown into the First Aid Kit too, they're extremely compact and are handy for a number of different things.
It rapidly absorbs sunlight, retains radiated body heat and keeps moisture out.
Also can double as a ground sheet (granted a very shiny one but a ground sheet all the same) or can be shoved inside your clothes to add an extra layer when its really cold.

[yellowjacket]

Here's a link to the current US army first aid manual:

http://www.adtdl.army.mil/cgi-bin/atdl.dll/fm/4-25.11/fm4-25.11.htm

and the US Navy version:

http://www.vnh.org/StandardFirstAid/toc.html

IMPORTANT PROVISIO's

1. The Basic Life support methods depicted in both do not show the current approved protocols, which are shown here:

http://www.resus.org.uk/pages/bls.htm

2. The tourniquet or indirect pressure methods of stopping bleeding are no longer taught on first aid courses.

3. Nothing on any website is a replacement for a proper first aid course. However, the first two links do provide a military "spin" on the subject.

[Earhart]

Ensure the area is safe!

[Boomer]

First Aid Courses

Sounds like you guys need some help with this...

Ill have a look and see If I can put any good FA links on the site for you but they do of course come with the provision that you need to arrange training!!

Lets start with a small quiz to see what you can remember, What is the first thing you do when you come across a casualty? Answers on the back of a post card to the usual address! (i.e. here!)

Shane

In my own experience First Aid courses are an after thought, in other words something that’s on the programme but can be conveniently brushed aside if time is pressing.

[Boomer]

First Aid Kits

Hmmmm going by my background I have to "wade" into this one

I would STRONGLY suggest carrying a few triangular bandages, I would say with the tablets remember that they are for your personal use only, not that of your mate unless you are a Doc, they might have an allergy to paracetemol!

As for First Aid Training I am disgusted to see that the Army dosent do any refresher training, that is if what ollie says is true. A civilian would be hung from the highest rafters if they treated someone and got something wrong, Id imagine it would be the same if an Army person treated a civillian based on their by now out of date training they would be hung drawn and quartered.

If you can do a refresher course by all means do so, I would strongly recommend REC (Rescue and Emergency Care) courses as they generally assume that help is 30 mins + away, if anyone wants contacts them pvt message me and I will forward details. Most of the courses can be organised to last for a weekend or series of weekends.

Shane

[hptmurphy]

left hand lower p-ocket of my smock thats where my my kit is .Fags are on the other side ...can't get a packet into my first aid kit.

[yellowjacket]

First Aid on the ground.

What contents would you recommend in a first aid kit to be carried in webbing? Feel free to add or subtract to the suggestions below, justify your amendments if possible.

Gloves,
Scissors/Knife (probably already have this anyway)
Antiseptic cream,
Waterproof Plasters,
Compeed blister treatment,
Micropore tape,
10x10 sterile non-adherent dressing pads,
Pressure dressings,
Crepe bandage,
Vent Aid (CPR shield)
Water-Gel / Burnshield burns dressing.
Paracetemol capsules.
Saline steripods (for cleaning wounds/eyewash)

All well sealed in freezer bags.

Total cost should run at less than €25

[ollie]

from my own personal exp within the pdf it was drilled into every one to carry their own first aid kit . u were told what to carry and it was up to yourself to buy the items . fist aid training was carried out in recruit training and left at that .if u were lucky u could get on to courses run by depot med but these were rare . i done a course run by a civvy company and managed to get it recognised by my company. as to equipment i remember having to beg borrow and steal to get a decent kit bag to take on the ground since the only one in stores dated from the emergency it was so old

hey kermit, i'd be interested in doing that, through 3FMedCoy? did you (or the unit) have to pay? thanks

[Earhart]

I completed a first aid course with the medics last summer. I was very impressed with the level of instruction we received and the medics received. I had previously considered the medics to be a plaster and paracetamol unit! THey were being trained by professionals and were very enthusiastic.

The first aid course members posed as casualties for a medic exercise. The medics came on the scene under a lot of pressure from their instructors. With a lot of noise and shouting each casualy was attended to in an efficient manner. Each team that completed the exercise correctly identified how to treat the casualties.

[yellowjacket]

Just a quick survey of First Aid skills and equipment carried in the DF.

Do you receive any first aid training?

Besides your issue FFD, do you cary any other First Aid equipment in your webbing/smock etc?

Do you think the current standard of training and equipment is sufficient?