Jim Piper - Member - The Prepared

Reply to: Essential medical reference books for the prepper library Posted July 14, 2022

I think I mentioned that Alton’s Abx book expands on what is in their Survival Medicine book, esp in the area of infectious pathogens (cooties 😉 and diseases. IMHO, one of the higher (highest?) risks with infections (wound or otherwise) is sepsis.It is so dangerous that on a hospital acute care unit, if a patient exhibits s/s (signs and symptoms) of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), the precursor to sepsis, a “Rapid Response” is called (not quite a Code Blue, which is the next higher response level). The patient likely gets moved into intensive care forthwith to head off full sepsis. I don’t think I can overstate this: for the care giver/medic in a “help is not on the way” scenario, recognition and treatment is of paramount importance. Such is the importance of even minor wound care. It ain’t dem zombies dat’s gonna git ya, it’s the cooties…

Reply to: IFAK first aid kit list Posted July 14, 2022

Given the prevalence of gun violence today I think a minimum of a “Stop The Bleed” course and kit plus BLS CPR course would be prudent. I’ve recently gotten off my butt and put together several “STB” kits so that I have one within reach, just in case (I hope the hell I never have to use one). Back in the day one my first advanced FA course instructors was a paramedic who told us that we could never have enough 4x4s. I’ve gotten lost in these threads and don’t remember if I suggested a wilderness first aid course. A “Emergency Responder” course if the Red Cross still teaches it, a “First Responder”, or an EMT-B course are good starts. BUT, their taught from the perspective that EMS is on the way with all their toys. The wilderness FA courses are from the perspective that EMS will be significantly delayed. https://www.nols.edu/en/wilderness-medicine/courses/get-certified/ Having corresponded with Dr. Alton on numerous occasions, I have the confidence he and his ARNP spouse Amy offer classes that should be exellent: Medical Classes best regards — Jim

Reply to: IFAK first aid kit list Posted July 14, 2022

I wish I knew more details, but they were thin at the time.

Reply to: IFAK first aid kit list Posted July 14, 2022

It’s a judgement call based on dependencies: In an austere environment: EMS expected with all their rescue toys? Response time? Fatigue factor for rescuer (professionals whether BLS or ACLS, are trained to switch off from compressions every two minutes, i.e., two full cycles. Doing compressions to the depth and rate required is v-e-r-y fatiguing. If help isn’t on the way, it’s harsh, but, I’d let a victim go after only a few cycles. Depending on long the victim has been down plus his/her co-morbidities affects potential for recovery. Catch a victim early on (like you saw him/her fall), enhances chance of survival. Time is brain. Consider that an austere environment doesn’t have to be an EOTWAWKI scenario, it can be hiking out the deep boonies where rescue might be measured in many hours. Back in the day when I got my Red Cross “Emergency Responder” training a story was told where some Boy Scouts were out in the boonies in the central Calif coastal range and their scoutmaster went down. They did CPR for a couple of hours before rescue and he survived. An outlier event, to be sure.

Reply to: Including Naloxone in EDC or IFAK Posted July 14, 2022

Refs: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30596290/ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10903127.2018.1563257?journalCode=ipec20

Reply to: Essential medical reference books for the prepper library Posted July 14, 2022

First and foremost, I would be hard-pressed to be convinced that one needn’t prepare themselves with something more than rudimentary medical knowledge and trauma care before even attempting to provide first aid and care to the ill. Infection too easily progresses to sepsis and death in a non-sterile environment. “Cooties” are everywhere. All from the standpoint of medicine in a disaster where medical care might be significantly delayed or not coming at all: I can’t say I’ve read them all, but I’ve read a lot with numerous on my bookshelf. Tops in my book (pun intended) is “The Survival Medicine Handbook” (Alton and Alton), an excellent treatise for “… when medical help is NOT on the way”. Comprehensively written trade paper back of some 660 pages written/compiled by and MD and his ARNP. Though its illistrations are all B&W, I would have preferred full color, but I’m sure that would have increased the book’s price significantly. An terrific adjunct to the Survival Medicine Handbook is “Alton’s Antibiotics and Infectious Disease” (Alton and Alton) book. Drawing from and expanding on the info in the SMH, it offers suggestions for building a cache of antibiotics. The author’s discuss broad spectrum antibiotics and those that target specific types of bacterial infections. (Hopefully the untrained followers of this thread realize that antibiotics do not/will not be affect viral or fungal infections.) A potentially highly useful reference in an EOTWAWKI scenario, the Merck Manual of Medical Home Edition. The Merck Manual is typically an MD’s reference. The Home Edition is written more for the layman. In the extreme there is “Ditch Medicine, Advanced Field Procedures for Emergencies” (Coffee).

Reply to: IFAK first aid kit list Posted July 14, 2022

Before retiring I had been involved in probably a dozen “codes” on our telemetry-medical unit. In none of the cases were any ribs broken. IMHO, proper hand placement will not yield bone breaks, but perhaps for a geriatric patient afflicted with a calcium deficiency.

Reply to: IFAK first aid kit list Posted July 14, 2022

One thing I see chronically missing (and maybe I missed it in the description and discussion of the first aid kits) is a strong recommendation to get training in first aid, First Responder at a minimum, better EMT-B, and/or wilderness first aid. Without the knowledge of how to treat wounds and recognize sick/not-sick, all the fandancy IFAKS in the world are worthless. I’ll add antiseptic procedures to avoid sepsis in an austere environment when medical help is either delayed or simply not coming. ‘jus sayin’ for a friend … — Retired RN and former member NDMS DMAT-11.

Reply to: IFAK first aid kit list Posted July 14, 2022

In an austere environment where EMS is either seriously delayed or or simply not coming, I think one would need to seriously consider whether or not to begin CPR on a patient who is determined to be in cardiac arrest (i.e., no detectable pulse. Alternatively one could begin one or two rounds of compressions and, if the patient doesn’t respond in any fashion, cease further efforts. (I note that in the codes in which I’ve been involved, albeit an acute care setting, compressions were started on patients discovered to be in arrest for only a very short time. More than several began fighting after only one set of compressions.) — RN (ret.)