Do you carry any first aid stuff?

[Motu]

Adventure rider here - we always carry enough shit to cut down a tree and mill it for splints.One first aid kit in every vehicle we own,and a small bike one in my bum bag that goes where I go.

As for using it - please pluck it from my limp hand...as I will have fainted at the first sign of blood.....

[madmal64]

Yep a kit is on my bike always. Got is it a waterproof zip bag and luckily Ive never needed it or had to use it.

[Ixion]

hmmm.. no room on the bike for an extingisher(sp?) or torch.

..

I carry a torch on Der Uberfarter - stow it under the kitchen sink. I've thought about an extinguisher , I've got room, but I'm not sure if those little wee extinguishers are just a waste of time.

On the couple of occassions I've had to use a fire extinguisher in earnest, they've been the big ones, and then I've emptied them and had to go racing round looking for more. So I don't know if one of the tiddley ones is going to be worth bothering ? Sort of feel that maybe a fire that small you could just beat it out with a jacket or throw road metal on it (did that when the SpeedTwin caught fire while I was riding it - worked well) . Anyone with expert knowledge care to comment ?

[bkrwench]

best thing you can have is your fellow riders and a cellphone.
if you and the bike are still mobile post accident (groucho forbid)
duct tape works just as good as a bandaid.
unfortunately alot of bike accidents usually require medical intervention.
although those thermal blankies are great, helps with shock
the rest can be substituted untill help arrives.

Mind you first aid courses have their place, you know what to do if part of your bike is stuck in your leg!!!

ramblings of a registered nurse

[Squeak the Rat]

No don't carry one, it's one of those things I keep meaning to do. One thing I think is compulsory is those fold-up silver emergency blankets.

Never know who you're going to meet......

Edit: Like bkrwench said simultaneously-ish

[justsomeguy]

Yup, I carry a fairly decent aid-kit. One of those red ones. Along with a puncture repair kit and a tool kit and an Auckland street map and a pen and a small rag.

[Buster]

Im a wuss so have no first aid experience. But thats no excuse really. I always carry basic things in my tank bag like some swabs and bandages to stop any bleeding until help arrives. Also got little squirty bottles (30mls) of sodium chloride solution which is good for getting bugs out of eyes etc.
And sunblock which everyone always scabs

[Squeak the Rat]

I also keep intending to purchase a disposable camera. I don't always have my "camera phone" with me in case i need to prove some nutcase is at fault in an accident. Or if there actually wasn't a 50kph sign coming off the Ellerslie/Penrose off-ramp officer (there is now dammit). [end slightly off topic mini-rant]

[justsomeguy]

So I don't know if one of the tiddley ones is going to be worth bothering ? Sort of feel that maybe a fire that small you could just beat it out with a jacket or throw road metal on it (did that when the SpeedTwin caught fire while I was riding it - worked well) . Anyone with expert knowledge care to comment ?

Probably wont matter. Had one of my cages burn down on me due to the fuel hose to the engine leaking fuel into the engine bay.

Two passers by had fire extiguishers, biggish ones (1 foot and 1.5 foot) both emptied in about 30 seconds and made zero difference.

Just let the bike burn and get away from it - petrol tanks have a rotten habbit of trying to touch people with their flaming contents.

[MisterD]

I have to carry so many tools and the 2-stroke oil so there's no room left for medical stuff.....the black electrical tape would probably be useful though, it used to hold me together when I still played rugby.

[Nitzer]

I haven't got a First Aid kit on the bike but after reading this thread I feel I should rush out and get one! I may even get round to actually carrying the puncture repair kit that T.I.E kindly bought for me at the same time.

I did Fist Aid in the Scouts, does that count?

[pritch]

I've done med certs and the like since I was in the army - got taught how to stop a sucking chest wound.

Ahh yes, but when the occasion arose what we had been taught turned out to be a load of bollocks. It was probably valid originally, but some time between then and when I needed it the material had passed its "use by date".

This thread got me thinking though, I carry a few first aid items for the bike but nothing else. May have to give this some thought....

[Riff Raff]

Folks it's all very well have a first aid kit on your bike (and I recommend that everyone does) but it's not much good if you don't know what you're doing. Everyone should do a first aid course (the training nights that we run are motorcycle specific i.e. helmet removal, scene safety and control etc with a little bit of first aid thrown in). St John now has first aid courses that you can do at home (you even get your own manniken to play with), so you can do it in your own time, or get a group of friends and do it together.

There have been a lot of changes recently, in particular with CPR so even if you have done a first aid course in the last few years it is important to do a refresher.

[Crisis management]

I,ve never carried any first aid stuff but its a good idea provided you know what to do with it... as lots of others have said. Its worth considering what you are trying to apply first aid too - if its cuts & bruises its not life threatening, if its life threatening what is there in a small first aid kit that will help? I am competent at first aid and could probably adapt clothing and stuff to hand to hold people together until help arrives - its the knowledge that is more important than the tools. So, again as others have said, do the courses!
The one thought I have had (yes it is friday and that is my weeks allocation) is more to do with how does the ambulance find you? Not so bad in the city but if your out in the country or any area you don't know- no road signs - what do you tell the guy on the end of the 111 call? How about portable GPS? Any good ideas out there?

[bugjuice]

I often take not of road signs where I can, and keep an eye on my odometer. In the event, hopefully I'll remember what road I'm on, and how many k's I've done since I started the road if there's no other landmarks