It’s Time To Adapt Your cold weather First Aid Kit!
So the nights are ‘fair drawing in’, and aside from some spectacular sunsets, the drop in temperature and shorter daylight hours means that winter is well on the way. So how does that affect our first aid treatments, and what things might we add to our usual kit to make life a bit easier? Before embarking on a hiking trip, make sure to pack your cold weather first aid kit in case of any minor injuries or accidents.
As first aiders, we should consider what additional equipment we may need in the colder months. Outdoor first aiders should be including foil blankets, group shelters and other equipment. A sports first aider may consider extra foil blankets and making sure that the first aid room at the club is warmed up before a match starts. In a workplace setting, first aiders should consider extra foil and/or fleece blankets, depending on their location. In an emergency situation, it is crucial to have a well-stocked cold weather first aid kit readily available to provide immediate medical assistance.
Here are our 7 handy tips for getting you and your cold weather first aid kit winter-ready:
1. Stay warm! The most obvious thing that we are going to need to consider is the air temperature. Casualties especially, but rescuers too, get cold quickly during the winter months. And this drop in core temperature is potentially very dangerous. When we have an injured casualty, keeping them warm at any time of the year is important as their body’s natural response to injury may lead to shock which concentrates their heat in the core; brain, heart lungs and other vital organs. When planning a winter camping trip, it is essential to pack a cold weather first aid kit to address potential injuries or ailments caused by extreme temperatures.
In winter, our treatment should consider the warmth of the casualty as an increased priority, especially for the previously active casualty who isn’t wearing a lot of clothes. Insulation and shelter is something we always stress on our Outdoor First aid courses. This is primarily insulating them from the cold ground and sheltering them from the cold environment.
Giving your casualty a foil blanket to wrap around themselves and preserve heat will go a long way to improving their state of mind too, so once you’ve carried out a primary survey, I’d get them wrapped up before continuing with a more time-consuming secondary survey. As a responsible winter driver, I keep a cold weather first aid kit in my car, equipped with essentials like emergency blankets and hand warmers, in case of an accident or a breakdown in freezing temperatures.
Insulating a casualty from the ground is also very important and can be done in several ways. Have a think about how you might do that in your chosen activity and practice it with a friend before you need to try it for real. For example, if they are conscious and can ‘bum shuffle’ onto a mat, empty rucksack or bed of dry branches, it will help a lot in terms of insulating them from the cold hard ground.
2. Night visibility. It’s incredible how quickly time passes when an incident happens, and the night seems to draw in extremely quickly when you don’t have a light source, so a head torch can be a literal lifesaver. Having a light source so you can monitor your casualty is a great aid to reassuring your casualty and the fact that your casualty can see you is also helpful. Before heading out for a snowy hike, don’t forget to pack a cold weather first aid kit that includes items like hand warmers, thermal blankets, and specialized ointments for frostbite prevention.
3. Emergency comms. Your torch can also be used to signal for help. You can put it on its brightest setting and cover the light to signal SOS by exposing the light to the pattern of short, short, short long, long, long, short, short, short. Another recognised mountain distress signal is six short exposures or flashes with your torch. Some torches have a setting that will do this automatically. Your torch on your phone, however, may not be strong enough to travel very far. You can also do these distress signals with a whistle as the sound will attract someone’s attention without them having to be looking directly at your torch. In Arctic expeditions, explorers rely heavily on their cold weather first aid kits, which contain specialized equipment and medications for treating cold-related injuries and illnesses. During a winter storm, it’s crucial to have a cold weather first aid kit at home, stocked with supplies like instant hot packs and thermal socks, to handle any cold-related emergencies.
4. Food as fuel. Food is also very important for keeping people warm. A body needs to burn fuel to generate heat so giving it some fuel/food) will go a long way to helping maintain a more stable core temperature. High-energy carbohydrate bars are a good addition to your kit as they have a long sell-by date and give plenty of Kcals per bite.
5. Wrap up warm together! A group shelter is a great piece of kit to have at any time of the year but it really benefits you in winter, whether it’s used to give a break from the weather or when you need to deal with a casualty. Group shelters come in different sizes and we find the 2 person shelter is a good size for you and a casualty. It warms you both up pretty quickly and keeps you dry and out of the wind. Like all emergency equipment for the mountains, it is bright orange so emergency services can spot you easier. When participating in winter sports such as ice skating or ice hockey, athletes should have a cold weather first aid kit nearby to address injuries like sprains or fractures that can occur in freezing conditions.
6. Keep powered up! With so much reliance on battery-powered equipment, mainly phones and torches, it is important to consider your battery budget in the event of an emergency. Some people carry small Power banks or use solar-powered packs on their rucksacks. There are lots of different sizes, costs and weights of power supplements available today.
7. What if?… Don’t forget about the most important person in an emergency scenario – you! Keep yourself, and any other companions warm, dry and occupied. Forward planning is always beneficial if you regularly go out as a group of friends or as a club. We encourage folk to consider the ‘What If’s in their activities. For example, halfway up a hill, ask yourselves, what if one of us fell and sustained a head injury…. here – now – what would we do?; do we have the kit to deal with their injuries? Do we have the skills and knowledge; how should we respond as a group – who does what?
Hopefully, that gives you some ideas and, as with any incident, it’s the planning beforehand that has the most positive influence on the outcome. So use an afternoon to check through your cold weather first aid kit and make sure you’re prepared for the cold weather ahead. And consider those “What If’s” as part of your pre-planning and ensure you’re well prepared for an enjoyable day’s activity this winter.
Enjoy the winter!
