DON'T ride without a first aid kit

[Rubber Cow]

If you know how to use them go for it. An airway can help when there is facial trauma and or a neck injury that doesn't allow for the head-tilt chin lift method for clearing the mouth for air. The airway will hold the togue in place while you administer breaths. I've never had to use one yet but I do carry a Laerdal Pocket mask which acts as a barrier in CPR and makes ventilation much easier.
I carry a small airway kit in my car med kit.
Cheers,
Jorge

[doc riverz]

Said BJZ:
How important is it to carry an airway on a motorcycle first aid kit

Good question. And for that matter: should we carry suction? And how about an Ambu bag so we can ventilate peeps that are apneic? I think you sort of have to make that decision yourself. It certainly wouldn't hurt to have some OPAs or NPAs and a pocket mask in your moto first-aid-kit.

In my car I have more stuff then I'll ever use, but I go very lean on the bike.

BTW, unless you are trained in their use, inserting airways in an apneic or nearly apneic patient could get you in trouble (if there should be a negative patient outcome). The Good Samaritan Law only protects you if you stay within your scope of practice. If you are trained in BLS then go ahead. And may the force be with you.

[wxwax]

Said mark:
Saw Radar on mash do a traciotomy once with a biro & have been wanting to do one ever since....if anyone in my riding group ever hack on a bit of food, they quietly move away from me & dont make eye contact for a minuite or two.

[BJZ]

Said doc riverz:
Good question. And for that matter: should we carry suction? And how about an Ambu bag so we can ventilate peeps that are apneic? I think you sort of have to make that decision yourself. It certainly wouldn't hurt to have some OPAs or NPAs and a pocket mask in your moto first-aid-kit.

In my car I have more stuff then I'll ever use, but I go very lean on the bike.

BTW, unless you are trained in their use, inserting airways in an apneic or nearly apneic patient could get you in trouble (if there should be a negative patient outcome). The Good Samaritan Law only protects you if you stay within your scope of practice. If you are trained in BLS then go ahead. And may the force be with you.

I was under the false impression that an air way would allow an unskilled person to overcome serious breathing problems for the injured. So, for the untrained, it appears that it should not be considered.

[NAVIGATOR]

This has been discussed in other threads, but it has to be nailed in our brains.

Any action you make to help an injured person has a reaction, anybody trying to help an injured person "hopes" that the actions he performs, will help this person to overcome the critical stage of his injury.

It is not about hope, it is about knowing what to do, how to do it and when to do it, and most important when not to do it.

Several of us have recommended that you perform only the actions that you know perfectly how to execute.

To know this you have to be trained properly, this is the best piece of equipement we can carry.

[RJK]

I was under the false impression that an air way would allow an unskilled person to overcome serious breathing problems for the injured. So, for the untrained, it appears that it should not be considered.

Correct!! The main purpose of an Oropharyngeal airway or nasopharyngeal airway are to keep the tongue forward and away from the back of the thoat ( Posterior oropharynx ). They are fairly easy to insert, with the proper training. But one must understand the advantages and disadvantages of both. For example, if you're semi-conscious and are having airway problems, if I stick a piece of plastic down your throat, guess what happens ( I get to see what you ate last)? Or if I decide to use an NPA and the patient has a basilar skull fracture you could kill the guy.
Most of emergency medicine involves good common sense along with training. What makes it difficult is the skill in being able to recognize the injury/ies and the proper interventions to make.
It's not hard, I'm no rocket scientist, and I'm a medic ( 10 yrs)
I've never taken a wilderness first aid course, but I think I'd recommend taking a first responder or basic life support course first. I think it's a better base to start off with. From there I think the WFA course would be more benificial and one can McGyver items to use in place of the real thing when they are off the beaten path.
I'm a strong believer in knowing how to do it the long / proper way first, rather then learning short cuts and substitutions from the begining. My $.02 Rob

[Andrew]

Said Stephen:
Wilderness Medical Associates kit list

They teach courses and sell stuff, too. Don't know anything about their competence, reputation, etc.

I've taken their wilderness first aid courses, twice so far, and I'm due for this year again. Very good courses, with practical hands-on experience and outstanding instructors. Not overboard on the moulage (fake blood and gore), but rather an emphasis on realistic scenarios where you come across a victim and have to make an assessment of their ailments. You learn to deal with shock, hypothermia, fractures, internal injuries, much more.

It's geared toward making do with what you're likely to have on hand on a backpacking trip, which in the case of the Sierra Club backpack trips I lead is not so different from the kits suggested here. In my kit I also carry, whether on foot on on moto, a simple thing called a SAM-splint, it's a sheet of formable aluminum with thin foam on both sides. You can make a cervical collar, a splint for a broken arm, elbo, ankle, etc.

These classes instill confidence, they leave you much better prepared to deal with with a bad scene when you come across one. I think they're much more worthwhile than Red Cross standard first aid courses which do little more than have you call 911. In the backcountry, it can be days before help arrives. If your buddy is down on a paved backroad, it might be well over an hour before help arrives. What you learn in these courses will make a difference in whether someone makes it or not.

[cRAsH]

This might be a good idea -- I've never been to a Doc Wong thing.

Doc Wong Certified First Aid/CPR for Motorcyclists!! Saturday January 25th

Hi,

Yes, I'm hyperactive and having so much fun with all the motorcycling
activities and even my work activities chiropractoring away!

Anyway, I'm Soooo excited about this as it's the first time we've offered
a certified class!!!

This is a 6 hour First Aid / CPR course which will certify you in handling
the most common First Aid / CPR situations that you may run into as a
motorcyclist! To top it off, you'll get your First Aid/CPR
certification!!

If you are an EMT, I need volunteer instructors to help out! The number
of volunteers will determine the number of students I can have.

So e-mail me if you're an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician).

What: Doc Wong Certified First Aid/CPR for Motorcyclists!
When: Saturday January 25, 2003
Time: 9am to 4pm
Where: La Honda Fire House
Cost: $35
How to sign up: e-mail docwong@aol.com

Proceeds to the La Honda Volunteer Fire Department

We had this class last year which was unbelieveable! It was the BEST
First Aid class I've ever been to. The instructors Kathleen Tomkins and
Jane Woods were incredible.

They really geared the class for motorcyclists and motorcycling
situations. It was so close to being a certified class that this year I
just added another hour and you get the certification too!

See you there?

Ride street, ride track, ride dirt, trials.....ride.....well!

Doc

Check out the stuff on the Doc Wong (Free) Riding Clinics on my web site!
http://www.docwong.com

Note: Photos for "Doc Wong Crashes" and the "Doc Wong Rider Mentor Borad"
are now on my web site.
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To get the latest announcements on my Riding Clinics subscribe to the
Doc-Ride Mail-list!

Send an E-mail to: listproc@micapeak.com with:

"Subscribe Doc-Ride YOUR NAME" as the body of the email. Replace "YOUR
NAME" with your name.
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Next Doc Wong (Street) Riding Clinics: (Dates are subject to change )

January 17, 2003 "Basic Suspension Clinic Part Two" Friday night 7:15pm
January 19, 2003 "Special Doc Wong Monsoon Survival Clinic" don't miss
this one! January 20, 2003 "Palo Alto Sport Bike Night" Monday night 7pm
at Q Cafe January 25, 2003 "First Aid-CPR class for Motorcyclists"
Saturday 9am-3pm

February 7, 2003 "Suspension Clinic Advanced-Part 3" Friday night 7:15pm
February 16, 2003 "Smooth Riding - Throttle Control" Februayr 28, 2003
"Basic Suspension Part 1" Friday night 7:15pm

March 14, 2003 "Basic Suspension Clinic Part 2" Friday night 7:15pm
March 16, 2003 "Cornering Confidence - The Steering Input"

April 4, 2003 "Suspension 3-Advanced" Friday night 7:15pm
April 13, 2003 "Smooth Riding - Handle bar pressure"

May 18, 2003 "Cornering Confidence - Lines of Travel (1-2 Turn Method)"
June 22, 2003 "Smooth Riding - Body English-Weight Transfer" July 13. 2003
"Cornering Confidence - Stable Body Position and Anchor Points" August
24, 2003 "Cornering Confidence - Pivot Steering" September 21, 2003
"Smooth Riding - Awareness and Vision" October 19, 2003 "Cornering
Confidence - Road Surfaces and Curve Configurations" November 16, 2003
"Cornering Confidence - Wet Weather Riding and Loose Conditions" December
14, 2003 "Smooth Riding - Shifting and Braking"
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Special All Day Event: Rider Skills and Survival Day July 27, 2003
This is an all day motorcycle "fair" with vendor booths, displays,
classes, suspension tuneups, demonstrations, etc. A VERY fun day that is
located at the corner of Skyline and Woodside Road in Woodside-La Honda
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Next Doc Wong group at Keith Code's Calif. Superbike School

April 17, 2003 (Thursday) Laguna Seca

May 5, 2003 (Monday) Sears Point

May 8, 2003 (Thursday) Thunderhill Raceway

December 2, 2003 (Tuesday) Laguna Seca

(e-mail me for more info)
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Next Doc Wong group at an OPEN TRACK DAYs events:

Buttonwillow Raceway
Saturday, May 31st & Sunday, June 1st 2003
Saturday & Sunday, July 19th & 20th, 2003
Saturday & Sunday, August 16th & 17th, 2003
Saturday & Sunday, December 6th & 7th, 2003

Laguna Seca:
Monday, February 17th, 2003 (Presidents Day-It's A Legal Holiday!)


E-mail me at DocWong@aol.com for more information!
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Next Dirt and Dual Sport Clinics (format is Friday night 7:15pm at my
office and Saturday or Sunday 9am at Hollister Hills)

February 14th and 15th (Friday night and Saturday) Hollister Hills Area 5!

March 28th and 30th (Friday night and Sunday) Hollister Hills Area 5!

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**Special acknowledgement and thanks to Keith Code of California Superbike
Schools for his help and guidence and support. The Doc Wong Street Riding
Clinics are almost all based on his works.

My personal recommendation: Get his books and tapes on the subject, read
them and apply them....your riding will be much better for it!

And special acknowledgement to Gary Jaehne for his contributions on the
Suspension clinics and in his book: "Sportbiking: The Real
World"....great reading.

And special acknowledgement to L. Ron Hubbard who has provided me with the
vital tools to be effective in life and in teaching me how to learn

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Street riding, dual-sport riding, dirt riding, trials riding, side car
riding, now track riding....lots to do, not enough time...gota get to flat
trackin someday.

Recommendation if you ride street: Get a dual-sport bike or dirt bike and
learn how to ride in the dirt where it's always loose. Besides being a
blast, it'll make you a more confident street rider.

[rhino boy]

I have 2 first aid kits - the big baby for long trips to places with limited medical resources (this is packed only for the trip) and a smaller one that is permanently located under the back of the tank of the GS Adventure - where there is plenty of room for an emergency kit.

However, first aid kits are much better if you know how to use them.

I suggest you do a basic first aid course and if riding in the outback/bush/desert, a remote area course as well.

[BoxerBoy]

Said Chopperman:
Well when it is your own gore you tend to get unsqueamish quick. At least I do.

I'll second that.

Oh, and the Hein Gericke First Aid kit lies safely in the topbox, as usual! And I'll hope that I'll never need to use that, nor a hand gun (In anger, that is. Target practice can be fun)...