First Aid Kits
Chris Boardman (keschool@RMPLC.CO.UK)
Mon, 20 Jan 1997 21:34:26 +0000
Peter Kennon wrote
>We carry a EMT-P level kit, O2, backboard and Diffbulatior to
>all events. This equipment is about $7,000. If you do not
>wish to spend this much I would get a basic kit then add a
>backboard when you can afford it. Be sure to get a BLOODBORE
>PATHOGENS PRTECTION KIT. This should include latex gloves,
>safety wraparound type glasses and CPR mask with one-way
>valve. THESE ARE A MUST IN ANY first aid kit.
I just have to say I am astonished that any Scout Group considers it
necessary to carry a defribrillator to all their events. The cost is
huge - how can you spare this kind of expenditure from hard raised funds
compared with other needs of your group? Plus, if you tell parents that
you are going to supply all this kit, aren't you kind of making an
assurance that you won't always be able to fulfil? To use all the stuff
you quoted, excepting the blood products precautions kit, requires
extensive training. Only a few would ever have this. Plus, the training
needs to be kept up to date or you may try to use kit incorrectly. In
addition, how would you deal with a crisis on a trail walk where your
major supplies could not be carried along?
I dealt with a suspected spinal injury at a local youth rugby match just
this past Saturday, using the correct Spinal Cord Injury Management
technique and my bare hands - entirely within the training appropriate
for someone working with young people, and at a sensible cost! (The boy
turned out not to have a serious permanent injury to his spine). The
purpose of a spine board is to stabilise in order to facilitate movement
to hospital. You can stabilise without movement with minimum equipment,
while waiting for medical support to move the casualty. Even so, I could
understand neck collars, if you are appropriately trained, but never a
defibrillator!!
As a voluntary movement, the Scouts are expected to provide reasonable
care. First Aid qualifications are expected for a good number of
activities we carry out. But advanced care of the kind which Paramedics
can offer should be left to the appropriate services. We don't need to
try to duplicate these services (nor could we), neither should we wrap
the kids in (what we call) cotton wool.
If you are running a very large scale event (for a thousand or more
people), then you may well consider that more advanced medical
facilities are warranted. In these circumstances you can approach
voluntary medical organisations - the Red Cross, for example - who can
provide equipment and staff as required.
I look forward to reading everyone's views (unless of course this issue
has already been driven firmly into the ground in Scouts-L).
Chris Boardman
Cub Scout Leader
1st Bournville Panther Cub Scouts, Birmingham UK
Contributor, Scouting Magazine, London
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
