A first-aid kit is not the same as an emergency kit. Some items occasionally included in a first aid kit actually belong to the emergency kit, though some hikers will combine the two. Not all emergencies require first-aid, and not all applications of first-aid are true emergencies. Being lost may constitute an emergency, but if the hiker is not injured, first aid may not be needed. Alternately, dry lips may require first aid, but they do not constitute an emergency.

Emergency-kit items such as whistle and compass have no foreseeable first-aid application. On the other hand, emergency items such as a pocket knife, small mirror, magnifying glass, and emergency blanket may have first-aid applications.  So first-aid kits and emergency kits may be used in conjunction with each other.

Many of the items shown to the right need to be kept in sterile, water-proof packaging. They are shown unpacked to ease identification.

First Aid Kit Items and How they are Used:

Chemical and medicinal items:

Sunscreen—To prevent sunburn all times of year.
Ibuprofen or aspirin—To relieve aches and pains, control fever and inflammation.
Antibiotic ointment—To prevent infection of small wounds.
Antiseptic soap—To clean wounds.
Antacid—To relieve nausea.
Diarrhea medicine—To relieve diarrhea.
Insect repellent—To keep insects away.
Lip balm or chapstick—To prevent chapped lips.
Hydrocortisone cream—To sooth allergic skin.
Antihistamine/Decongestant—To prevent or treat allergies.
Bee-sting kit—To treat allergic reactions to bee, hornet, or wasp stings.
Dry-wash pads or wipes—To clean hands.
Chemical heat and cold packs—For sprains and strained muscles.

Instruments:

Scissors,—To cut tape, moleskin, and dressings.
Tweezers—To remove splinters and ticks.
Safety pins—To keep bandages, compresses, splints, and slings in place.
Cotton swab—For sterile application of ointments, etc.
Latex gloves—Infection prevention when touching body fluids.
Bulb irrigating syringe—To wash wounds.

Dressings:

Moleskin—To guard against and treat blisters.
Adhesive bandages—To dress small wounds.
Gauze pads, sterile—To dress moderate-sized wounds.
4-inch square sterile pads—To dress large wounds.
Non-adhesive absorbent dressing—To dress burn wounds.
4-inch bandage compress—To dress large wounds.

Bandages:

Adhesive tape—To secure splint, compress, or joint. To prevent blisters.
Butterfly bandages—To close wound edges.
Clear tape—To close wound edges.
Elastic bandage—To support weakened joints or to secure compresses and splints in place.
Triangular bandage—To hold compresses or splints in place. A bandana will work.

Medical Guide:

Backpack medical guide—For a summary of first-aid procedures.

Applying First Aid on a Hike

First is our disclaimer: We are not medical professionals, nor are we here offering professional medical advice. Our word is not the final authority.

There is some controversy in this field as continuing research explores the effectiveness of what used to be "conventional wisdom." Some practices we learned years ago are not considered valid today. First aid classes and emergency medical training change somewhat with time.  What we call "learning first aid" or "knowing CPR" is not a one-time task. It is ongoing.

First-aid skills will not be thoroughly learned at the computer terminal. We can not practice here how to make sharp incisions into a rattlesnake bite, but we can learn here that such practices are no longer advised. They are now considered as dangerous as the bite itself.

Reading is valuable, visual diagrams are helpful, but classroom practice and practical experience give substance to our memories and may make the crucial difference in an emergency.

Numerous previews and summaries of hiking-related first aid are available on the Internet. We do not find any one that is entirely adequate, but we present our choices below.  The reader accepts all responsibility for adequately reviewing resources and obtaining the necessary training to respond to a medical emergency while hiking.

Unfortunately, the American Medical Association and Red Cross have not chosen to present their first-aid manuals online—preferring, it seems, to sell us a book. Like so many people, we will retain their previous editions on our bookshelves and resort to the Internet for updated materials.

Outlined below is the first-aid section of Discover the Outdoors web site, written primarily for hunters on foot. It’s main draw-back is a lack of diagrams.  And the size of first-aid kit it lists tends to exceed hikers' capacity.  Yet it concentrates on the first-aid we are more likely to use as hikers. And it goes into some detail on such ailments as altitude sickness. The entire section can be read in a little over an hour. It’s about 24 type-written pages long. Click on headings below to read that section.

First Aid Kit
Essentials
Optional Items

General First Aid Procedure

General Injuries
Cuts
Abrasions
Head Injuries (Concussions)
Spinal Injuries
Broken or Dislocated Bones
Sprains
Muscle Cramps
Eye Injuries
Blisters

Life-threatening Conditions
Stopped Heart/Breathing
Drowning
Choking
Chest Pains / Heart Attack
Shock
Altitude Sickness

Bites, Stings And Harmful Plants
Venomous Snake Bites
Venomous Spider Bites
Other Bites
   Dogs, cats, raccoons, skunks, bats, or foxes
   Ticks
   Chiggers and mosquitoes
Stings
Poison Ivy, Oak, Sumac and Stinging Nettle
Other Poisonous Plants

Cold-related Ailments And Injuries
Hypothermia
Frostbite
Trench Foot (Immersion Foot)
Other Cold Injuries
   Chilblains
   Frozen Lung
   Snow Blindness

Heat-related Ailments And Injuries
Heat-Related Illnesses
   Heat Cramps
   Heat Exhaustion
   Heat Stroke
Burns
Sunburn

Moving A Victim

Preparation

In the links section below, we include shorter summaries of first aid and additional resources for exploring in detail specific questions. 

Links for Additional First Aid Information

Basic First Aid Kit, found at multiple sites.
First aid manuals are difficult to find online, but here is one from Austrailia.
A first-aid decision tree is provided by Health World.
First Aid Tutorial is prepared by a Certified First Aid Instructor in Hawaii
Online First Aid, is a course by the BBC.
New York Emergency Room has good links on First Aid—including manuals, tutorials, and articles on CPR and First Aid.
Discover the Outdoors web site on first aid.
Rick Curtis, Princeton University gives altitude sickness an exhaustive treatment.
Catskill Hikes, a six page review of hiking first aid.
National Lightning Safety Institute, first aid for lightning strike victims.
Ticks and Tick Bite, Lyme Disease Association
American Lyme Disease Foundation on variety of tick-borne diseases.
Consumer Specialty Products Association on insects and spiders, including ticks.
Centers for Disease Control on Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, which is actually rare in the Rocky Mountains.
Health Promotion and Education organization on Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
University of Arizona on wood ticks.
Oklahoma College of Pharmacy on first aid for tick bite.