> I'm not a UKC member, so can't read their recommendations
My comments on the UKC thread:
<captain>
I think, fundamentally, we have to ask what the purpose of a FAK is. To be perfectly frank, most FAK items are for providing comfort, or for the prevention of infection (to the 'casualty' from the environment or from the 'casualty' to other people). They really have little function for anything life-threatening, since they generally assume an urban location within 8 minutes of an emergency ambulance.
Quite clearly, this is not the case for rural and mountain environments. However, in these environments, we can probably dispense with the 'there, there, Mummy make it better' comfort. And, assuming we're only hours from civilisation, we can probably ignore the issue of casualty infection, since such infections are unlikely to be life-threatening in that timescale, and can be treated with antibiotics once we're back in civilisation.
So, most simple cuts and grazes can be dealt with by a simple water wash, and maybe covering with a bit of Micropore tape.
Blisters are best dealt with using specialist hydrocolloid patches.
More interesting in terms of choices of action are ankle sprains; minor sprains may be dealt with by simply tightening a boot, or using a support bandage, allowing the casualty to self-extract, but more severe sprains may need rescue.
Now for the more interesting injuries, such as severe cuts and fractures. It's likely that in such an event, we would call in emergency rescue, so we need to stabilise the situation for the time it takes for rescue to arrive, which, depending on location, may be a few hours.
For a severe cut where blood loss might prove life-threatening, we need to stem the blood flow, with pressure, tourniquet, or more recent blood-stemming products. Again, whilst infection would be an issue if the wound were left untreated thereafter, in the short term, infection isn't our primary concern; blood loss is. Once we've stemmed the blood loss, then we might clean up in and around the wound, and cover it simply; some spare clothing would do the job pretty well, but you might take a simple bandage.
For fractures, we need to stabilise to prevent pain and reduce blood loss from the fracture (trying to manage shock). So, some means of splinting, along with relevant training and experience. Splinting might simply be gaffer tape and whatever stiff things come to hand; karrimat, sit mat, tent poles, etc.
Then we need to have means to shelter the party with the casualty, to prevent hypothermia.
Beyond that, we're into medical conditions, which start to fall outside the remit of first aid, but aspirin may be useful for minor heart issues; brufen for aches, pains & inflammation; some antihistamine for stings, bites and allergic reactions; something to deal with ticks, and something to prevent the squits should they strike.
