Trauma Kits. Sounds like something out of an episode of MASH or Rescue 911 but a trauma kit is one of the most important tools you can carry in your Jeep. No, you can’t buy them at your local department store but there are number of places you can find online that will sell you one. For customer service, quality, and price you won’t find a better source than Mobil Medic – www.mobil-medic.com. The owner of Mobil Medic is not only a businessman but is also an experienced 9-1-1 Medic, and they donate a portion of their sales to the “Wounded Warrior Project” and the “Semper Fi Fund.” While their business caters to EMS professionals and departments, they offer kits that are perfect for the individual and larger kits that every club should carry on every off-highway trip. Be sure to check out the September/October issue of JPFreek for a detailed review of a few of their kits.
That comes to our next subject: training and certification in first aid. You might have the best trauma kit in the world but if you don’t have the training necessary to use the supplies it carries, it will do you no good. My suggestion is that you take a Wilderness First Aid Certification course. Typically this is a two-day course that not only deals with the type of injuries you would encounter while Jeeping but also includes AED and CPR certification. Jeep Expeditions members have been, and will continue to take, the certification course by the American Safety and Health Institute. The Red Cross and Sportsmans Warehouse also offer Wilderness First Aid Certification courses
So, will you be prepared for emergencies in the future? Will you prepare for emergencies in the future? If you are in a club, encourage members to get their Ham Radio license and to get certified in Wilderness First Aid and CPR. Acquire a Trauma Bag/Kit for your club, and be sure that it not only is on every trip but that someone has the training to use it. Finally, consider buying a SPOT Messenger unit or another Emergency Locator device to summon help. As an individual, once you have been certified in Wilderness First Aid, spend the $100 or so and get your own Trauma Kit.
Remember, you can never be too prepared in an emergency.
Related – Keys to Navigation
* Published by JPFreek Jeep Adventure Magazine – The leader in Jeep and adventure enthusiast publications.