1st Aid

Available equipment

Expo maintains one big top camp first aid kit, which is in a big grey peli case however it is not designed/intended to go underground. Plateau falls are actually the biggest risk on expo - the limestone is sharp and sometimes slippery, the rucksacks are enormous and heavy. Small personal kits for underground use are also a good idea, as is a bivi bag or bothy in case of getting stuck for any reason (as it's damn cold).

There are two mini-rescue first aid kits in a yellow and an orange peli case. One should be kept at the stone bridge bivy site and the other either at base camp or at any secondary camps.

There is a first response grab bag containing a brew kit and a bovy shelter, as well as a hauling bag containing the necessary stuff to haul people

There is also a stretcher, which should contain a neck collar and googles.

At base camp is more first aid stuff for both replenishment and other injuries.

Training

There is a caving first aid training session help each year before expo. Here are the slides from a recent course (written by Cat Hulse) which provide a lot of good info.

First Aid kit contents

Item Camp kits Mini-rescue kits Personal kits
Start of expo Minimum Minimum Minimum
PPE, Scissors, Papaer and pencil
Pairs of nitrile gloves 12 6 6 1
Small Scissors 1 1 1 1
Tuffkuts (heavy duty scissors) 1 1 1
Pencil 2 2 2 1
Paper 5 3 3 1
Wound cleaning
5x5cm sterile swabs 30 20 4 (one pack) 4 (one pack)
25ml eye wash 8 4 5 1
Alchol free wipes 30 15 10 3
Wound dressing
Eye-pad 2 2 2
Big fabric plasters 5 2 2 2
Long fabric plasters 5 2 2 2
Knuckle fabric plasters 5 2 2 2
Small fabric plasters 5 2 2 2
~10x10cm adhesive dressing 5 3
Medium dressing 2 2 1 1
Large dressing 2 2 1
Ambulancce dressing No. 4 2 2 2
Ambulancce dressing No. 3/2 2 2 2
Hypo-allergenic tape 1 1 1
2.5cm zinc oxide tape 1 1 1 1 (or gaffer tape)
Pack of steri strips 3 2 2 1
Sprains, strains, breaks and dressing retention
7cm roller bandage 3 2 1 1
15cm roller bandage 2 1
Ice pack 2 1
SAM splint 2
Gaffer tape 1
Safety pins 8 4 3
Triangular Bandage 2 1
Drugs see Notes on use
Paracetamol 20 10 4 4
Diclofenac 3 3 3 3
Asprin 6 2 2
Rehydration Salts 2 2 2
Ibuprofen 9 3 3
Loperamide 8
Domperidone 8
Dextrose 2
Survival
Survival bags 2
Backup lights 2
Tea light candle 6 1
Lighters 2 1
Hygene
Tampons 5 2