[pct-l] Safety Info for the 2008 Campaign

[Brian Lewis]

“I got two books down at REI.  "Pocket Guide to Emergency First Aid" and
"Pocket Guide to Outdoor Survival".  Both have a nice font and information
for use.  I think it is important to have some safety info with you along
with maps/permits, moon phases, etc. 
The trouble is that together they weigh 139g or 4.9 ounces.”


I carry a couple of different types of backcountry first aid references on
my PDA/phone/gps/camera device, eBooks I purchased online.  I didn't
actually weigh the device before and after I added these eBooks, but I
suspect the changed electron state nets just about zero grams per eBook ...
<g>

One thing I suggest for someone carrying first aid info as an eBook (or
maybe just in any format) is to take some time at home to skim through and
familiarize with it first.  The basics (early priority) stuff like dealing
with heavy bleeding, lack of pulse or breathing --- we need to know those
without fumbling for either paper or electronic book, but after that it
might be helpful to save some under-pressure-fumbling-around time by being
able to navigate more efficiently to the applicable section.

I will say that an added benefit of carrying these on my PDA/phone is that
they're normally quite close to hand, whereas any paper first aid reference
would be buried in my pack.
The potential downsides are probably obvious to everyone, but all can be
mitigated, one of the bazillion trade-offs we all make.

An alternative is to take the "Thru-hiker's Medical Guide" document by
Stewart Anderson (PCT Carbon) and reduce it to its essentials and reduce the
font and print this out --- comes out for me as two double-sided sheets of
paper --- and carry these in a ziplock bag.  This combo for me weighs 12
grams (0.4 oz).  You can find that document here:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/index.php?page=med_guide



	Brian Lewis