Cyclonic First Aid Kit

Yet another cyclone is wending its way toward us. Well that's the price for living in the tropics - even paradise has its little ups and downs.

So what should we take if we have to evacuate our homes and where do we go? Generally the answer to that question can be found in your local phone book or in the cyclone watch pamphlet sent to all households pre cyclone season. But what about the First Aid Kit. With all the other gear such as food, torches, clothing, water etc which limits space - what can we do about first aid equipment.

A basic kit and not too bulky to carry should comprise your snake bite kit (a sealed plastic bag containing one 7.5 cm heavy crepe roller bandage and 2-3 15cm heavy crepe roller bandages plus two triangular bandages). Additionally it would be helpful to carry one or two survival blankets, an emergency cold pack, a few tubes of saline solution, one or two dressings and extra triangular bandages.

Improvising is the name of the game in an emergency so let's consider what we could use when push comes to shove.

Emergency splints. Try using cardboard, rolled up newspapers, school exercise books. If using sticks make sure they are well padded with clothing. Sometimes the best splint is the casualties own body; splint one leg to the other or an arm to the body.

If you have no triangular bandages to secure your splint you could resort to using good old ducting tape or similar. Make sure you never tape too tightly as you don't want to cut circulation.

Emergency triangular bandages can be made by cutting large squares out of sheeting or old curtains or any fabric about one to one and a quarter square metres. Then cut in two diagonally to get your triangular bandage which can be used as a sling or for tying up splints etc.

Dressings and roller bandages. Use the cleanest item you can find to cover an open wound then pad the wound and if you have no roller bandages and no tape I suggest you use a clean sock (if you cut the top off it will serve as a tube bandage, the foot with the toe cut out can be used for ankle, elbow or knee but make sure it is not too tight) and better still if you have access to lycra clothing the legs and arms can be cut up to make excellent tubes to fit over arms and legs. Any other stretchy clothing can be useful for this as well.

If you have no saline to clean wounds with use clean water (preferably preboiled and cooled).

Emergency blankets can be made by using sheets of newspaper or opening up cardboard boxes and don't forget the windscreen sun protector. Bear in mind it can sometimes be more important to keep the casualty warm and dry underneath. Many people make the mistake of covering a casualty up with a blanket and the person can become hypothermic (so cold it can kill them) because the surface they are laying on is chilling them. Conversely if a person is laying on a hot surface they can become burned if you have nothing to protect them from the hot surface