First aid kits

It was a wise man who said prevention is the best defence, this is true, how ever, accidents do happen, they always seem to come when we least expect them and on the whole take us totally unprepared.
Whether  involved in airsofting or any other outdoor pursuit, it is a wise precaution to carry some form of first aid kit, the outward bound shops in most towns and cities around the UK sell pre made kits, these range in value from cheap to down right scary expensive.
With a little fore thought you can put together a good cheap kit that will cover you in most environments.
However this said, the person carrying the kit must have a basic knowledge of how to treat injuries, as more harm than good can be done if you are unsure of the procedures you are attempting, the St’Johns ambulance service and Red cross do some very good courses on basic first aid and will give commonsense advice on the make up of a basic first aid kit, it is good advise to maybe spare some time to under take one.

Before you start to assemble your first aid kit you should take the time to carryout a threat assessment of the area you will be playing in, it is pointless taking unnecessary kit as this will just add to the weight and bulk, that you will have to carry and game with, thus tiring  yourself unnecessarily.

Full trauma kit carried by the author in Iraq, this will keep alive any casualty until higher medical aid can be reached, but would be classed as well over the top for airsoft use.
However that said, for interest value I will list what is in this kit, this kit could be taken to any theatre of operations world wide and not require a lot of modification. That said the weight of this kit is 17Lbs or 8 Kilos, that’s a lot when you consider what other equipment is required.
So all you diehard milsimmers, this is what you should be carrying for full effect!!!!!!!

1. saline solutions  x 5   run out dates 3x 1/10/2007  2x 1/4/2008
2. surgical tape x4  2xsmall 1xmedium  1xlarge
3. saline giving sets x 4
4. water jel burn bandages x 5
5. surgical scrub lotion x 1 bottle
6. crepe bandages x 9 7x large 2x small
7. Tampons super flow x 6
8. first field dressings 4 by 61/4 to 71/4 inches x 22
9. trauma wound dressing compression bandage x 2
10. Sam splints x2
11. surgical latex gloves x 20
12. tourniquets x 4  2 x buckle (wound immobilising) 2 x self administering
13. pain killers x 2 bottles
14. gauze sponges x 1 packet
15. cover sponges x 1 packet
16. asherman chest seals x 2
17. scissors heavy duty x 1
18. gauze sponges x 1 packet
19. plasters x 2 packets
20. anti septic wipes x 3 packets

As stated great care should be taken as to the amount and type of equipment carried in your first aid kit, the next picture is of a suggested kit, I would personally carry this kit to any site in the country, it is basic but would cover most likely injuries that you are likely to come across on a normal airsoft game day.

Airsoft advanced first aid kit.

1. Sam splint, for neck injuries and broken limb immobilisation
2. buckle tourniquets for limb immobilisation purposes only and as extraction aid
3. anti septic wipes for cleaning deep wound extremities ,cuts and stings
4. crepe bandages for open wounds, breaks or sprains
5. first aid carry case
6. plasters for minor cuts and scrapes
7. small bandages for minor wounds and severe cuts
8. pain killers for headaches and mild pain relieve( caution required due to allergies)
9. Tampons for helping stem severe blood flow
10. surgical gloves for personal protection (HIV, Hepatitis sufferers)

It must be stated that, any individual that attempts to carry out first aid on another person, can and will be held accountable for their actions, it is strongly advised that a basic first aiders course should be taken to ensure that correct medical administration is being carried out, it is illegal to dispense drugs without the required training.

This is the basic of basic first aid kits that this author would carry to any event or for that matter any where.

1. crepe bandages large
2. bandages small
3. plasters
4. Surgical gloves.

The worst case scenario for any gamer would likely be to come across is a severe break, where the bone has pierced the skin; the most likely injury to occur is sprains or cuts.

The information contained in this article is for information purposes only, it is not the intension to stipulate that any of the above medical supplies should be used by any untrained person; it is the individual person’s responsibility to gain correct and proper accreditation in the use and administration of medical supplies or aids.