If you’re an avid biker, then your steel horse means the world to you, and you’ve already invested a lot to make sure that it drives smoothly. You’ve got the helmet, the boots, you even have the gloves. Although it’s a move in the right direction, it’s just not enough.
All motorcyclists are well-aware of what can go wrong on a ride. The risk of getting cut or burnt is very real, even with all that denim and leather serving as armor. Accidents can happen anywhere, so it’s your responsibility as a biker to make sure you’re ready for the worst. If by some terrible twist of fate something goes wrong in the middle of nowhere, you need to be able to deal with it.
Are you the type to handle with an issue on the spot? Are you a DIY kind of girl or guy? Do you think about emergency first aid and worry that a preassembled kit might weigh you down? Well, it’s your lucky day; you’re about to find out how to make your very own emergency first aid kit for bikers from the guidelines provided by australiawidefirstaid.com.au.
Keeping it Together
Before you can even figure out what you need for your kit, it’s best that you find a proper container. If your container is too small, you won’t be able to fit much into it, and if it’s too big, you won’t have space to store it.
See if you can find something portable and water-resistant. Where you pack your first aid items determines how well you can respond to emergencies. Once you’ve got your container, everything else will fall into place so you need to make sure that you pick the right space.
What’s for Wounds?
Cleanliness is important when dealing with wounds, you wouldn’t to catch an infection because you didn’t clean it up properly. Get some alcohol wipes to disinfect and clean your hands, any instruments you might be using and even the area surrounding the wound.
For ultimate protection against infection, you can go ahead and buy some antibiotic ointment. This works wonders for shallow wounds and you can rest assured that minor injuries won’t turn into festering infections.
You want to get band-aids, and you need adhesive tape to secure those band-aids. When you think of a first aid kit, band-aids come to mind so there’s absolutely no negotiating on this one.
There’s a band-aid for everything these days, you can get the adhesive knuckle band-aids that conform to the shape of your knuckles. You can get the extra-long finger band-aids and if you’re in need of standard band-aids, the adhesive fabric kind are your go-to.
Wounds need wrapping and dressing, any paramedic can tell you that. Stock up on some sterile gauze dressing to dress wounds before wrapping and get some conforming gauze bandages to wrap the wounds afterwards.
What happens when you need stitches but the nearest hospital is miles away? You get yourself what they call closures, these will keep cuts closed until you get someone to stitch you up.
Essential Equipment
What happens when you need to cut out a piece of bandage? What do you do when someone needs a seatbelt cut off to save their life? You get a knife, that’s right. What do you when you need to cut off some thick leather? Why, you get a pair of shears or scissors of course.
A great deal of damage can be done when you’re stuck and you can’t cut yourself free, pack up some shears and a knife and you don’t have to ever worry about that.
Surgical gloves are a must-have as well. Things can get messy in an accident scene so you need to be able to touch things without posing a health hazard to you or whoever might be injured.
First aid kits are about survival, and what better way to survive than by knowing your surroundings at all times? Flashlights come in all shapes and sizes so there’s no excuse for not getting one. And no, you can’t rely on the flashlight on your phone.
Medication
An exhaust burn can get pretty serious and burn gel packages will not only relieve you of any stinging pain, but they’ll prevent microbial infections. Who doesn’t want double protection?
Aspirin is a necessity in any first aid kit. As a multipurpose drug, it can save you the trouble of fever symptoms, heart attacks and you guessed it; pain in general.
Antacids will help you manage heartburn and keep your stomach in check. We all suffer from indigestion sometimes, and if you claim you’ve never had an upset stomach while riding, good for you, but you need antacids in case it happens in the future.
It would be wise to arm yourself with an anti-diarrheal as well, you don’t always know when nature will call you on speed dial, so you better be prepared.
In Case There’s Still Space
Perhaps you’ve got a little room for a few more items, and hey, it doesn’t hurt to be as prepared as you can be. Whether or not you’re dressed to brave the elements, there’s always that little strip of skin that gets exposed to the sunlight. Carry some decent sunscreen and you don’t have to worry about burning up between all that leather.
It can get pretty wild on those wide, winding roads so you need to pick up some after bite wipes at the store as well. Insects will bite, scratches will appear on your body and minor burns might bring you some discomfort but with after bite wipes you can instantly relieve yourself of all of that.
If you’d rather prevent than cure, why not pack some insect repellants? Windshields on cars are often packed with dead mosquitoes so you can imagine how exposed a biker can be.
Ride Like The Wind
That’s it; everything you’ll ever need to stay safe on the open road. Pack your kit according to your needs, make it a point to keep it in a safe space and don’t forget to restock when something runs out. You may now ride off into the sunset. Happy biking!