Basic First Aid
All riders should take a first-aid course to prepare for outdoor emergencies. The American Red Cross offers training in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
It’s also wise to carry a complete first-aid kit. Suggested contents for a first-aid kit include:
- 2-inch-square sterile gauze pads
- 4-inch-square sterile gauze pads
- 42-inch-square cloth for triangular bandage or sling
- Antacid
- Antibiotic salve
- Aspirin
- Assorted adhesive dressings
- Assorted butterfly dressings
- Cotton swabs
- Decongestant
- Eye dropper
- Hand sanitizer
- Instant chemical cold packs
- Instant chemical hot packs
- Latex gloves
- Moleskin
- Needles
- One-half percent hydrocortisone cream
- Petroleum jelly
- Roll of 1-inch adhesive tape
- Roll of 2-inch adhesive tape
- Roll of 2-inch gauze bandage
- Safety pins
- Scissors
- Single-edged razor blades
- Sterile eyewash
- Thermometer
- Tweezers