Originally Posted By FADALdude:
I am a commissioned professional Scout with the Boy Scouts of America. A great perk is I get to go on trips that I otherwise couldn't take based on money and time. Our council is lucky enough to have a fishing camp on Cache Lake on the boundary waters across the border in Canada. I'm we're 8 miles by boat to the nearest road and 2 miles to where the Canadians can land a copter. Some of the new Scouts have limited outdoor experience and make up 10 of the 20 Scouts. Luckily we have a nice camp with bunks, a mess, fish house, outhouses, and flush toilets for the ladies. There's 8 adults as well.
I'm taking the BSA Wilderness First Aid course over a three day weekend to supplement my merit badge counselor training. So I'm not in the least sense highly trained. The curriculum is all about stabilization and evacuation. I have a good LBT 1562 medical bag I'm using as a dedicated med kit bag to put everything in. I figured this is a good time to buy a bigger kit and and some penetrating wound items as well. I've seen a Scout have an accident with an axe back when I was in the program and do not want to be under prepared. Any suggestion on compete kits? I would want to add some Israeli bandages and other penetrating wound items as well.
I've priced out what the BSA minimums are with our discounts but it's not a very reassuring kit.
I'd rather but more than I need and use it later in training if it expires.
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Honestly (and I'm only certified to WFA, getting WFR in August), there aren't many things inside your skill level that won't be found in a kit from REI or Adventure Medical, IMHO. I have several kits I owned from before I had any actual training and so far all I've mostly done is filled a few holes and added more quantity in areas I found lacking. Sure, there are things you could take along (splints, as an example), but the point of WFA/WFR/WEMT is to be able to provide BLS type aid, in an environment where you may have limited/no ability for a full kit, until you can relocate the subject to advanced care or bring emergency care to you.
If you feel you need to expand your kit, by all means, but I'll echo what many of the more advanced have said here - which is to not gear up above your ability.
Good luck!
ETA - spelling