Medications and the Kit: Your Prescriptions, OTC, and the Boundaries

The instinct to carry more medicine is understandable and mostly wrong. Weight, expiry and unfamiliar packaging all argue for less — but the right less, chosen deliberately.

Your own prescriptions

• Original packaging and label. Never lend them and never take someone else's.
• Allergy, asthma, heart condition, diabetes: carry your medication on your body, and tell a partner where it is. Prescribed epinephrine is used exactly as instructed.
• Record drug names, doses, allergies and the time of the last dose. In an evacuation, hand that record to the rescuers.

Over-the-counter basics

• Pain and fever relief, an antihistamine, oral rehydration salts, dressings, antiseptic, sunscreen and lip balm.
• Follow the package. Do not exceed the dose. If you have a chronic condition, are pregnant, are treating a child, or are already on medication, ask a doctor or pharmacist first.
• Do not start antibiotics on your own. They are prescription-only, and the drug, dose and course come from a clinician.
• No unidentified or expired medication. Clear it out on a schedule.

The kit

• Bleeding: dressings, bandage, tape, gloves, and a tourniquet only if you have been trained to use one.
• Wound cleaning: saline, antiseptic, tweezers, scissors, a needle and blister plasters.
• Immobilisation: elastic bandage, splint or sleeping pad, triangular bandages.
• Other: emergency blanket, headlamp, whistle, CPR face shield, AED if the group has one, personal medication.
• Adjust to group size, days and route. Check it before you leave and restock when you get home.

Boundaries

• Field medicine does not replace a WFA/WFR course, a guide or a doctor. Serious injury means calling for help and evacuating first.
• No pills or fluids for anyone who is not fully alert. No improvised suturing, no reducing a dislocation, no unprescribed medication.
• Doses, antibiotics and prescription decisions belong to a clinician and the label.