First Aid

I think it is worth investing in a first aid course first.

I think you can get snake venom id kits but not antivenom kits. Snake identification is not easy and you should study sanke types and habitat.

IMHO your best defence is
-remote travel first aid course
-Sat phone and PLB
-Information on Snakes and ID
-Then a good, appropriate First Aid Kit.
-A visit to the doctor to get some strong antibiotics for skin wounds and burns, diarrhea and flu as well as string pain killers. If you have a good relationship with a doctor he / she will prescribe these.


If you do the course, you will have a good idea of which kit to get.

I bought one of the Bob Cooper snake bite kits from the Exploroz shop, Duzzy.

Have spent most of my working life in remote locations, and often in high snake density areas, and only recall one snake bite victim. He was bitten by a Mulga Snake that crawled into his swag, and survived a lengthy vehicle/Cessna trip to Tennant Creek hospital. Aware of another 3 or 4 "snake in swag" incidents with no bites occurring. Snake bite is a proactive thing...........don't get into a situation where you will/might get bitten.

Ailments I'd be more concerned about are burns, sprains, breaks, dehydration and anything that might immobilise the, often only, driver. There is a silver ointment, script only, that is magic for burns, can't recall the name. Imodium, Staminade, strong pain killers(Endone comes to mind!), dental floss for sutures(and your teeth of course) and suitable curved needle for said sutures etc, etc.

St Johns have a variety of kits, as well as some of the industrial PPE suppliers. There's heaps of choice out there.

Safe travels,

Bob

As said, the best first aid kid is knowledge. Make sure you both do a course - one of you may be in need of first aid.

Carry compression bandages and clips to hold them in place, in case of snake bite. I carry these in my backpack as well as in the first aid box.

We rarely see snakes on our travels - we see more in our back yard at home.

When in the Kimberley we were told that the snakes came out during the wet season when there are frogs and other dietary favourites in abundance. This is when tourists usually aren't there.

When walking take usual precautions; boots, thick socks, avoid long grass, look where you are walking. If you see a snake, freeze. That way you are no longer a threat to the snake.

I make up my own kit of first aid supplies and this is only basic stuff. I have instant hot and cold packs in the car (one use), and a re-usable cold pack in the caravan freezer.

Above all ... any decent first aid kit should have at least 3 good quality 4 inch compression type bandages.

these 3 bandages are capable of dealing with many serious situations about as well as any non qualified person can.

cheers

Check out RescueSwag. It was featured on the TV Show Shark Tank. It is an excellent first aid kit. There is also a Rescue Swag app that you can download to phone or tablet with first aid instructions, that works wether you have signal or not.

Macca.

Friends when it comes to buying first aid supplies ..... find yourself a good specialist first aid company that is not charging silly prices.

Start buying first aid suppliers from places like chemists and other retail suppliers and you will be paying well over the odds.

To start with you want to be buying bulk packed items not retail packed ..... oh that makes a big difference.
A roll of micropore for 30C rather than $3.50 serioulsy.

and you will have access to stuff you may find hard to get.

They will have good quality compression bandages ..... they will also have things like burnaid, betadine cream and other things in single use sachets ...... which are much better in kit.

I also carry different types of surgical dressings, that either wont be available elsewhere are they will be at rediculous prices.

these are particularly handy when closing or dressing minor to moderate wounds when you are several hours or days from the nearest town.

But those 3 x 4 inch compression bandages ...... they can save lives and plenty more two.

cheers