Great idea Matt! Medical stuff is tricky. No way to carry everything on the bike, you can only cover general stuff. But a good write up would be a great place to start.

I think the most important thing of all is having at least some idea of what to do after an accident. Assessing injuries is tricky stuff but basic first aid training is a good place to begin.

I ride with a semi-retired orthopedic surgeon who worked as a
Trauma surgeon in the ER at USC hospital in L.A. early in his career. (US military sends medics there to learn to treat gunshot wounds)

Torsten's big thing is "The Golden Hour". He is always going on about that. The golden hour of life .... Internal injuries are the hard ones to diagnose, things like ruptured spleens and other reasons for internal bleeding. When someone is not conscious it's hard to know what to do. (this is one thing a trauma surgeon is trained for).

Obviously, making sure you have a free air way is first then checking vitals after that. Beyond that, I'm pretty lost.

Another doctor (who now works in a Women's Prison as a gynecologist after several run ins with our IRS and running from police on his bike!! .) "Doc" as he in known is now in his 70's and still rides and is as crazy as ever. I've been to Baja with Doc twice, on each ride we had guys have serious crashes. Doc's big thing is Duct tape (serious) and Morphine (which he samples himself) which he can get in Mexico.

But same story ..... out in the desert you really can't do much.
Best try to get them to a trauma center or hospital ASAP. His big thing was "commandeer a pick up truck and get this guy to hospital NOW! " Which we did, both times.

I've been trained in basic first aid and CPR but honest to God, it was so long ago (30 years) .... I honestly haven't clue now. One of these days I would like to take a refresher first aid course. Maybe all riders/travelers should take a course?

Also, in some countries you are required to carry a first aid kit.
I've heard of cops holding guys up for bribes for not having one. (Argentina?).

But knowledge is the thing we need most.

Patrick

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!