Thunder Roads Magazine of Oklahoma/Arkansas June 2017 TRMOK | Page 23

FEATURES
She truly believed in the mystical
powers of the rabbit foot. While
all of these things could very well
help, what about treating injuries
from a motorcycle accident?
There are many opportunities
to fi nd value-priced fi rst aid kits
of various sizes, shapes and
quantities. Many have bandaids,
gauze rolls, gauze pads and
some kind of tape. All of that is
good for stopping or protecting
small-to-moderate size cuts, but
won’t go a long way in packing
an arterial bleed. For that, heavy
gauze sponges or even sanitary
napkins are ideal for controlling
blood loss. After all, that is what
they are made to do!
In case of a broken bone or
joint, some method of stabilization
is important. Bones rarely create
smooth breaks.
The jagged
edges of a bone break can
tear muscle and blood vessels.
Stabilizing a bone or joint with
a device called a “SAM Splint”
and using a triangular bandage
or gauze roll (preferably both)
to stabilize the injury can help
prevent further tissue damage.
I also like keeping eye drops
on my bike. Saline solution for
contact lenses also works well.
Keeping this handy in case dust
or a bug fl ies into my eye can
make a meaningful difference in
roadside care versus painfully
riding with one eye closed until
I can get to a place with a public
restroom to wash it out in the
sink.
Anything
beyond
that
becomes personal preference.
Some people have severe
allergies and need to keep an
Epi-Pen with them.
Others
have medicines they take on a
set schedule and need to have
available. You may also choose
aspirin, antibiotic ointment or
other items. This kind of stuff
has expiration dates and need
replacement over time. In my
opinion, on a motorcycle, I
am more concerned about
managing the risks that can keep
me from getting home! Adding
too many items to my emergency
preparedness kit can clutter it
up and take away from valuable
motorcycle
storage
space,
adding weight to my bike.
Although not as tasty as
the Ho-Hos in Billy’s lunch, it is
important to keep emergency kits
on the bike that can be utilized
should the occasion arise. Make
sure to spend a few minutes
thinking about those items, but
don’t worry about buying out a
drug store or a $90 fi rst-aid kit
to keep on your bike. If nothing
else, throw a couple sanitary
napkins and some duct tape in a
plastic zip bag!
However, a good protocol
to follow when selecting
items would be to think about
bleeding control, bone and joint
stabilization, and