BLS gear can be categorized into trauma, medical and airway equipment. I’m leaving out OB kit since I believe you can improvise.

Lets start with medical since that is simple. You will have on you: glucose, epi pen, baby aspirin, charcoal, albuterol and maybe vomit inducing syrup. All together that’s a small pouch that doesn’t weight much. There are not many substitutions you can do there but some items such as aspirin can have double purpose. If you are doing above on your own I would include stuff such as water gel, more pills, antibiotic ointments etc etc. If you are operating under your county you have to follow your county’s protocols and off line medical directions.

Trauma:
Your trauma bag should consist of cravats and klings. 4 inch wide would be preferable since they can be cut to size. Few one inch tapes (or some extra duct tape) and off course rolled lightweight SAM splints. 4by4s for coverage and 5by9s for absorption.

C Spine collars of all sizes can be substituted with one that can be adjusted to person’s neck or you can cut one out of the SAM splint. Peroxide will be good infection control fluid and optional cold pack for swelling reducing but many people carry ice in their coolers. If you don’t want to carry a head bed try using rolled up clothing to stabilize the head.

Think about bringing a burn sheet or if you don’t want to carry one get some burn water gel. For cold emergencies instead of full heat pack bring heat patches, they are small and if you get cold you can smack them in your boots or gloves.

Also if you want to double use items: use a towel or blanket to form a horse shoe splint for ankle elbow fractions. Don’t carry any splints and hope for having a tree nearby (or a wooden fence)

Airway:
Airway management is tricky. OPAs are lightweight and you can get and carry a basic set. I would prefer pocket mask over face shield. Now I tell you why I would want a BVM: I can deliver fuller blows with better quality air, easier and longer… Is it worth the space? For me it is. Throw away nasal cannula, NPAs and baby/infants BVM.

Get a mannequin and do the CPR on him for as long as you can. Than do the same with BVM. BVM can be folded down and soft trauma supplies can be placed in and around the voids. Pocket mask can be as well used separately.

BP cuff you showed was good enough. If you don’t want a scope you can get BP by palp.

Now if you have time and resources here’s a list of equipment that would blow you socks off:

New Carbo tanks which weight nothing but store much more that traditional tanks. Or new Access AED which is as big as small paperback. Same goes for foldable long boards.

Stuff you should have already on you would be a flashlight, knife, notebook and watch… Substitute your shears with Bench made Rescue Hook.

Just remember that most likely if something happens you are going to be a medical authority on the scene. You are going to be very much in charge. In the wilderness medicine it is easy to improvise. But with all the improvisation going on, it is also very easy to forget about well being of the patient, infection control and basic evaluations. Just because you lack physical resources it doesn’t mean you have to downsize your mental resources. Treat you patient as you were wearing your uniform, as if you would like somebody to treat you mon or dad, treat them with dignity and respect as you were on the real dispatched call. Go thru your ABCs, AVPUs, CUPS, SAMPLEs, etc etc… Constantly revaluate and asses. Once you started medical care, you are it to the end or until patient was transferred. Emergency medicine fixes symptoms but it doesn’t fix problems. Just saying… since I’ve seen an “EMT” giving guy two aspirins on the trail and leaving him. How do you leave somebody with 34R and 140P who states that has a radiating pain down his arm and a previous arrest?

Matt