Thanks.<br><br>I keep a first aid kit in my pack. Plus I have a smaller version in my fanny pack for short day hikes. This is separate from my PSK. For minor cuts, I'm sure betadine and sterile bandages are easy enough to apply. My thoughts were to how to react to serious cut in the wild. I have had first aid training plus a few real life experiences, but none that I would catagorize as a life threatening injury. <br><br>We have often preached on this forum that one should practice skills before we are forced to rely upon them. Wilderness emergency medicine is an area where I feel I have a weekness. Treatment and the decision processes in a survival situation are different from normal circumstances. In Scouts, we are taught that first aid is temporary aid until profession care can be given. Most of the techniques infer that help is relatively close at hand. And for the most part, that's true. But not always.<br><br>I think I was trying to imagine possible scenarios in my head, along with the knowledge that I have some gear in my first aid kit and PSK. What should I do? What should I use?<br><br>I agree, grab the petticoat (the every day one) and apply direct preasure to stop the bleeding. Once the bleeding is under control, I would have to decide what to do. If care was a few hours or less away, wait for profession care and leave the wound wrapped, even if it's not a sterile bandage. But if help is a day or more away, should I consider cleaning the wound. And, if so, with what?<br><br>As I write this, I now realized that I'll have sufficient time to treat water either by boiling and cooling or using iodine tablets. Hmmm... I think I had better place one of those wilderness first aid books that have been recommended on my birthday list!<br>