Learn essential first aid skills for Scouts and outdoor activities, including how to respond to common injuries and emergencies and provide appropriate initial care.
Knowing how to take a pulse is a useful skill to have outdoors. If someone feels unwell during a walk, struggles during a strenuous climb or needs a moment to recover after exertion, being able to measure a heart rate gives you another piece of information about how they’re doing. It’s also a straightforward way…
If someone injures their leg while you’re outdoors, getting them back to safety can become a real problem, particularly if you’re some distance from a road or other help. In a minor injury, a temporary walking aid can sometimes make moving around easier. If the injury could be a fracture or is otherwise serious, however,…
If you are somewhere with a mobile signal but cannot make a voice call to the emergency services, the UK’s Emergency SMS service can provide another way to contact 999. It can be particularly useful for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment, but it can also provide an alternative…
Sprains and strains are common outdoor injuries. A slip on a muddy path, an awkward landing, a twisted ankle or simply pushing a muscle too hard can leave someone in pain and unable to carry on normally. A sprain affects a ligament, which is the strong tissue connecting bones around a joint. A strain affects…
The recovery position is used when someone is unconscious or has a reduced level of responsiveness but is breathing normally. Placing them on their side can help keep their airway open and allows fluids such as saliva or vomit to drain away rather than blocking the airway. It is a useful first-aid skill to know,…
CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is an emergency first-aid skill used when someone is unresponsive and not breathing normally. It helps keep blood moving around the body while you wait for professional medical help to arrive. Emergency Disclaimer This article is for general first-aid education and is not a substitute for recognised practical first-aid training or…
When someone is injured or becomes unwell outdoors, your first instinct may be to rush straight over and help. That is understandable, but the first thing you need to do is stop and check that the situation is safe. A casualty who needs help is already in a difficult situation, but rushing into danger can…
Knowing some basic first aid can make a big difference when someone is injured or becomes ill outdoors. However, knowing what not to do is just as important. In an emergency, people can panic, rush in without thinking or try something they have seen in a film or online. This can sometimes make the situation…
Activity Overview Difficulty: ModerateTime: 45–90 minutesLocation: Scout campsites and suitable outdoor areasBest for: Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and experienced pioneering groupsSkills: Pioneering, lashings, ropework, teamwork, construction and emergency awareness A pioneering stretcher is a temporary structure made from poles and rope lashings, traditionally used to demonstrate pioneering and emergency-response skills. A homemade pioneering stretcher should…
First aid is one of the most important skills an Explorer can learn. An accident can happen during a hike, expedition, camping trip, cooking activity or simply while going about everyday life. Knowing what to do can make a difficult situation much easier to manage. At Explorer level, first aid activities can become more realistic…
