Food allergies

[perdidochas]

As a former EMT-A, I would caution the use of invasive treatments provided by lay people. Yes, it's a case of life and death, but as a EMT-A, I was taught how to provide epi treatment without leaving finger prints on the syringe so to speak.

Troop "rules" may run counter to BSA policy or local law, find out how it works if you have members of your group that carry eip pens.

Stosh

 

 

So should we not allow the boys with epi-pens to go on campouts without a paramedic?

 

[Stosh]

 

 

So should we not allow the boys with epi-pens to go on campouts without a paramedic?

 

Didn't say that. But in an emergency, I don't have any rules and may have to answer for that in court when I get sued. I just know that when I have been in that situation, I know I'm running a risk.

 

It's a call everyone has to make on their own.

 

I know how to do a tracheotomy. I'd do it in a heart beat on my own kid if necessary, but I would definitely think twice before doing it on someone else's kid.

 

Knowing how to do an epi-pen may save a life, but I'm surely not going to teach a layperson especially minors. Check with the laws of your area and the areas you may be camping if there are rules for such things.

 

Sending kids into the woods with an epi-pen and an allergy is a call every parent makes every time they send their boy on an activity. But it's the parents call, not mine.

 

I figure if I save a boy's life, the parents can sue the snot out of me and I won't care one bit and neither will the boy. I may win in court but it's going to cost me $$ to defend myself.

 

Stosh

[Gone]

 

Not sure. In our troop, we have two boys that have epi-pens. They carry it themselves and are responsible for them.

Wow, really? Who has the back up pens if the boys lose them? Our troop requires the boys to carry one and the troop med to carry the other (or store at camp medic if at summer camp). When we are out in remote areas we always carry the CareFlight number and a personal locator becon just in case. Yeah, it sounds a bit like a recon patrol, but I don't want to be the one to explain to Timmy's mom that we were not fully prepared and her son died in some canyon.

 

As a former EMT-A, I would caution the use of invasive treatments provided by lay people.

Yup. But the same could be said for any first aid that might be life or death. The one thing they hammered in to us during WRFA training was, it's your aid or nothing. I don't know that I would give an Epipen treatment if we were camping in a state park with cell service to 911 unless I was directed to do so OR unless things looked bad. That said, we've all been through the training to prepare us to take action if needed.

[perdidochas]

We do have the personal locator, but haven't thought about backup for epi-pen. Will add that to our discussion before next remote campout.

[RichardB]

Something from the news a couple days ago that is making its rounds in camping circles. Not agreeing or disagreeing with the content. Just an example of the reaction from something that seems so, well ordinary to someone who was the homeroom dad and official hotdog cook at most school outdoor activities.

 

http://snacksafely.com/2014/03/the-holiday-hill-incident-takeaways-for-your-childs-school/