Go Beyond

Preparing for the 2013 Texas Water Safari

Although I am not a Doomsday Prepper, I do keep First Aid kits in my home and in my vehicles. I also keep a special international kit in my luggage that includes my own syringes and needles and other stuff I do not want to be without in some of the remote places I visit. I started putting together my own First Aid kits when I was a Boy Scout — mainly because in those days stores did not carry the variety of ready-made First Aid kits so easily available today. So, I enjoyed the challenge of making my own kits for our troop hikes and camp outs, always working to make each kit smaller, lighter, and more compact than the previous. I also made it a point to study every page and first aid illustration in my Boy Scout handbook and earned my First Aid merit badge and Red Cross certification.

Check out the illustrations in my Boy Scout handbook, especially the guy on the phone!

I recently announced that my friend Doyle and I will compete in next year’s 260-mile Texas Water Safari marathon canoe race. One of the requirements is that we have a First Aid kit for the race. Of course, I volunteered to assemble our kit rather than buy a ready-made kit. This morning I purchased and collected the items for our kit and put all of these items into a water bottle that we will attach to our canoe using a carabiner. This will keep the kit easily accessible at all times. I am happy to say that our kit weighs about 12 ounces. During this year’s Texas Water Safari, I accidentally cut my hand just before my son Jonathan and I crossed San Antonio Bay to the finish line. I was definitely glad to have everything I needed to clean and bandage the wound. Hopefully Doyle and I will not have to use our First Aid kit. But, if we do, like every good Boy Scout, we are prepared! This is now one more thing we can check off our list as we continue our preparation for the race.