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specifically carrying pain killers if youre doing solos. At first when I heard about rock climbers carrying pain killers who were solo climbing, I thought, "pussies, cant take the heat, dont go solo". But there are numerous reasons why one would want pain killers besides just killing pain.

1) staying conscious until first responders find you

2) performing first aid on yourself, splints, setting dislocated shoulders, etc

This is all taking into account youre carrying a cell phone inside the service area and won't just be sitting painlessly in vain at the bottom of a remote cliff. How many of you think this is a good idea?

I prefer to carry government issue cyanide tabs. If I'm sitting injured at the bottom of an object and the enemy finds me, I want to make sure I don't give up the location of my secret hideout or any of the pass codes to the giant death laser supercomputer.
Besides--do you really think taking Vics or percs or Morophine will help keep you awake? Think again.
I think you're better off not doing solos at all. I don't do true solos anymore for that reason. That's what ground crew/jumping buddies are there for. If you still insist on jumping entirely alone, be prepared to suck it up and sit badly broken for a long period of time hoping someone finds you.
Look for the story of a jumper who had a canopy collapse, sending him into the talus, badly injuring him. He sat out there for 3 days before his friends found him on a fluke. A truly grim scenario.

well, physiologically speaking, opiates usually keep people awake rather than put them to sleep, something to do with a release of dopamine in the accumbens (sp?) in the old noggin. I agree that Im better off not doing solos for a good long while, especially since I havnt even made my first jump yet. I was just curious what those who do solos are doing. Im wondering what the equipment you think would be necessary to take along on a solo that you wouldnt think important with a GC or with other buddies.

That said, I think once I start BASE jumping I'll like jumping with "buddies" as so far I havn't met a BASE jumper that I havn't liked

If you can set your own dislocated shoulder I'll buy you a case of beer!

Give me a ring - I set mine about a dozen times before figuring out that surgery might be a good thing.

I've forced my shoulder socket back into place a few times, also. The first time hurt like hell, then the subsequent times were a lot less painful (still painful in days following the dislocation).

But anyways, how do you prepare for solo jumps differently, thats mainly what Im curious about!?

This reminds me of the recent story of Aron Ralston... the climber who was pinned under a rock for 5 days and wound up having to amputate his own arm (the specifics of which still make me cringe) in order to save himself.

thats actually what made the connection for me, after I heard that story a few days ago, I remembered a buddy of mine who would carry morphine with him on solo free climbs.

You owe me a case of beer
-

okay okay... i didn't realize there were such hardmen out there, if any of you that have reset your own dislocated shoulder ever meet me at a legal span, the dz, or other enviro - just let me know it's you and you'll get your beer - so long as we can enjoy it together while you tell me the story.

cp

Do you mean before or after the jump? I used to know quite a few people who weren't feeling any pain when they jumped? Seemed de rigeur in the old days. Wonder where they are now?

8,5month ago i replaced my rigth lower leg after it went 90degree off and whith a open fractur.I cant tell you how i maneged to do it but as i couldnt see how much i were bleeding and it were on a solo,i figurede i migth would be better off set it bag in place.I already layde in a kind of a NATO position i raised my leg and droped it.when i waked it looked nearly good,but still whith a bit of bone out.The Doc´s confirmed(on the note ive got from the emergency)that i must have replaced it while they found dirt indside the leg as the opperatede me.The cool thing were i could tell them before they knew

And yes from now on ill carry Morphine(2*50mg Tradolan) each time i jump,even if theres some one on the sigth.

I think there are two separate issues in this thread. One is risks of solo jumping, and the other is first aid on jumps. Solo jumping is already being discussed in another thread, so I'll give my opinion on first aid.

Here's a post I made on Blinc a while back that's related to your topic;

Solid first aid skills are essential training for anyone who is serious about BASE. Every jumper needs to know how to control bleeding, splint fractures (including improvising traction splints), stabilize the cervical spine, and provide basic life support (CPR), etc...

These skills are also good screening questions when talking to potential groundcrew.

I would highly recommend taking an EMT-Basic course to everyone, BASE jumper or not. This will give you a good base (heh heh...) of anatomy and first aid knowledge and also enable you to rapidly assess a jumper after an accident to determine the proper course of action.

I would also like to see jumpers carry a Kendrick Traction splint (small, collapsable, and will fit into a fanny pack) which can go a LONG way to relieve pain and reduce the chance of damaging the femoral artery in a femur fracture situation.

Personally, I'm an EMT-IV/Airway, Pre Hospital Trauma Life Support instructor, Advanced Cardiac Life Support provider, as well as trained in triage and combat medicine.

Also, I think the painkillers are a bad idea, particularly if you're alone. If you have friends to help you get to help then it's a possible option, but if you're soloing you're going to need your wits about you. Also, if you're soloing you should be prepared for that eventuality.

Hope this helps...

This is good stuff andy2....

One thing I've started carrying with me on my solo jumps is some 550 chord, or parachute chord, that I can use as a tournequit to stop severe bleeding in the event of a limb break that causes arterial bleeding.

Sounds morbid I know.


Rod

550 cord is actually pretty thin to be using it for a tourniquet. It's better to use something flat, like webbing. A cool trick is to use an ACE wrap. If you wrap it tightly, stretching it as you wrap, it's elasticity will make an effective tourniquet for most arterial bleeds. If that won't work (say a major vessel), grab a stick and start twisting. But an ACE wrap is compact and has many uses for splinting, pressure dressings, sprains, and more. Use your imagination.

The 550 cord is fine if it's all you have to work with, but if you're taking it for the purpose, consider taking an ACE wrap instead.

I've been writing a paper on BASE specific first aid and injuries. It's still quite far from being done but I'll try to accelerate my work on it and get it up here.

Have you talked to BASE 386 on this subject? In addition to being an old hand at BASE, I hear that he's a qualified ER surgeon...

No, I haven't asked him but now that I think about it, it seems like a pretty good idea. I did buy a BASE rig off of him a few years back though... Do you have his email?