During February 2019, the IWMF staff provided invaluable and potentially life-saving training to our group of Adelante fellows outside of Mexico City.
Since 2014, the IWMF has hosted more than 33 Hostile Environment and First Aid Training (HEFAT) courses and instructed around 500 journalists around the world. The training focuses on teaching self-defense, first-aid and situational awareness.
I feel incredibly grateful that this type of four-day training is available for women journalists.
Leaving the HEFAT, myself and Seattle Times colleague Corinne Chin hoped to create a first-aid kit to have available on assignment in our vehicles. The IWMF security team helped me to create list of supplies and purchasing links that IWMF fellows can reference for building their own first aid kit.
SUPPLIES
- Recon Medical BLK-1PAK-FBA Tourniquet
- First Aid Cold Pack 6×9 size
- Cold Pack smaller 4×5 size (2)
- Electrolytes with sugar. Watch for common symptoms of dry lips, dizziness.
- Modular bandage 6 inch
- Israeli Emergency Bandage – 6 inch
- QuikClot Combat Gauze
- Halo Vent (vented and non-vented)
- EMT Shears
- Sam Splint 36 inch
- Control Wrap
- Compact Rescue Blanket
- Latex gloves
- Duct tape
- Olaes Modular bandage
- Celox
- Celox 15 Gram Pouch
- (A note: Some of these products can do more harm than good if the individual using the items do not have HEFAT training.)
PHARAMCY SUGGESTIONS
- Before travel to another country, check on the the immunizations that are needed for where you are traveling.
- Advil
- Tylenol
- Band-aids
- Tweezer
- Neosporin
- Topical Treatments Unit Dose Pack
- Imodium and Pepto Bismol
- Dayquil
- Benadryl Allergy
- Motion Sickness Relief Tablets
- Dramamine
- Hand Sanitizer
–Erika Schultz, 2019 U.S.-Mexico Border Fellow