You know when someone tells you a great story about fishing salmon in the Yukon, building a log house or traveling the world and they never held a rod, hammer or left their city? Stories are great, and it's true that you don't need to have lived through them all to tell them. However, sometimes it just makes them more real when he actually caught that fish, they build the house with their own hands or she traveled through Asia on her motorcycle alone (thats Anne-France Dautheville by the way and you better look her up if you want to know what a real motorcycle adventure is).
That said, I can say I am a qualified storyteller for injuries on the receiving end, and due to my training as first responder, also from the treating side, which is by far the harder part.
When thinking about injuries, I thought about what I never hurt and surprisingly that was just one body part. I never to this date, had a bleeding nose. I know, how lame. I somehow managed to have 3 concussions, one where I actually lost a whole days memory. I chipped off teeth, cut my eyes, was blind twice and had bad hair cuts :) but never ever had a bloody nose. I made a sketch of my body, the red was broke or not functional at times, the orange bruise, inflamed, cut or burned.
What I don't want, despite my track record, is to get injured again. Yes, all my scars tell some good stories, some are funny now, some still not. They all have one thing in common: They stopped me right there or slowed me down!
Knowing myself, I am sure my nose will sooner or later be added to the injury chart, and I will be ready.
Since I was a kid, I was lucky to get involved in groups and jobs which equiped me with medical skills through training, it started being a scout, through my military service, deployments abroad, missions with the UN and service in the firefighters. I never stopped learning new techniques and skills, they also always adapt. So never think, a medical skill is good forever. Train hard and be focused and it will save you or someone else.
Beside the skills of being a first responder, the equipment matters. I know have it all, from a full Emergency Trauma Bag, to an Automated External Defibrillator and IV fluid kits, to small First Aid Kits at home, the car, and backpacks.
However, being a first responder starts small, as small as how to clean a wound and put on a bandage to just getting help. The only wrong thing we can do is nothing.