First Aid Kits

cbadmin · Joined: 23 Oct 2003 Posts: 206

From: DaveS™ (Original Message) Sent: 11/13/2002 9:45 PM
My approach to an "aid kit" was to prepare primarily for trauma. I purchased one of the larger bright orange water proof boxes and inside it have dressings ranging in size from bandaids to 10" x 30" multi-trauma dressings, kling (for wrapping dressings), triangular bandages (for sling and swath), a "size adjustable" cervical collar, blood pressure cuff, stethoscope (for auscultating lung sounds as well as blood pressures), a CPR pocket mask (in case I'm called upon to put a "lip lock" on a stranger), red bio-hazard bags and latex gloves for "body substance isolation". Under my v-berth cushion I have cardboard arm and leg splints (in garbage bags to keep them dry).
Also on board, I have a tupperware container which contains numerous "over the counter" medications...ie: Benadryl, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Neosporin etc.
Skipper, crew and guests with existing medical problems should of course have their prescription medications on board and it wouldn't be a bad idea to share pertinent medical information with each other (or at least one other individual on the vessel).
Obviously, excercising good judgement and safety for you and your crew to prevent traumatic injury is by far the best option and hopefully you'll never have to use your 1st Aid Kit.
Certainly CH 16 is an excellent assist because there are many boaters out there monitoring the channel and are willing and able to assist you whether the Coast Guard makes it to the scene or not.
Having a 1st Aid Booklet is a great adjunct if your "aid skills" are "rusty"...they also make good reading if you have some "down time". Periodically attending CPR/Aid courses is likewise good.
(Even without a "trauma kit" it is fairly easy to improvise dressings and bandages with articles of clothing, bedding, towels etc...magazines make good short splints).
"On the water injuries" that I have been involved with have been as a result of boat collisions, personal water craft vs. boat collisions (which resulted in head injuries, fractures and lacerations), near drownings and drownings of unattended children, a young man who "chewed" his leg up in a propeller while "tubing" (eventually became an amputee). On one occasion, we met a pleasure boat at the water front that had "ferried" a merchant marine off of a commercial freighter that had bilateral femur fractures, from falling into the "hold" of the ship. On another occasion we received 4 workers from a Coast Guard Vessel that had been cleaning the interior of a tank on an "ocean tanker" and suffered from various stages of decreased levels of consciousness to unconscious. With the exception of the last incident, citizen boaters were the 1st individuals on the scene to render assistance.
Please pardon me for "rambling" so much but sometimes "war stories" illustrate how fellow boaters can help each other in times of need. Plus, I'm a little selfish and want you there for me and my crew!
Dave S.

From: DaveS™ Sent: 11/13/2002 9:57 PM
By no means is the above First Aid Kit that I described, the "only way to go". Please share any additional ideas/preferences for others to see, so they might develop the kit that serve their vessel the best.
I'm aware of at least one other firefighter, perhaps we have other medical people and since I know we have several nurses in our group with a vast amount of experience and knowledge, I would encourage all to contribute their suggestions and comments as well!

Perhaps, an expanded list of "over the counter" medications deemed appropriate might be included by others.

Alyssa Jean · Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2003 9:09 am Post subject:

All great information and suggestions. I also have more of a trauma kit than just a first aid kit. This includes stethescope and BP cuff also. Even if you are not sure what all the applications might be for these, there are people out there that do if you have them available.

DaveS · Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2004 12:27 am Post subject:

AK was asking about first aid kits, so in case you have difficulty finding the "thread" that was started some time ago, here you go.......

DaveS · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 3:07 am Post subject:

Roger of the vessel "Dreamer" recently posted a thread about AEDs. In preparing for medical/traumatic emergencies, I'm resurrecting this thread that has a comment I made back in 2002 on the old C-Dory site.

Dreamer · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 11:49 am Post subject:

Thanks Dave and everyone else on these two threads for the thoughtful and expert advice.

One good piece of advice was mentioned last Summer by a fellow boater in the Broughtons. If you have an emergency and it is more than your first aid skills or equipment can handle, contact the largest yacht you have recently seen. Many of the 100'+ yachts have trained EMTs as part of their crew and carry extensive medical equipment and supplies. This is probably due to the age of some of the owners!

I'll be rethinking my AED idea in the months leading up to Summer cruising. Maybe I'll just follow Sea Shift around and stay in radio range!