1st aid kits

[requiem]

The last time I needed to add a kit I opted for this model: Marine Series Medical Kit - 600 (It's US-centric, but the components are largely in line with what I'd want, and include a number of items on DangerousPirate's list in post 20. Also, their "ultralight" hiking kits are much more affordable and for day sails may be more than sufficient.)

I still expect to supplement any kit with additional items items, and second the idea of having an accessible "booboo" kit with common items such as plasters and meds (e.g. seasickness and headache). Anything particularly messy is going to consume gauze and gloves, so packing extras of those is also handy. Consider also what you can re-purpose: spare bedsheets can become triangle bandages, and dish towels can become padding for splints.

Traditional issues with hemostatic powders have been their vulnerability to wind and getting them into places where you can't simply pour and let gravity do the work. It didn't help that some first-gen versions were also exothermic. Additional concerns were about difficulties with removal of such products in the ED and the chance of stray bits leading to undesired clots elsewhere. Modern battlefield practice is to use hemostatic gauze such as QuickClot's Combat Gauze, Celox Gauze, or ChitoGauze. I believe Celox may perform better when hypothermia (which messes with clotting) is in play.

 

[DreadShips]

Some good advice on here. I'd echo that a second, small and obvious "minor" kit in the galley where people are most likely to have knife slips etc makes it easy to find plasters etc quickly without having to rummage through the whole stash.

One thing not mentioned is that I'd have a box of nitrile gloves aboard. Obviously good to be able to protect yourself in a first aid situation, but also great when doing horrible oily jobs on board.- if you've got a whole box you won't worry about using them regularly.

And training: knowledge and practice are the two most useful first aid items you can possibly have.

 

[fredrussell]

CAT hanging near emergency flare (as per RYA course instructions - although I also carry one on my belt for work)…

Doesn’t the one on your belt scratch the sh1t out of you?

 

[Roberto]

Threads about first aid kit are similar to those about tools, question about short coastal passages and after a few messages one should leave with a full field hospital and complete tools set for mechanical/resin/sailmaking/electrical workshops

 

[[70521]]

Threads about first aid kit are similar to those about tools, question about short coastal passages and after a few messages one should leave with a full field hospital and complete tools set for mechanical/resin/sailmaking/electrical workshops

I have a mountaineering pal who's advice for any injury was amputation at the next joint.

What resin do you suggest to plug the wound?

 

[Daydream believer]

we carry Combat Application Tourniquet, Celox, Chest seal, SAM splint and Haemostatic dressing for serious injuries,

Yes, I have heard that some of those customs officers can get a bit nasty sometimes. Try being nice to them next time.

 

[ylop]

For Club racing and coastal cruising mainly.

Threads about first aid kit are similar to those about tools, question about short coastal passages and after a few messages one should leave with a full field hospital and complete tools set for mechanical/resin/sailmaking/electrical workshops

Whilst I agree to some extent, club racing and coastal cruising are very broad terms. He might never leave the solent, or he could be in the western isles.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

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[Skylark]

One thing not mentioned is that I'd have a box of nitrile gloves aboard. Obviously good to be able to protect yourself in a first aid situation,

On a similar theme, a pocket mask is good protection. Readily available at places like Screwfix for a fiver.

I’ve no experience, fortunately, but can’t imagine that CPR on a recovered MoB is a pleasant experience. On a training manakin, I was pleasantly surprised by the sealing effectiveness of the pocket mask.

 

[st599]

On a similar theme, a pocket mask is good protection. Readily available at places like Screwfix for a fiver.

I’ve no experience, fortunately, but can’t imagine that CPR on a recovered MoB is a pleasant experience. On a training manakin, I was pleasantly surprised by the sealing effectiveness of the pocket mask.

Also useful for when you can't get side on to the casualty for CPR.

 

[Plum]

The most useful thing is the training to know what to do. You then have three types of things:

- stuff to save a life
- stuff to save the day
- stuff to make someone comfortable

There’s not a huge amount of stuff for the former - but obviously consider who sails with you: older generation aspirin for heart attacks; asthmatics, diabetics, allergy or angina sufferers - will have specific medicines - if there is a risk they are forgotten keeping spares aboard may be worthwhile. You probably want some sort of face shield - because CPR is pretty grim, especially with blood or vomit around which are not unlikely on a boat! Keeping someone warm may be life and death - in horrible conditions and they may not want to be below deck or too injured to get down companionway. Foil blankets you find in most first aid kits are pretty useless- but you probably have duvets/sleeping bags etc if you have some way to keep them dry(ish) which will do a reasonable job.

The only other obvious “kit” for saving lives is an Israeli bandage and possibly a tourniquet if you have been trained to use it. I think powerboats with props that go near people should seriously consider the latter - sailing boats are maybe more likely to be knife accidents etc where an Israeli bandage would be ideal.

The saving the day stuff is the plasters and paracetemol, tweezers, aftersun treatment, savlon/germalene, eyewash etc. All the sort of stuff you use at home - but remember it has to work when damp, and you may be several hours from a shop to get more or buy the rarely used thing. I’d include in this something like steristrip to deal with bigger cuts. Often these things are more important with children on board - make sure you have calpol or similar if you have regular young child visitors. You probably want some sort Imodium type product too. If you walk on land then a tick remover. This category is mostly not going to need a diversion in your plans but it might save you listening to a lot of moaning, or if you are the casualty suffering so much,

Keeping people comfortable means thinking about the sort of injuries you might need to help someone with whilst trying to get back to shore for hospital treatment. That might be a bad burn - cling film is good (and can also help keep dressings protected from weather - just watch ifs not cutting off circulation). A fracture - Sam splints are probably the price/storage/usefulness option on board. Triangular bandages are good for slings - but you can easily improvise a sling. You can adapt proper triangular bandages for many uses but often they are paper rubbish which tear if you try to do anything clever with them.

A decent pair of “tough cut” style scissors will be much better for removing clothes than kitchen scissors on a rolling deck.

Outstanding advice! Training is essential, do not rely on a first aid course you attended a decade ago, techniques have evolved over time.

 

[st599]

Outstanding advice! Training is essential, do not rely on a first aid course you attended a decade ago, techniques have evolved over time.

Also, look for a first aid course that actually has proper scenarios.

The one I do for work includes surprise, staged incidents. You may think you're going to lunch, but en route you'll find yourself dealing with a stabbing victim with a severed femoral artery or a car crash. They even have you apply a CAT to your own leg to see how much effort it is to apply.

Sitting in a sailing club with a resusci-anne is OK, but not terribly lifelike

 

[Fr J Hackett]

A bit of thought as to what are the likely problems you MAY have to deal with and how far you will be from assistance and how able you would be to deal with them will give you a good indication of what to carry.
Burns
Lacerations including puncture wounds should be top of the list.

 

[ylop]

Sitting in a sailing club with a resusci-anne is OK, but not terribly lifelike

It surprises me that the RYA insists on some specific (logical) extra points of course content beyond the “standard” 1 day course but is content for people to do it all in the classroom. Even the bit about recovery position in restricted space.

 

[DreadShips]

Sitting in a sailing club with a resusci-anne is OK, but not terribly lifelike

Having heard my eldest's reports of giving first aid in treatment cabins parked right next to the bass speakers at concerts whilst volunteering as a Saint John Ambulance cadet, the thought of attempting it in a small boat is not encouraging. Very hard to care for a patient physically vibrating across the floor, apparently...

 

[pandos]

Burn freeze spray and spray on plaster are two items not mentioned above, both of which I have used/needed on the boat...(Burn freeze kept near the cooker and the soldering iron)

 

[[70521]]

Outstanding advice! Training is essential, do not rely on a first aid course you attended a decade ago, techniques have evolved over time.

I mentioned on my last refresher course that I gained my first, first aid certificate at the tender age of 12 some 50 years ago. Mother was a nurse and the course was run by the local GP, who spent time in the A&E department at the Belford Hospital in Fort William.

Oddly, things go in and out of fashion. Start CPR by striking the chest, don't strike the chest, we are now striking the chest again.

Torniquets have been mentioned above - same with them do then don't now use with care.

 

[Cerebus]

I mentioned on my last refresher course that I gained my first, first aid certificate at the tender age of 12 some 50 years ago. Mother was a nurse and the course was run by the local GP, who spent time in the A&E department at the Belford Hospital in Fort William.

Oddly, things go in and out of fashion. Start CPR by striking the chest, don't strike the chest, we are now striking the chest again.

Torniquets have been mentioned above - same with them do then don't now use with care.

I didn’t know to strike the chest and the last RYA course didn’t teach it, but that was some years ago. I will have to look that up because I am interested to know the purpose.

Time for a refresher.

I was amazed at how chest compressions and their number changed too. 30:2 breaths now (but I was told only bother with the first rescue breaths if drowning had occurred).

 

[ylop]

Oddly, things go in and out of fashion. Start CPR by striking the chest, don't strike the chest, we are now striking the chest again.

Has someone recently been teaching you to do a pre cordial thump? In a traditional first aid setting? Unless that is very recent change I don’t think it is in line with resuscitation council guidance. However you are right as knowledge changes ideas, and evidence about what works and doesn’t evolves. Very difficult / Impossible to do any traditional double blind trial on any of this stuff so it relies a lot of judgement and experience.

 

[wonkywinch]

I've been doing first aid courses inc CPR for more than 30 years but never even heard of striking a chest.

All I have seen change is the mouth to mouth stuff where there are so many potential nasties to catch, use face shield but if not available, chest compressions only as this will still move enough oxygen around.