First aid kits

[Gsailor]

So i have a cat C first aid kit that I bought for the scouts that was returned to me when its date expired; they know I hate waste or throwing good kit away .

I had a burn tonight. Only useful item was elastoplast.

No use for the angina tablets or expired pain killers or mouth mask for CPR.

No burn covers at all; not even a tub of Vaseline. So a few plasters had to do.

The Ocean (something or other make) cat C first aid kit is rubbish (even the case has a broken plastic lug)

There were 4 (YES FOUR!) triangular bandages for f's sake but anything useful, forget it.

DIY is the way to go obviously; not even a set of tweezers or forceps... useless kit.

I need a burns plaster.

 

[harvey38]

Flamazine............bloody brilliant stuff.

 

[geem]

It is indeed. We always carry it onboard

 

[Sandy]

You always make up your own first aid kit. If your boat is 'Coded' you place whatever they require on board, but never use it.

The first instructor I had was a A&E doctor at the Belford Hospital in Fort William and really good, he had a lot of practical experience of patching up mountaineers.

The guy on the refresher nine years ago was bloody brilliant, having just come back from at least one tour of Afghanistan as a Para battlefield paramedic. Totally changed the way I looked at my first aid kit.

I need to drag myself through another refresher in Feb 23.

 

[Thistle]

useless kit.

I need a burns plaster.

Isn't the Cat C kit intended as an add-on to a basic first aid kit? It adds a few items which might be needed if you are several hours from help. It isn't intended as a stand-alone first aid kit.

Surely adhesive plasters should be avoided on burns, as should things like vaseline? Can't most small, closed burns be safely left uncovered? Anyone providing a first aid kit in any place where burns are a risk (eg the galley of a boat) might be well advised to include a sterile, non-adhesive dressing (eg 365 Non Adherent Wound Dressings. I'm not recommending this in particular, it was just the first that turned up on a Google search) and/or a roll of cling-film.

 

[Martin_J]

Sorry to hear that... We also thought that standard kits failed on the burns relief.

As well as the two standard first aid kits that I have on board, the third kit is in a bright red bag with a top grab handle. Reliance medical burns kit RL142....

I hope that in the event of a burn, something hot, we recall that the bright red first aid bag (with the handle) is the one to grab...




The other two kits on board are the Reliance medical 'Extreme' and the Reliance medical 'Adventurer'.. Together with those, a few mouth to mouth shields and a thermometer, I hope we're covered.

And remember to open them up regularly and go though the contents.

My sister worked in A&E and when on board she always used to take bits out, put them on the table in front of us and ask what we'd use them for and how

 

[Martin_J]

Whilst we're on the subject of first aid. Do you all have a copy of something like the Ships Captains Medical Guide (or other manual) on board... Can be nice to read bits every so often and at least have a reminder to hand for things you might not have come across..

Too late to suddenly need a guide and not have one on board.

 

[geem]

We just recently watched the service of our liferaft. We had everything replaced from a food and water and first aid perspective. We got to keep all the old stuff as it doesn't actually go out or date until March. The first aid kit is pretty poor. No burns cream. If your boat sank due to fire it could be pretty useful.

 

[coopec]

Drug Expiration Dates — Do They Mean Anything?
"Most of what is known about drug expiration dates comes from a study conducted by the Food and Drug Administration at the request of the military. With a large and expensive stockpile of drugs, the military faced tossing out and replacing its drugs every few years. What they found from the study is 90% of more than 100 drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, were perfectly good to use even 15 years after the expiration date."

Drug Expiration Dates — Do They Mean Anything? - Harvard Health

ANTIBIOTICS.
How Long Do Antibiotics Last?
https://www.consumerreports.org/drugs/how-long-do-antibiotics-last/

 

[Boater Sam]

Here in the far east where money is tight, old drugs are essential for the local populations, its all they can afford. Anything is better than nothing.
And surprisingly, they do work just as well as new packs. Who would have thought that?

Recently we had a woman fall badly on rough concrete, Grazed the skin off a sizable area of forearm and elbow. No first aid kits.
I checked for dirt in the wound, found none. Decided to avoid wetting the oozing sub tissue. Covered it with a McD paper tissue, loosely wrapped a bit of muslin around it.

Four days later the tissue had soaked up the ooze, and dried. Firmly stuck in the wound, no sign of infection.
A couple of days showering later, the tissue washed off and the skin was whole and healthy.

I recon the white tissue had been heavily bleached in manufacture preventing any infection, and leaving the wound untouched to dry was the best action.

 

[Refueler]

In Latvia - we have to carry a FA kit ... Red Triangle ... Fire Extinguisher by law in our vehicles. They are of course similarly limited in real use.
Inspectors never actually look inside or check DoE on them ....

I have taken old kits with good case and filled with a better selection ...... for boat ... workshop and cars.

 

[Gsailor]

All very interesting.

I was after a paraffin something coated type of plaster. I note a new chemical suggested, thank you.

I forget the proper name. Just to keep the clothes from rubbing on it overnight.

For such a small burn cold water and fresh air is of course the best option.

Yes there is a thick manual on the top of all the gear. I should have read it.

 

[Stemar]

IIRC, for a any burn worse than a "Sod it that hurts", unless you've got a proper gel burns dressing, cling film then a wet tea towel to cool things down is the best treatment until you get to hospital. The last thing to do is any of the old wives treatments - butter or vaseline, which don't do any good and have to be cleaned off painfully before A&E can sort it out properly.

 

[geem]

IIRC, for a any burn worse than a "Sod it that hurts", unless you've got a proper gel burns dressing, cling film then a wet tea towel to cool things down is the best treatment until you get to hospital. The last thing to do is any of the old wives treatments - butter or vaseline, which don't do any good and have to be cleaned off painfully before A&E can sort it out properly.

Flamazine is incredible but POM. I don't know why that would be but the effect on pain from a burn is almost instantaneous and they heal super fast. Even works on rope burns just as well

 

[Daydream believer]

Pharmacist friend of mine said that I should wrap burns & the like in cling film. It seals the area. I used rolls 100 mm *100m in my business, so I carry a spare roll on board. It could be used to bind anything, just by wrapping around several times.

 

[Gsailor]

Flamazine is incredible but POM. I don't know why that would be but the effect on pain from a burn is almost instantaneous and they heal super fast. Even works on rope burns just as well

What is POM please? I thought perhaps "prescribed only medication" but this website (from a brief glance seems to sell it).

Flamazine 50g Cream POM x1 | Pharmaceuticals-F | Williams Medical Supplies

 

[geem]

What is POM please? I thought perhaps "prescribed only medication" but this website (from a brief glance seems to sell it).

Flamazine 50g Cream POM x1 | Pharmaceuticals-F | Williams Medical Supplies

It is prescription only. Normally you need a consultation to buy even online

 

[coopec]

What is POM please? I thought perhaps "prescribed only medication" but this website (from a brief glance seems to sell it).

Flamazine 50g Cream POM x1 | Pharmaceuticals-F | Williams Medical Supplies

POM

In Australia you need a prescription
https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/buy/60236/flamazine-cream-50g-silver-sulfadiazine

 

[Amlov]

Flamazine is incredible but POM. I don't know why that would be but the effect on pain from a burn is almost instantaneous and they heal super fast. Even works on rope burns just as well

Flamazine is a topical antibiotic (sulphadiazine), there is no particular reason why it would reduce the pain of a burn over and above any other cream and its function would be to prevent secondary infection. Many years ago it was considered the treatment of choice for small burns, but there are much better things available and its use is now considered inappropriate.

 

[geem]

Flamazine is a topical antibiotic (sulphadiazine), there is no particular reason why it would reduce the pain of a burn over and above any other cream and its function would be to prevent secondary infection. Many years ago it was considered the treatment of choice for small burns, but there are much better things available and its use is now considered inappropriate.

Certainly not my experience. We have been carrying it aboard for years. Highly effective. It takes pain away very quickly