Marine First Aid Kits

Keeping Well-Stocked for a Medical Emergency on the Water

Injuries on the water come in many forms and degrees of severity – from an embedded fishhook to broken bones.  Since medical attention is seldom close by, make sure you have a marine First Aid Kit that is well-stocked, up-to-date, and at the ready.

 

Tips for Building Your Own

First Aid Kit

Putting together your own marine First Aid Kit is easy enough to do. Start by stocking up on many of the same items you’d keep in your medicine cabinet at home, then take into account the added hazards of sun, wind, water, and water-related activity.

 

Consider any special needs, such as prescription medications that you or your passengers may require, and be sure to take extra to avoid getting caught short if your return is delayed. Once your kit is assembled, remember to check it each year at the start of boating season and replace any over-the-counter first-aid medications that are past their expiration date.

 

First Aid Kit Basics

• Stomach remedies to prevent or treat motion sickness, indigestion,  diarrhea, or heartburn

Antihistamine, for allergic reactions

• Sunblock, SPF 15 or greater

• Insect repellent

• Anti-itch lotion or cream for treating insect bites, sunburn, and     other minor skin irritations

• Pain/fever reducers, such as aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, ketoprofen or naproxen

 

For personal watercraft, for example, a small kit for treating minor cuts and scrapes is probably adequate. For boating farther from shore, a more elaborate kit may be needed to render immediate first aid until medical help arrives. You’ll probably want to throw in an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) as well, so that help can locate your boat as quickly as possible.

 

Having a proper First-Aid Kit on board can help you render immediate emergency care, and sometimes even save a life.  It's one of the safety-related items that Coast Guard Auxiliary and United States Power Squadrons® vessel examiners discuss when conducting an annual Vessel Safety Check (VSC) on recreational boats.

 

You might also consider enrolling in a first-aid training course provided by the American Red Cross or community health associations in your area. Quick action may be required for such life threatening emergencies as heart attack, stroke, or seizures, as well as for more serious sprains, burns, puncture wounds, cuts and internal injuries.  It pays to know how to proceed.

 

Regardless of the supplies you have or your level of first-aid training, if you find yourself in a true medical emergency, seek help immediately.  Make sure you know how to summon emergency medical assistance by marine band radio, not just a cell phone. Prepare an emergency contact list before leaving home.

Adhesive bandages in assorted sizes

• Butterfly bandages and narrow adhesive strips, for gaping cuts

Individually wrapped, sterile gauze pads (2" and 4") to control bleeding

Hypoallergenic adhesive tape to hold a dressing or splint in place

Roll of absorbent cotton, as padding for a splint

Sterile roller bandages (2" and 3"), at least 3 rolls, to support sprained muscles

• Cotton-tipped swabs

• Eye drops

• Thermometer

Syrup of Ipecac – if instructed by

medical personnel to induce vomiting

• Antiseptic ointment, spray, or towelettes for cleansing wounds

• Antibiotic ointment to prevent infection of minor wounds

• Bottled water to rinse wounds

• Clean towels (small and large), to control bleeding or as a wrap for ice

• Chemical ice packs

Emergency phone numbers: doctor, pharmacy, poison control, etc.

• First Aid handbook

 

 Prepackaged First-Aid Kits

Prepackaged First-Aid Kits sold in drug stores, marine supply stores, or through online retailers are also a good choice and often come with convenient features, such as color-coding to match the nature of the injury.  Just be sure to choose one that is appropriate to the distance you plan to travel away from populated areas, and how quickly medical help is likely to arrive in the event of an emergency.

2000px-adhesive_bandage_drawing_wikimedia

Boating Safety Tips from the US Coast Guard

MEDICAL ADHESIVE BANDAGE DRAWING BY NEVIT DILMEN

ABOUT PILOT MEDIA

Pilot Media publishes boating guides providing comprehensive information on boating and waterfront living. Each edition includes an index of boat related businesses, reference maps, marina & boatyard guides, a directory of waterfront & water-access restaurants - The Pilot's Galley - and a Fishing Guide that includes a directory to area fishing service providers.  Read more >

Copyright © 2018 Pilot Media II LLC

RED SKY AT NIGHT?

GET YOUR ACTUAL FORECAST:

south-carolina-weather,north-carolina-weather,lakes-weather,coastal-weather,noaa-weather inland-lakes-weather,coastal-south-carolina-weather,coastal-north-carolina-weather,the-weather-channel

GOT FEEDBACK? TELL IT:

Submitting Form...

The server encountered an error.

Form received.