First aid kit recommendations?

[Dr. D]

First, if there is a thread describing this, please point me to it; I was unable to locate one.


I'm preparing our boat for some longer sailing (days, not months) and it occured to me the little kit of bandaids may not be enough. Looking around on the internet there is a wide variety of kits. It seems, though, one could assemble a satisfactory kit.


However, what to put in it? Recommendations?

[Paul L]

If you search "first aid kit" in quotes, set titles only, you wil get a number of threads on the subject. Should be good for a start, then you can ask some additional questions.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Paul L

If you search "first aid kit" in quotes, set titles only, you wil get a number of threads on the subject. Should be good for a start, then you can ask some additional questions.

Use the Google Custom Search rather than the top box under "Search Forums". The built in forum search engine is not very good (thats an understatement!). GCS does a much better job of finding relevant threads.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by StuM

Use the Google Custom Search rather than the top box under "Search Forums". The built in forum search engine is not very good (thats an understatement!). GCS does a much better job of finding relevant threads.

Agreed. If you are using the mobile web interface the Google search option doesn't show up (or its well hidden on my tablet)

[Dr. D]

Originally Posted by Paul L

If you search "first aid kit" in quotes, set titles only, you wil get a number of threads on the subject. Should be good for a start, then you can ask some additional questions.

Yeah, that actually doesn’t work......

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Dr. D

Yeah, that actually doesn’t work......

It worked for me, I'd show you the screen shot list of the first aid threads but I don't care enough to repeat it.

[JPA Cate]

I just Google Custom Searched on First Aid Kit Contents, and here is a link to the first page of what i found. https://cse.google.com/cse?siteurl=w...Contents&sa=Go

The regular Search is case sensitive, and requires an exact match, whereas the Google Custom Search is good for concepts.

Sorry for the struggle.

Ann

[wizoc]

Before you can get a useful recommendation you need to state your training. It is no good getting a kit with IVs and meds if you dont know how to use them.

[roland stockham]

There probably are other threads but in general yes it is both better and cheaper to build your own kit. What you need can then be tailored to your crew and sailing plans. Most commercial kits have way to much small stuff but are very poor in terms of trauma stuff and only designed for short term support. There are coast guard recommendations but they are designed for commercial vessels with paid crew. They make a good start but usually have lots of stuff for things like STD's that most cruisers don't need!! Also the fact that you are asking the question may suggest you could also benefit from some training. The best course I know of is the Ships Captains Med Cert run by the UK, there is also a downloadable guide for it that would be worth looking at.


Things to think about.
What is your level of medical training and experience (no point in carrying things you don't know how to use, just causes confusion in an emergency)
Who will be on board, age, health status etc.
How remote will you be? Think availability of support in an emergency, is heli evac possible. Will you be in VHF range, max time to port etc. All these help you plan how long you may need to look after a casualty for.
Location and climate, warm, cold, endemic diseases and local hazards. You want different stuff in the tropics compared to the Pacific NW.

If you need more help PM me with details and I can give you some general guidelines or quote you for a custom kit through my company.

[Dr. D]

Originally Posted by StuM

Use the Google Custom Search rather than the top box under "Search Forums". The built in forum search engine is not very good (thats an understatement!). GCS does a much better job of finding relevant threads.

Oh, now THAT search does work. Thanks!


roland: I will get back to you if I can't figure this out otherwise.


FWIW, I was a US Navy Hospital Corpsman, but that was a few decades ago. Still, during nearly four years on a Navy ship I did see a lot and I remember some of my training.

[JasonS]

Adventure Medical Systems has a wide variety of Marine kits. We have this one and have added to it for our own additional thoughts/needs:

https://www.adventuremedicalkits.com...rine-2000.html

A separate prescription drugs kit should also be assembled depending on where you are cruising.

As a reference source, Auerbach's Wilderness Medicine. Buy the hard copy NEW and you'll get FOREVER access to the text with photos online. Great books and basis for most wilderness first aid courses.

https://www.amazon.com/Auerbachs-Wil.../dp/0323359426

Good luck,

Jason
Breathe
Manta 40

[Chuck Hawley]

Originally Posted by JasonS

Adventure Medical Systems has a wide variety of Marine kits. We have this one and have added to it for our own additional thoughts/needs:

https://www.adventuremedicalkits.com...rine-2000.html

A separate prescription drugs kit should also be assembled depending on where you are cruising.

As a reference source, Auerbach's Wilderness Medicine. Buy the hard copy NEW and you'll get FOREVER access to the text with photos online. Great books and basis for most wilderness first aid courses.

https://www.amazon.com/Auerbachs-Wil.../dp/0323359426

Good luck,

Jason
Breathe
Manta 40

I totally agree with this recommendation. While at West Marine, we private-labeled the kits from Adventure Medical Kits and I think they are wonderful kits a pretty reasonable prices. Most larger kits include Eric Weiss's and Michael Jacob's "A Comprehensive Guide to Marine Medicine" which is an excellent pocket-sized book on the topic. Michael and I also co-wrote the chapter on Safety at Sea in Auerbach's Wilderness Medicine, which is not focussed on medicine per se, but which has a lot of good information on offshore safety.

Chuck Hawley

[rmlarson1098]

Originally Posted by Dr. D

First, if there is a thread describing this, please point me to it; I was unable to locate one.


I'm preparing our boat for some longer sailing (days, not months) and it occured to me the little kit of bandaids may not be enough. Looking around on the internet there is a wide variety of kits. It seems, though, one could assemble a satisfactory kit.


However, what to put in it? Recommendations?

You're thinking right - half the stuff in fancy ($$$) dedicated kits you'll never use.
The best thing about those kits is the cool box that comes with it. We keep our stuff in a Tupperware box, clearly marked as 'First Aid'. Two cargo straps keep the lid on, and delicate items go in zip locks inside.
Generally, medications and first aid stuff should be kept apart.
In the first aid box: LOTS of Band-Aids, make them quality, fabric, waterproof Band-Aids.
Bandages and dressing. We have some sterile pads, but prefer sanitary napkins (Kotex) with gauze (make it 'Cling' )and surgical tape.
An Ace bandage.
We carry a flexible finger splint for finger boo-boo's, plus a larger flex. splint for a broken limb.
Antiseptic wipes. A tube of Neosporin maybe.
Eye wash with a cup, or squirt bottle. Not just drops.
An eye patch - ya' scurvy dogs!
Butterfly tapes plus a couple of tubes of Super/Crazy Glue for closing lacerations. If you ever watched me sew you'd know why there is no suture kit onboard.
We have a large elastic knee brace, that could work as a neck brace.
A pair of stout, sharp scissors. EMT scissors if you can.
Latex/nitrile gloves if you're delicate. We have them but mostly use them for tidying up the Airhead.
We carry an AED (defibrillator) because we already had one but that's a little extreme, and of course worthless if you single-hand. It's always good to know CPR, and these days you can pass on the respirations (the mouth to mouth kissy part) and not feel guilty. I ALWAYS carry a little 2 pack of aspirin in my pocket for symptoms of heart attack. Always.
Without getting into the medication thing too much, we carry no narcotics onboard. Just too much trouble clearing in. Would have to rely on rum, and a big dose (800mg) of ibuprofen. We carry prescription antibiotics, both Z-packs and a longer course of a good, broad spectrum medication. Plus seasickness meds. Nothing more on our boat that requires a prescription.
Plus plenty of over-the-counter stuff that we won't get into. Keep in mind that some of the non-scrip stuff can be a problem depending on where you are - our
naproxen (Aleve) was confiscated clearing into Canada some years back...
A First Aid book is a good idea; I'd keep it simple. We have a friend whose (5 pound) Medical Emergency book includes instructions for burial at sea!
As a former firefighter and EMT, I've a pretty good idea what we would need at sea. If you'll be doing ocean crossings it would of course be different. Our kit would deal almost exclusively with injuries.
Illness is an entirely different matter.

[IslandHopper]

As far as publications go The Ship Captain's Medical Guide is pretty much standard in merchant fleets and designed for the layman....

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...&condition=new

Or download chapter by chapter from the MCA https://www.gov.uk/government/public...-medical-guide

Further down on the MCA link there's a list of Medical stores to carry on a UK flag ship that may be of some use for referencing, maybe a little to much but it does have some good info regarding use, potential side effects and precautions associated with medical stores, again a free download

[spiv]

Check this site:
https://thepreppingguide.com/resources/

Lots of free PDFs