I ran into Mark C. (Sea) Nuccio at the boat show last week at Tobay. I usually try to avoid him but the only place to duck behind was an eighty-year-old 4 ft 8 in woman stuffing a hot dog down her throat. So, there was no avoiding him, so down the wormhole I went. He told me of his next article on Medicine at Sea, the first article in this issue. I thought it was a good idea when he said,” Why not you do an article for “Skippers Corner” on what a good onboard medical kit should contain? I agreed to do it though I’ll never hear the end of him squawking like a seagull on how it was his idea! So, here we go!
You can never have an over-equipped medical kit. Any large, water-tight case will do. Make sure it is floatable! I am in favor of those larger readymade kits but sometimes they do not carry enough essentials, so you can always build your own according to what you need. Smaller boats sailing locally naturally could use a smaller kit but “Better safe than sorry”! Boating has more than its share of accidents; you must be prepared to manage almost anything. We will start with the little things! Band-aids are better larger than smaller and some 3”x3” Band-aid patches are a must. 2” wide adhesive-non skin sticking is the best -Get a decent size roll. A tube of Bacitracin is a must and peroxide to immediately disinfect a wound before applying Bacitracin. Two 12” minimum wooden or plastic splints in case of a broken arm or leg accompanied with medical tape to hold the splints and broken bone immobile until you make it to a medical facility. Tweezers, a large needle, scissors, a sharp knife used only with the medical kit and never for filleting, needle nose pliers and electricians or other types of wire cutters in case someone takes a hook and you have to puck it through, cut off the barbed end and back it out. Inside the kit, you should always carry a tourniquet big enough to encircle a large man’s upper thigh and a heavy dowel to turn it and keep it very tight until help arrives. If wounds are large enough that you cannot control bleeding as in the case of using a tourniquet or in such cases as a heart attack, stroke, or epileptic type fit of any type immediately call the Coast Guard, give your position, and listen to their directions as they martial the forces to aid the patient. Do not hesitate. Even if you have imbibed beyond what you should have. You do not wait. You do what is right and call!
Your kit should also include Aspirin, eye wash, sea sickness tablets, cotton balls, Q-tips, petroleum jelly and burn cream in case of burns, etc. Imodium tablets for diarrhea, anti-gas tablets, allergy pills, and a small light-up magnifying glass in case you have to do detailed medical repairs in the darks – also carry an assortment of butterflies in different sizes to close up a wound before bandaging and one of those foil radiant blankets that are folded into a package a 4” x 2” x 2” which are super if someone starts suffering from hyperthermia. You can customize your kit by adding any other elements you feel would be useful. Outside of the kit be sure to carry enough water put aside for medical emergencies. A hurting person can be a thirsty person. If you have a canyon runner boat, a defibrillator, in case of a heart attack, is a must.
As captain, you should be prepared for any medical emergency. The above are only suggestions, I am not a medical professional. I advise all boaters to take Medical Preparedness Courses given by the Coast Guard Auxiliary, American Red Cross, and local hospitals who will prepare you on how to handle almost any medical situation, which I hope you never have to deal with. Good Luck. See you on the water!
Captain Eddy Smith, (Retired)