Public Service Articles in the pursuit of
Recreational Boating Safety
Don't
forget your First Aid Kit and Course!
By Wayne
Spivak, BC-AIG
National Press Corps
National Marketing & Public Affairs Department
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary
After several years in
a small 16 foot outboard, I was ready to for a new boat. My wife and I went
shopping and bought a used 20 foot cuddy cabin. I am still using it five years
later….
Two years after I bought
the twenty footer, I realized that my boat was missing something. I couldn't
believe I could overlook this vital aspect of my boat's equipment, as well
as both my safety as well as my guests.
And what makes this oversight
even more embarrassing, is that I should know better. In another life (when
I was in my early twenties) I was a NYC medic. After leaving the New York
City Emergency Medical Service, I kept my qualifications up for over a decade.
What did I forget? Simply
a first aid kit for the boat!
Every boat should have
a first aid kit, and every boater should take an American Red Cross (ARC)
first aid course. What type of first aid kit, and which ARC course you take
is a matter of personal choice, but here are some pointers to help you decide.
First Aid Kits
There are a variety of
commercial first aid kits available on the market today. Some are marketed
directly to the marine industry, others as 'home' kits, while still others
are termed "industry" first aid kits.
There are two types of
differences between these types of kits. The first is the quantity of specific
items, such as band-aids, the smaller kits may have two sizes, and three of
each, while the larger kits may have five sizes, and ten of each. The second
is breadth of items contained in the kits (more types of bandages and dressings).
Speaking of bandages and
dressings, a dressing is a sterile gauze pad that is applied directly to the
wound, while a bandage holds the dressing firmly to the wound. A bandage is
not necessarily sterile, and needs not be sterile.
The Red Cross suggests
different types of kits. An example of a kit they suggest for boats is:
2 sterile gauze 2"x2";
9 sterile gauze 3"x3"; 4 sterile gauze 4"x4"; 1 Roller
gauze 2"x4 yards; 1 Roller gauze 3"x4 yards; 13 BZK towelettes;
2 Fingertip bandages; 2 Knuckle bandages; 2 Island bandages 2"x3";
10 Adhesive bandages 3/4"x3"; 6 Adhesive bandages 1"x3";
1 Water Jel Burn Jel; 1 Combine pad 5"x9"; 1 Combine pad 8"x10";
1 Triangular bandage 40"; 1 Rescue blanket; 1 Cold pack; 1 Biohazard
red bag; 2 Pair vinyl gloves; 1 Surgical tape 1/2"x 5 yards; 1 Pair of
Scissors; 1 CPR barrier (optional); 1 First Aid instruction card. [http://www.chicagoredcross.org/getprepared/firstaid.htm]
You may want to add and/or
subtract from this type of kit, based upon the type of boating you do. Fishermen
would want to add supplies that would aid in the removal of hooks, and other
potential hazards of this popular sport. Other types of boating would suggest
other types of first aid equipment.
First Aid Courses
So you purchase a first
aid kit, now what? Even though the kit may contain an instruction card, in
an emergency, reading about what to do versus knowing what to do is analogous
to reading your chart and having local knowledge. The key here is education.
The American Red Cross
provides several different first aid courses, geared toward all types of individuals,
age groups and requirements. From Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) to Pet
First Aid, there is a course for you. Take a course!
Boating education includes
all aspects of keeping you, your vessel and your crew and guests safe and
secure. A first aid kit and the knowledge and the responsibility that goes
with boating safely demands that you acquire the knowledge.
The United States Coast
Guard Auxiliary can provide safe boating and navigation educational courses,
the American Red Cross, as well as other fine companies and agencies can provide
you with a first aid education.
For more information on
the USCG or USCG Auxiliary, you can contact them at http://www.uscg.mil and
http://www.cgaux.org. The American Red Cross can be found at http://www.redcross.org.
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