There are many types of first aid kits and many sources for
lists of what should be kept in a first aid kit. According
to Coast Guard boating accident statistics the most common
type of boating injuries include: lacerations, broken bones,
hypothermia, and contusions. This article discusses items
needed to treat these injuries and methods of treatment.
Training options are also covered.

Laceration is another name for a cut. Cuts can have smooth
or jagged edges and are usually caused by sharp objects.
Severity can vary with more pain if nerve damage occurs.

Items to have on board for lacerations include: rubber gloves
to provide a barrier between aid giver and blood, sterile
dressings such as gauze pads used to apply pressure and keep
germs out, and bandages to cover the wound. Larger bandages
such as roll and triangle bandages can also be used in
treating broken bones.

If you suspect a broken bone a splint maybe necessary. You
should splint the injury in the position you find it and
cover the areas above and below the injury. There are
numerous types of splints. Items such as sleeping bags,
pillows and the above mentioned bandages can be used in
splinting. You may also want to consider carrying
a ready made & versataile SAM splint.

A contusion is damage to soft tissue under the skin. When
the damage occurs tissues discolor and bruising may occur.
Typically such situations do not require special care.
Having a ready-made cold pack in your 1st aid kit will allow
you to apply cold to cut down swelling.

Third is hypothermia. Hypothermia can occur if a person spends time sailing in wet or cold weather. Heat can be lost via conduction between a hot body and a wet deck. Convective heat loss can occur via wind chill. The third way to lose heat is via radiation. For instance, not wearing a hat can cause heat loss to radiate out of the head area. Evaporative heat loss occurs when perspiration occurs.

The other type of hypothermia is immersive, ie falling in the water. Both types are preventable. Heat loss hypothermia via dressing properly. For instance wear a hat, use clothing that is breathable to cut down on perspiration and wear wind proof clothes so the wind doesn’t cut down your heat. Avoid immersive hypothermia via good seamanship, such as one hand for the ship, one for the sea. Consider wearing a safety harness and a PFD.

Should hypothermia occur, some simple steps can lead to rewarming. Replace wet clothes with dry. Give the person a hat to wear. Get them out of the wind. Then provide them with insulation such as a sleeping bag, give them hydration and slowly warm them. Applying too much heat too fast can lead to shock or burns.

The list of injuries and supplies is not inclusive. You
should carry a comprehensive first aid kit that covers
general situations and any situations specific to your crew
such as diabetic care or bee sting allergy. Use the links
below to learn about what should be in your first aid kit.

The above info covers many of the situations that come at
the end of ABCH, a first aid mnemonic that goes airway,
breathing, and circulation and hemorrhaging.

The first 3 (ABC) can be learned by taking a CPR course.
This will give you skills to deal with airway obstructions,
breathing emergencies and loss of circulation such as in heart
problems.

To enhance safety you should be First Aid and CPR trained
so you can handle situations while you await professional
help. A time investment of 8 hours will pay off in a 3 year
First Aid certification and a 1-year CPR certification and
help prepare you for the unexpected.

Even if you receive training you should consider stocking some
reference materials on board. If you are the only trained person
and you are injured, these reference materials can help provide care.

There are two items available from the Red Cross that are
excellent for this purpose. One is a pocked sized booklet
‘First Aid Fast’. This booklet covers breathing trouble (P.
11-15), Cardiac Arrest (P. 24-29) and bleeding (P. 72-73).
The booklet also contains step by step instruction on skills
such as CPR and rescue breathing.

The Red Cross also offers skill cards, which cover things
such as CPR. These come laminated in plastic. The cards
show how to perform skills with illustrations and text, and
can be folded out to large size. A good place for one of
these cards would be on a bulkhead or in your boats head so
the knowledge can be seen. These products are available from your local Red Cross.

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