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Doctor On Board™ |
Assembling an On Board First
Aid Kit |
| There are many commercially
available first aid kits. Some are so small they can fit into a 4"
x 6" space. But they can also cost in excess of $25 or more and not
contain the items you really need in an emergency. Although thoroughly
supplied are available, they can cost as much as $200-$300. You can
put together a complete kit on your own that can handle almost any medical
emergency or accident. The best container for your kit is a tiered
tackle or small tool box. Gather all the items before you buy the
box. Always stow it in a place that will be easily reached in an
emergency. Since some of the items come in larger quantities than
you need, get together with your fellow slip-mates and share. Put
liquids in small, inexpensive plastic bottles that close tightly and do
not leak. Look for travel size items such as aspirin or Calamine
lotion. This will make your kit even more economical. You should put dry
items such as bandages in zip lock bags to keep them sterile and waterproof
from humidity. |
| Your On Board First Aid Kit should
include the following items: |
| Acetaminophen: a
small bottle of a non-aspirin pain reliever such as Tylenol |
| Adhesive tape: one
roll each of 1 inch and 2 inch |
| Alcohol swabs: 15-20
pre-packaged pads (Saves the space a bottle would use) |
| Ana-kits, epi-pens:
If you are allergic to insect bites or bee stings, have your physician
prescribe this for you |
| Antacid: one or two
rolls of Tums, Rolaids, or Mylanta plus one blister pack of any of the
newer medications such as Tagamet HB, Zantac |
| Anti-nausea medications:
If you get motion sickness have you physician prescribe Meclazine or Transderm-Scopolomine
patches |
| Antihistamine: one
blister pack, such as Benadryl |
| Antiseptic spray or liquid:
a small bottle with a tight cap. This can be any of the commercial
sprays such as Betadine, Hibiclens, etc. |
| Antiseptic ointment:
one small tube Neosporin or Bacitracin; 10-12 Betadine or Hibiclens
ointment and swabs |
| Aspirin, ibuprofen: one
small bottle or blister pack |
| Band-Aids, assorted sizes:
5 to 7 of each size |
| Bandages: one 3"
Ace (elastic) bandage, one roll of 2" and 3" gauze (the stretchable ones
are best) |
| Bug repellent: sprays
or lotions of your choice |
| Burn ointment: either
over the counter burn ointment or have your physician prescribe Silvadene
(for more sever burns until you can get medical attention), if you are
not allergic to sulfa medications |
| Butterfly bandages: 4
-5 small butterflies |
| Calamine lotion: small
plastic bottle |
| Charcoal: a small,
one ounce plastic bottle |
| Cotton balls: put
about twenty into a zip lock bag |
| Cotton swabs, sterile:
get pre-packaged ones wrapped two per package. Keep 10 in your kit. |
| Cough suppressant: a
small plastic bottle. Also useful is cough drops. |
| Dental floss: a small
container |
| Diarrhea medicine: Pepto-Bismal
tablets in a blister pack and an anti-motility agent such as Imodium AD
available over the counter |
| Dry-wash pads (wipes):
6-8 prepackaged pads |
| Gauze pads: 8-12
of both 2" and 4" |
| Heat & cold packs:
keep one cold pack in the freezer at all times and an extra one in
your kit. The best ones are those than can be used for both heat
and cold. |
| Hydrocortisone cream:
one small tube of 0.5% |
| Hydrogen peroxide: fill
a small (6 ounce) plastic bottle |
| Irrigating bulb syringe:
a small three to four inch syringe |
| Mirror: at least
a four inch square, unbreakable mirror in a case |
| Moleskin: 4 to 5
patches |
| Oil of cloves: a
one ounce bottle |
| Petroleum jelly: a
small tube |
| Powdered electrolyte
mix: This can be found in powdered form and mixed with water.
It's worth searching for instead of carrying a gallon of pre-mixed fluid. |
| Prescription drugs:
If you take prescription drugs, always have an extra supply on hand.
Have your physician prescribe antibiotics if you get frequent bladder infections,
always keep a prescription available. |
| Safety pins: 6 medium
size pins |
| Scissors: A small
six inch pair will work very well. Always leave it in the kit |
| Sun screen:
at least an SPF 15, as much as needed for a trip, plus a small bottle for
the kit |
| Triangular bandage: large
triangle which can be found in almost any large drug store |
| Tweezers: the best
ones are the scissors type |
| As you may have noticed,
I have everything in plastic and small. Space is always a consideration
when living aboard. All of the items will fit into a water-proof tackle
box - and stay well organized.
Now that you have everything
together, what do you do in an emergency? We'll begin to discuss
basic first aid in the next issue. |
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Copyright 1996: MJ
Bovo. All rights reserved.
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