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Assembling
an On Board First Aid Kit
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| 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 ones 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. |
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| Your On Board First
Aid Kit should include the following items: |
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| 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 |
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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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