Is there a proper 1st Aid Kit that can be bought "off the shelf" at a reasonable price ?
 

Appreciatively,
Courtney

"Courtney Thomas" wrote in message
. ..
Appreciatively,
Courtney

You might want to contact your local Red Cross chapter. They have many to
choose from, and if you tell them the specifics of your needs, I'm sure they
can recommend something.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

Like Capt.JG said, your local needs will not be the same as someone in
another latitude. Snakes vrs. bears and so on -

we went to our local doctor and told him we were cruising central
America (from los Angeles) and he made us a list of all kinds of things
and wrote a bunch of scripts to get the stuff. He showed us how to use
it too. You'd be surpirsed what most docs will do if they think you are
up and up.

I thought I was doing the correct thing and purchased a commercial 1st aid
kit that was recommended for commercial/contractor work sites. Cost $100 and
when I broke the seal the 1st time for a band aid, I found the metal case
packed so tight that it was near impossible to return the package to it's
location. In the process I looked for a disinfectant to clean the minor
wound. None there. Not even any Iodine or medical scrub or alcohol. No
ointments for burns or bites. Just a hundred bucks worth of crap.

When I referred to the inventory list, I noted that almost everything was
intended to satisfy the needs until the PeraMedics arrive.

It was also obvious that this kit was intended for a service contract where
some cute little chick comes around once ever 3 months and refills/replaces
the expired aspirin package (for $35-$50).

However, it is "Approved" and "Required" to satisfy the Dept. of
Labor/Industry.

I don't recommend this approach (as you may have sensed).

The 1st Aid Kits at the West Marine aren't much better but they might be a
place to start (they have a nice colorful soft case). Then remove all the
redundant crap and have your local cruising sailor doctor help you fill a
list of "USEFUL" stuff.

Then add some good quality band aids of large and small sizes, large
adhesive patches.

Of the non 1st Aid stuff I recommend is skin care products (sun screen, lip
balm), sea sick patches (requires a prescription). I like to have a large
bottle of hydrogen peroxide and betadyne scrub to clean up wounds and the
surrounding area. Some really good burn ointment (your cruising doctor can
recommend this and a burn treatment procedure).

I haven't tried these yet, but I'm considering the chemical ice packs. I
haven't heard to much about these.

Some light sticks, although not medical, they would be helpful when all the
lights have failed.

Thermal blankets could be helpful.

Just a few of my thoughts, FWIW

Steve
s/v Good Intentions




"Courtney Thomas" wrote in message
. ..
Appreciatively,
Courtney

Steve wrote:
I thought I was doing the correct thing and purchased a commercial 1st aid
kit that was recommended for commercial/contractor work sites. Cost $100 and
when I broke the seal the 1st time for a band aid, I found the metal case
packed so tight that it was near impossible to return the package to it's
location. In the process I looked for a disinfectant to clean the minor
wound. None there. Not even any Iodine or medical scrub or alcohol. No
ointments for burns or bites. Just a hundred bucks worth of crap.
snip...


Reminds me of the 1st Aid kits placed around our work areas. Back in
the early '80s I had a paper cut and wanted a band-aid. None was to be
found in the kits so I went to the manager responsible for refilling .
He was hiding all the band-aids in his desk. He felt that employees
were 'stealing' the band-aids and decided he wasn't going to replace them.

Here's a link that shows you what you should carry, made up by a
cruising doctor: http://www.riparia.org/cruising_medical_kit.html
Even if you don't want to build your own, it's a good reference to
compare the commercially available ones. Also look at:
http://www.equipped.org/medical.htm#MedicalKits
http://www.landfallnav.com/medicalequip.html
http://www.marmed.com/kits.shtml

There are no proper First Aid Kit to be bought only a convenient one.
Before investing in a First Aid Kit I would take a marine first aid course.
Then if you are doing lots of coastal cruising and long passage making an
advance first aid course is an asset. After having your first aid course a
yearly refresher is a good investment. FWIW

"Don White" wrote in message
...
Steve wrote:
I thought I was doing the correct thing and purchased a commercial 1st
aid
kit that was recommended for commercial/contractor work sites. Cost $100
and
when I broke the seal the 1st time for a band aid, I found the metal
case
packed so tight that it was near impossible to return the package to
it's
location. In the process I looked for a disinfectant to clean the minor
wound. None there. Not even any Iodine or medical scrub or alcohol. No
ointments for burns or bites. Just a hundred bucks worth of crap.
snip...


Reminds me of the 1st Aid kits placed around our work areas. Back in
the early '80s I had a paper cut and wanted a band-aid. None was to be
found in the kits so I went to the manager responsible for refilling .
He was hiding all the band-aids in his desk. He felt that employees
were 'stealing' the band-aids and decided he wasn't going to replace them.

Steve wrote:

Of the non 1st Aid stuff I recommend is skin care products (sun screen, lip
balm), sea sick patches (requires a prescription). I like to have a large
bottle of hydrogen peroxide and betadyne scrub to clean up wounds and the
surrounding area. Some really good burn ointment (your cruising doctor can
recommend this and a burn treatment procedure).

I liked the suggestion I saw for *four* "First Aid" kits - ISTR Libby
Purvis in _Yachting Monthly_:

(1) Consumables - seasickness tabs, sunscreen, lip balmband-aids etc -
stuff that you expect to be used at least once a week.

(2) Tool - serious bandages, sutures, dental kit, eyewash, etc.

(3) Drugs - basically anything more specialised than asprin, including
any IV stuff.

(4) Serious stuff - anything beyond chapter 1 of:
http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga-se...ga-dqs_st_shs_
seafarer_information-medical/mcga-dqs_st_shs_ships_capt_medical_guide.ht
m

rgds, Alan
--
99 Ducati 748BP, 95 Ducati 600SS, 81 Guzzi Monza, 74 MV Agusta 350
"Ride to Work, Work to Ride" SI# 7.067 DoD#1930 PGP Key 0xBDED56C5

Subject

Several years ago, Mark Anderson, an ER Doc in Portland, OR, as well as
a sailor and boat builder, put together a very extensive first aid kit
for the cruising sailor.

His comments about the commercial stuff were not very positive.

Mostly bandages as I remember.

Try a Google.

Lew

Try http://www.seasidemarineintldrug.com/recreational.html for recreational
first aid kits and commercial kits-not cheap.
"Steve" wrote:

I thought I was doing the correct thing and purchased a commercial 1st aid
kit that was recommended for commercial/contractor work sites. Cost $100 and
when I broke the seal the 1st time for a band aid, I found the metal case
packed so tight that it was near impossible to return the package to it's
location. In the process I looked for a disinfectant to clean the minor
wound. None there. Not even any Iodine or medical scrub or alcohol. No
ointments for burns or bites. Just a hundred bucks worth of crap.

When I referred to the inventory list, I noted that almost everything was
intended to satisfy the needs until the PeraMedics arrive.

It was also obvious that this kit was intended for a service contract where
some cute little chick comes around once ever 3 months and refills/replaces
the expired aspirin package (for $35-$50).

However, it is "Approved" and "Required" to satisfy the Dept. of
Labor/Industry.

I don't recommend this approach (as you may have sensed).

The 1st Aid Kits at the West Marine aren't much better but they might be a
place to start (they have a nice colorful soft case). Then remove all the
redundant crap and have your local cruising sailor doctor help you fill a
list of "USEFUL" stuff.

Then add some good quality band aids of large and small sizes, large
adhesive patches.

Of the non 1st Aid stuff I recommend is skin care products (sun screen, lip
balm), sea sick patches (requires a prescription). I like to have a large
bottle of hydrogen peroxide and betadyne scrub to clean up wounds and the
surrounding area. Some really good burn ointment (your cruising doctor can
recommend this and a burn treatment procedure).

I haven't tried these yet, but I'm considering the chemical ice packs. I
haven't heard to much about these.

Some light sticks, although not medical, they would be helpful when all the
lights have failed.

Thermal blankets could be helpful.

Just a few of my thoughts, FWIW

Steve
s/v Good Intentions




"Courtney Thomas" wrote in message
...
Appreciatively,
Courtney



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