What Should be in Your First Aid Kit?
What Should Be In Your Boat’s First Aid Kit?
What are the essential items that should be in your boat’s first aid kit? It all depends on what kind of first aid kit you are trying to create. Any first aid kit you assemble should be designed with its intended use in mind. Is this kit going to be used when hiking or during shore excursions? Is it going to be available for use in your ditch-bag? Is this a kit you will tap into if you get a small cut in the galley or a splinter that needs removing? Or is this kit’s intended use in cases of a more serious injury like a broken bone or a deep puncture wound? Obviously a first aid kit should be able to supply the tools necessary to treat a multitude of injuries but to what degree or level all depends on what you designed the kit for. Every boat should have at least three different kinds of first aid kits on board: one for small everyday injuries, one designed for more serious or trauma related injuries, and one that is stored in your ditch-bag and can treat injuries you might sustain during a hasty evacuation. This article will focus on your basic, everyday first aid kit.
What Should Be In Your First Aid Kit?
The following is a list of items the American Red Cross has determined should be in every basic first aid kit.
2 – Absorbent dressings (5 x 9)
25 – bandages of assorted sizes
1 – adhesive cloth tape (10 yards x 1 in)
5 – antibiotic ointment packets (1 gram)
2 – aspirin packets (81 mg each)
1 – emergency blanket
1 – breathing barrier for CPR with 1-way valve
1 – instant cold compress
2 – pairs of non-latex gloves
2 – hydrocortisone ointment packets (1 gram)
1 – 3 inch gauze roll (self-adhering)
1 – roller bandage (4 inches wide)
5 – sterile gauze pads (3 in x 3 in)
5 – sterile gauze pads (4 in x 4 in)
2 – triangular bandages
Thermometer
Tweezers
Emergency first aid guide
This is a good start for a basic first aid kit. I spoke with a friend of mine who is a flight nurse in Alaska (pretty badass, right!) as well as a former ER nurse and together we came up with some additional items we felt would be prudent to carry in your basic kit. She’s been sailing with us several times so she’s aware of the risks of traveling by boat.
Butterfly bandages
Superglue
Liquid band-aid
Alcohol wipes
Paramedic scissors
Topical antihistamine such as Benadryl
Hand sanitizer
Syringe and saline for wound washing
Eye dressing
Tincture of Benzoin
Individually wrapped moist hand towelettes
Petroleum jelly
You may want to keep some additional packets of medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen in adult and children formulations based on your crew.
It’s a good idea to keep a list of any medications you and your crew is taking in any first aid kit and even a few days’ supply of those meds if possible (this is a must-do in your ditch-bag first aid kit). Having a list of emergency contacts is important as well so you know who to call if something happens. If you are traveling outside of your home country, having the number to that country’s emergency services (if they have one) will save time and potentially someone’s life. You just can’t call 911 when you’re outside of the US like you can here. If your kit does not come with some type of reference guide or emergency handbook, I suggest adding Marine Medicine: A Comprehensive Guide. It’s the perfect size book and a great resource for any first aid kit.
How Often Should I Check My First Aid Kit?
You should check your first aid kit at least once a year or once a season if you are traveling at different times of the year. You’ll want to check all the expiration dates on products, especially medications. It’s a good idea to swap out any personal prescription medications at this time too. You should take stock of anything you may have used over the course of the year and replace any items. You might want to consider keeping a running list of items you feel your kit is missing and add those in at this time as well.
Of course if you had an accident that required you to use a lot of supplies in your first aid kit or you have used all of one particular item, you’ll want to replace those items as soon as possible and not wait till your annual check. You don’t want to be caught without supplies when you need them the most.
What Are The Best First Aid Kits?
There are lots of choices when it comes to buying a pre-made basic first aid kit but not all kits are created equal. You’ll want to make sure it is the appropriate size for the amount of people you’ll have on board, that it’s contained all together in one vessel, and that the container will provide protection for the supplies within and fit your needs of storage (i.e. waterproof, soft sided, etc.). Most importantly, you’ll want to be aware of what’s contained inside. Most kits will state they have x amount of items but upon closer inspection you might discover that half of that number is the band-aids that they counted individually.
Below are a few options of pre-made kits that you can order and have delivered straight to your door…or dock slip.
My Medic kits are not only incredibly functional but they look kinda cool too. They create kits for different activities, uses, and environments so give them a search. The company offers discounts for first responders, military, medical personnel, and teachers. They sell a $10 first aid and survival guide that can be added on to any kit your purchase from them. Supplies are packed in mods which are small packs that are categorized by injury or use. The mods are definitely a little more expensive than if you compiled all the items yourself but they are convenient and, if you use one, it’s easy to purchase another from their website to restock.
My Medic FAK - This is their basic first aid kit. It comes in two sizes but contains the same list of supplies – the larger kit just doubles the quantity so you can treat more people.
Comes in a durable pack with straps for attaching to any bag or location you’d like which makes it easy to carry to shore if you need to.
Has a small tear-away pouch that can be used as a mini travel first aid kit
This kit is very organized which is great when you need to find things fast.
Zips completely open for better access which makes viewing the contents inside easy
Pretty lightweight at less than 3lbs (for the regular sized kit)
I would add an eye dressing, more band-aids, and a few more pairs of non-latex gloves to the kit
My Medic Boat Medic Kit - This kit comes in a waterproof hard case that also floats (very important on a boat!) It’s better well stocked than a basic first aid kit which makes it a good start towards building your larger, more comprehensive kit.
Some things I would add – a greater variety and quantity of band-aids, larger quantities of hydrocortisone cream, antibiotic ointment, hand sanitizer, an eye dressing, and more alcohol/antiseptic wipes.
If this is going to be used as a more comprehensive kit, I would include a SAM splint or purchase the My Medic version which they call a roll splint
You may also want to add more self-clotting/quick clotting pads. One may not be enough depending on how large the injury is and how far you are from help.
They have an item called Zzips which is for wound closing. I would add butterfly bandages and super glue as well as backup. If you are by yourself and only have one hand available I’m not sure how you would operate the Zzips. That’s why I think having the butterflies and/or superglue may be needed. Hey My Medic…If I’m wrong about this let me know!
Adventure Medical Kits – Marine Kits
Yes, these kits are made by the same company that publishes Marine Medicine: A Comprehensive Guide, which comes inside all of their marine kits (except the 150 which is the smallest marine kit available). These kits can get quite expensive but they are very comprehensive and all but the 150 are USCG certified. The larger kits come with all the necessities plus lots of additional supplies like a scalpel, a catheter, an even a patient intake form so you can record important information to relay to the medical professionals when help arrives. If you can afford these kits, I highly recommend them.
Come in 7 sizes depending on your needs, the distance you’ll be traveling from medical help when needed, and the vessels crew count. The 1500 seemed like the all-around winner for me if I was purchasing a comprehensive medical kit and the 450 makes a great basic first aid kit.
4 of the larger kits come in a waterproof and impact-resistant carrying case which has a pressure relief valve to prevent leaking if the box becomes submerged. The three smaller kits come in a waterproof bag.
The supplies inside are organized into pouches and categorized by use/injury for easy retrieval of what you need
They sell refill packs to make resupply easy after use
Adventure Medical Kits – Ultralight/Watertight Kit
We have the .7 version of this kit from our backpacking days and I always liked it for its compact size and the fact that it was water resistant for those rainy days outside. It comes in various sizes depending on how long you’ll be traveling and the amount of people you’re with. They are not very comprehensive but they do pack a lot into their small carrying case. Because they are so lightweight, these kits are perfect for tossing into your day bag and taking to shore on excursions. They are perfect for treating minor cuts, burns and bug bites but you may want to consider adding in some more band-aids just in case.
Budget Friendly - aka Amazon Finds – You can find a bazillion (actual number) of different first aid kits on Amazon but they are not all created equal. When shopping, try to find one with good reviews and then read through some of them, including the ones where they received less than 5 stars. The consumers who have come before you will tell you a lot about what they feel each kit was lacking and what it did well. Here are two that I found to be a good start for a basic first aid kit.
First Aid Only All-Purpose Essentials Soft-Sided First Aid Kit – This kit is really affordable at only $20 dollars on Amazon and is a good option for an everyday first aid kit. You should spend some additional money to beef it up a little with some additional items.
This is one kit where you should not need to add any additional band-aids. Of the 298 pieces the kit has, more than half of them are band-aids
Could use more medication – ibuprofen, Tylenol, topical hydrocortisone, Benadryl, more antibiotic cream etc.
Comes with a disposable thermometer so you may want to upgrade this, especially if you use it
Might want to add some larger gauze pads, superglue, and saline wound washing equipment
You should add a CPR mask or mouth barrier of some kind
Not great organization inside but you could remedy that by grouping some items together and putting them in labeled plastic bags
Soft sided pouch for easy storage but not waterproof so keep that in mind if you need to travel anywhere with this kit
Besst Survivor Compact First Aid Kit – This kit has a price point of less than $50 and is another affordable option for a basic first aid kit. There are a few items that will need to be added but the majority of the supplies are provided for you already.
This case does not come with any medications – oral or topical. You will have to add your own supply but that may be better in the long run. You can purchase generics at a very affordable price and with the longest possible expiration dates that you can find on the shelf. This might save you from having to replace your supply so soon.
You may also want to add a thermometer, superglue, and some saline wound washing equipment
The bag zips completely open and the inside is organized and labeled for easy grab-and-go when needed
Looks like it is a great size from a portability standpoint
Not waterproof
Is It Cheaper To Make Your Own First Aid Kit?
In most cases the answer is yes. It will be cheaper to make your own first aid kit than to buy a pre-assembled one but you will probably put in a lot of time and energy to find all the supplies you need. And don’t forget about the first aid bag or case you will store everything in. You’ll have to do some shopping around to find an appropriately sized vessel to hold all your supplies. The benefits of making your own are that you get to customize everything. From how large or small the carrying vessel will be, to the size and quantities of the items inside. You will also be able to stock your kit with medications that have longer expiration dates which could ultimately save you even more money.
Whether you decide to purchase a pre-made first aid kit or assemble one on your own, making sure you have all the appropriate supplies in the event of an emergency is incredibly important. Make preparing and updating your first aid kit a priority every season you set sail.
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