Books / First Aid

[mweitz]

Hi all.

As a beginner, I realize that the most important things are getting wet and educating myself. I consider my new certification to be nothing more than a "practice" card. I have signed up for the SSI advanced class and already read the material.

So, knowing what you know now, what would you do as a newbie to come up to speed. Figure that you will be diving with another newbie diver in cold water. If some of you can give me:

1. A few books that should have been mandatory for the OW course but weren't because of cost / time constaints, you know, the "bibles".

2. A couple of good habits that you have developed due to experience.

One other question. What is the all inclusive first aid kit for SCUBA? One that has all the stuff you need. I don't mind spending some dollars here ...

Thanks bunches!

Mark

 

[Garyra]

Hi all.

If some of you can give me:

1. A few books that should have been mandatory for the OW course but weren't because of cost / time constaints, you know, the "bibles".

2. A couple of good habits that you have developed due to experience.

One other question. What is the all inclusive first aid kit for SCUBA? One that has all the stuff you need. I don't mind spending some dollars here ...

Thanks bunches!

Mark

Hi Mark and welcome to the boards.

To answer your first question, a good book that i have found for the new diver is "The Certified Diver's Handbook" It is full of a lot of good, usefull information. Much of it can bee found by talking with other divers and reading though these boards, but it is nice to have it all in a bound version for refrence.

Probrobably one of the best peices of advice that I can give you, from my personal experience, is what you already know. The OW C-Card is a license to practice. Spend some time underwater with a buddy and practice the skills that you were showed in OW till they become habit. After that, I highly recommend taking AOW and Rescue. I don't think that there is any class that has benifited me as much as the Rescue Diver Class.

The last piece of advice and probably the most important is whatever happens, DON"T PANIC! Many times I have seen divers panic when something unexpected happens. Just remember as long as air is coming out of your regulator and you have it in your mouth, things will usually turn out OK. Stop, Breath, and then Act.

As far as the first aide kit goes, I have yet to see one for sell that has everything a diver needs. Many of the items in my first aid kit are specific to the diving that I do. Since most of my diving is at lake murky, I don't have need for components for stings and bites that are only found in the ocean, but when i go to Roatan, you can bet your backside that I will have viniger and hotpacks on board. The PADI Rescue Diver Manual has a pretty good list of things that should be in your kit and why.

 

[Wildcard]

Hi all.

As a beginner, I realize that the most important things are getting wet and educating myself. I consider my new certification to be nothing more than a "practice" card. I have signed up for the SSI advanced class and already read the material.

So, knowing what you know now, what would you do as a newbie to come up to speed. Figure that you will be diving with another newbie diver in cold water. If some of you can give me:

1. A few books that should have been mandatory for the OW course but weren't because of cost / time constaints, you know, the "bibles".

2. A couple of good habits that you have developed due to experience.

One other question. What is the all inclusive first aid kit for SCUBA? One that has all the stuff you need. I don't mind spending some dollars here ...

Thanks bunches!

Mark

Like so many things, having a huge first aid kit does no good if you don't have the training to go with it...The key word here is "First" aid. Keep the bones from moving and the red stuff inside. There is then a second level of a "first aid kit" that has things like bandaids, tylenol, ATB ointment, larger dressing and such. Every commercial first aid kit I have ever dealt with has loads of crap you don't need and will never use.

Think about taking a class if you don't have any medical training. Advanced First aid, First responder, EMT Basic, ect. Ya might even find you realy like EMS and if not, then you have some valuable training...If you just don't want to go that far, get a book and read it.

My non dive specific pack I carry for Snowmobiling, ATVing, 4 Wheeling, ect is this:
2SAM splints
2 4 inch ACE wraps
roll on 1 inch tape
Couple of safety pins
Several Tylenol packets shoved inside the ACE wraps.

Anything I can make any real difference in in the field I can do with the above.Now add specific things you might need such as vinegar, tweasers, eye wash, ect.

Enjoy and welcome!

 

[mweitz]

Thanks to you both. I did pick up a decent "general" kit, but wasn't sure of the things to add for Marine. I'll pick up the DAN stuff.

I plan on doing React Right and Stress & Rescue. Hopefully these will get me started on the path. It just seems that we should all be as prepared as possible.

On the book, I picked up "The Certified Diver's Handbook" last night. I am about half way through it. Great book. Should be required reading before you get gear or in the water.

Thanks!

Mark