First aid kits

[OTF]

Two things in addition to what has been said:

1. Consider O2. Get and bring a simple O2 kit if you're doing any kind of serious diving, and/or anything away from immediate ambulance assistance (eg. diving from your own boat). It seems like a big deal to lug around but it's really not. Easy to throw in the car or keep stowed somewhere, and critically important as the ONLY way to address most life threatening diving injuries.

2. Training. I highly recommend taking a WFR or WFA course once the pandemic cools down. It's a great supplement to your scuba certifications especially if you spend any time at sea or in remote places. It was one of the most fun and informative things I've ever done. It's all intensive hands-on scenario-based learning. There will be fake blood and classmates simulating delirious patients. It's great. NOLS and SOLO both offer excellent similar courses. Knowing how to properly do first aid, and how to use random available crap to do it, is more valuable than having a massive perfectly equipped first aid kit.

 

[Rickk]

I am 65 and have a first aid kit that evolved from the one I put together when I was about 11 in Scouting. I have a military surplus trauma dressing dated 1951 in it that has been with me since the 60's.

Put in your kit the stuff that you think you will need and that you know how to use. Keep it small enough that you will actually have room to pack it.

You will be dealing with two types of situations, ,minor every day stuff, small cuts, minor burns, take stuff for these. The other will be serious injury, a few triangular bandages for splints and slings, major wounds so take a trauma pad. One idea that I have used since I worked in Afghanistan is to put a couple maxi pads and some tampons for wound management. They are designed to soak up blood and are in clean wrappers. (Tampons fit nicely in bullet holes).

The only time I ever used it for anything beyond a small cut was when my daughter was about 10 years old. I had gone to her school to pick her up for a dentist appointment. There was a first grader in the office holding an obviously broken arm, waiting for his parent to come get him. I asked for their first aid kit so I could put a sling on it, the kid was just sitting in a chair, in pain being ignored by the staff. I was tolds that they did not have first aid kits.

As soon as my daughter walked to the office I handed her my car keys and told her to go get my kit, she knew where it was in my car. I fashioned a splint using a magazine and tied it in place with a triangular bandage and added a sling to support the kids are.

Despite getting dirty looks from the staff I helped the kid and asked him if it felt better and told him he was brave. His mother came in, wearing scrubs, turns out she was a nurse at the local hospital. She looked at what I had done, thanked me and took her son to emergency.

A couple days later, she must have gotten my name from the school, she called me thanked me again and asked if she could keep the triangular bandages since they were army green ( surplus stuff again) the kid liked it and only wanted to use them. I said sure, if she needed more come and get them as I had about 50 or so. (I had bought a case because I was a scout leader then and we had made kits for the scouts.)

I talked to the school board about the lack of first aid kits in the schools. He told me that they had been advised by lawyers that having the kits meant that the had more liability than if they did not have them. I told him that responsibility for the welfare of the kids under their care was more important than the liability. They should have good kits and sufficient staff around to use them to hake care of the kids.

 

[formernuke]

Two things in addition to what has been said:

1. Consider O2. Get and bring a simple O2 kit if you're doing any kind of serious diving, and/or anything away from immediate ambulance assistance (eg. diving from your own boat). It seems like a big deal to lug around but it's really not. Easy to throw in the car or keep stowed somewhere, and critically important as the ONLY way to address most life threatening diving injuries.

2. Training. I highly recommend taking a WFR or WFA course once the pandemic cools down. It's a great supplement to your scuba certifications especially if you spend any time at sea or in remote places. It was one of the most fun and informative things I've ever done. It's all intensive hands-on scenario-based learning. There will be fake blood and classmates simulating delirious patients. It's great. NOLS and SOLO both offer excellent similar courses. Knowing how to properly do first aid, and how to use random available crap to do it, is more valuable than having a massive perfectly equipped first aid kit.

I took those a while back and just did a refresher.

I have 02 provider tonight.

 

[tbone1004]

I have a pelican case that lives in my vehicle. It has a full trauma kit, O2 with MTV100, AED, etc. That lives in the vehicle for any random emergency, but I also usually teach and dive out of it, so it's good to just have on me at all times.

I have a small zip type one that is a "go-bag" that comes on dive boats and what not and is basically the DAN Marine MedKit. It changes slightly depending on where I'm going and what I'm doing, but that's the small grab bag

 

[formernuke]

I have a pelican case that lives in my vehicle. It has a full trauma kit, O2 with MTV100, AED, etc. That lives in the vehicle for any random emergency, but I also usually teach and dive out of it, so it's good to just have on me at all times.

I have a small zip type one that is a "go-bag" that comes on dive boats and what not and is basically the DAN Marine MedKit. It changes slightly depending on where I'm going and what I'm doing, but that's the small grab bag

I've seen 2 such kits, they are expensive but I'm starting to think I'll get one as the individual 02 and AED are about the same price.

 

[tbone1004]

I've seen 2 such kits, they are expensive but I'm starting to think I'll get one as the individual 02 and AED are about the same price.

https://apps.dan.org/dive-store/?id=276

It's a BIG and heavy case though. Good for a truck/trailer, not much for anything else. Most vehicles are not going be able to fit that and much else

 

[formernuke]

https://apps.dan.org/dive-store/?id=276

It's a BIG and heavy case though. Good for a truck/trailer, not much for anything else. Most vehicles are not going be able to fit that and much else

Dive 1st also makes similar. What's funny is the first aid part is missing things in my opinion.

 

[tbone1004]

Dive 1st also makes similar. What's funny is the first aid part is missing things in my opinion.

can't have everything to make everyone happy. I have supplemental stuff in all of mine and some other stuff removed, but it's a good start.

 

[formernuke]

can't have everything to make everyone happy. I have supplemental stuff in all of mine and some other stuff removed, but it's a good start.

True, how big is the case? I'm starting to do a lot of private boat diving and some locations phone service isn't the best even for shore.

Would it fit in the backseat of my car? Then trunk for tanks and dive gear?

 

[tbone1004]

True, how big is the case? I'm starting to do a lot of private boat diving and some locations phone service isn't the best even for shore.

Would it fit in the backseat of my car? Then trunk for tanks and dive gear?

25x20x9 exterior ish. It's a Pelican 1600 case. I use the 1550EMS which won't fit the AED, but is much more portable