First Aid Kit Contents: Part 2 – Boat and Home

This is part 2 of the boat and home first aid kit contents. Part 1, which covered individual, office, and car, can be found here.

Boat First Aid Kit Contents:

Boats offer a unique set of hazards that need to be especially considered. In addition to sun burns and fishing hooks, one must also consider risks of getting hit by a propeller, dangerous animals, and unfortunately drowning, all of which require a few additional items over the car first aid kit. Also, since it would be rare for emergency help to come to you, odds are you are using the boat first aid kit to stabilize the person before or while you punch out of there for a dock, marina, or in minor cases, your car or home. As such, you can remove some items from the list if you expect to be heading home or to your car. Here are the first aid kit contents for a boat:

1. Adhesive bandages, multiple sizes – A dozen or so of the standard 3/4″ x 3″ and 1″ x 3″ versions, and several smaller and several larger just in case.  Replenish as needed.
2. Butterfly bandages – For larger cuts, both smaller and larger versions.
3. Gauze – For cleanup of wounds, at least four (4) of the 4″ x 4″ gauze and a 3″ wide rolled gauze as well.
4. Non-stick pads – For dressing wounds, five (5) of the 3″ x 4″ size pads.
5. Trauma pad – For dressing much larger wounds, two (2) of the 5″ x 9″ versions.
6. Medical tape – To hold the gauze and pads in place. Also useful to tape broken fingers and toes to splints.  Paper, cloth, or breathable plastic are all good choices.
7. Wound wash – A bottle of antiseptic liquid that can be squirted over wounds to clean them out.
8. Antiseptic wipes – The first step of applying first aid is always cleaning, so you should have several of these available. Can also use them to clean the tweezers and hemostat when needed.
9. Antibacterial ointment – Small, single-use tear-away “envelopes” are best for this.
10. Hydrocortisone ointment – Stick with the single-use to prevent throwing too much out.
11. Tweezers – For removing splinters and small debris from wounds. I like the yellow color to help make it easier to see if put down.
12. Hemostat – Great for getting a hold of a fishing hook for emergency removal.
13. CPR Mask – For providing emergency breathing for drowning victims if required.
14. Emergency blanket – Boats imply water, and water greatly increases the chance for hypothermia and shock situations. An emergency blanket can help improve the situation in both of these cases.
15. Snaplights – Good quality chemical lights will provide emergency light. Non-heat generating, safe to hand-hold. You can wave them to get attention from other boats. Get at least three (3) good quality yellow lights like Cyalume 6″ Snaplights.
16. Mirror/reflector – Required by the U.S. Coast Guard, great for getting attention when help is needed. This link also includes a whistle (see the next entry).
17. Whistle – This is another piece that’s required by the U.S. Coast Guard, and for good reason. A good way of getting the attention of nearby boaters.

You’ll also want a fire extinguisher for general safety; another USCG required piece of equipment.

Home First Aid Kit Contents:

This kit is meant to cover 90% of the medical issues in the home. As such, this one has some larger fluid containers which typically makes it not fit into a single container. Make sure to store them together to make it faster to find what is needed.

1. Adhesive bandages, multiple sizes – The number should be based on annual usage.  Get a good assortment.
2. Butterfly bandages – For larger cuts, both smaller and larger versions.
3. Gauze – For cleanup of wounds, a box of 10 3″ x 3″ pads will give you a good amount for a while. A 3″ wide roll of gauze is also useful.
4. Non-stick pads – For dressing larger wounds, several of a selection of sizes: 2″ x 3″, 3″ x 4″, and larger 5″ x 9″ Trauma Pads.
5. Medical tape – To hold the gauze and pads in place. Paper, cloth, or breathable plastic are all good choices.
6. Antiseptic wipes – Soap and water is a good alternative, but these are still useful.
7. Antibacterial ointment – A small 1 oz tube is a good size so that you don’t throw too much away when it expires.
8. Ibuprofen, acetaminophen – Age appropriate versions for the family. Liquid versions for children almost always come with reusable measuring cups, so nothing else needed.
9. Cotton balls – Good to apply the calamine and hydocortisone to the abrasion. This prevents contaminating the container.
10. Hydrocortisone ointment – For itching and skin rashes. The 2 oz tube is a good size for this as well.
11. Calamine lotion – Great for insect bites, poison ivy, and similar. Fairly inexpensive, can be “dabbed on” regularly for relief.
12. Aloe – For soothing burns including sunburns.
13. Isopropyl Alcohol (70%) – Used to cleanse scrapes and small cuts. Also a cleaning agent, can be used to sterilize your tweezers, thermometer, etc. before usage. NOTE: apply isopropyl alcohol to item to sterilize. DO NOT “dip” item into isopropyl alcohol bottle!
14. Witch Hazel – Astringent, useful for cleaning skin and soothing insect bites, etc.
15. Hydrogen Peroxide (3%) – Useful for a first-application to sterilize a small wound, but DO NOT apply to a wound that has already been cleaned, as H2O2 can prevent healing.
16. Thermometer – The electric ones are extremely fast now, and a good option. Don’t cheap-out on this, as a good one will last you a long time.
17. Tweezers – For removing splinters and small debris from wounds.
18. Hemostat – Great for getting a hold of a fishing hook for emergency removal.

In the next part, I cover the field, including add-ons for firearms.

Are there things you keep in your first aid kits that you think others should know about?  Feel free to comment below!

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