Diving First Aid Kit

[lottie]

Maybe we should start a thread for what should go in a diving first aid kit too . . .

As Ron suggested, what do you have in your first aid kit?

I have the following, for a very simple and basic first aid kit.
(just thinking off the top of my head, as i can't be bothered to get it out the car)

* melolin swabs (adhesive and non)
* surgical tape
* assorted plasters
* safety pins
* triangular bandage
* various gauze bandages
* adhesive stitching
* finger bandages
* antiseptic wipes in individual packs
* scissors
* support bandage/tubigrip (i have problems with my knees!)

also,
* antihistamine cream (for those pesky mosquitoes)
* sun-tan lotion (for when you're on a boat and the sun's hot - you don't wanna get heatstroke between dives )

Anything else???

[acelockco]

I don't know exactly what is in my kit, but it is the same first aid kit I use for boating, camping, diving and anything else. It is just a basic kit that I purchased at the local outfitters.

So far all of the dive boats I have been on had a nicer first aid kit on board, but I keep mine in my bag anyway. Luckly so far, all I have had to use is some bandages and a little first aid cream. I'd like to keep it that way.

[PinayDiver]

On a liveaboard in Verde-Galera, one dive buddy (who also happened to be a doctor) once pulled out a splint (!) to try to immobilize my wrist. Because...on my way down from the mess hall to the gearing area, I slipped on the wet steps and my arm instinctively shot out in between the metal railing to steady myself; I hurt my wrist instead (just the memory of it still makes me go oooouch). I opted for his tube of inflammation-reducing, pain-relieving ointment instead, and submitted to the DM's help in gearing up (like a child being dressed), just to go on two more dives (cold compress, right?) despite a frightening-looking blue-green hand -- foolish, foolish girl

[rubber chicken]

My 1st Aid kit is a pretty basic one from an auto parts shop that sits in the back of the car. As my wife is a nurse i've managed to add a few extra bandages, antiseptic wipes and tongue depressors, (useful as finger splints).
i've also added a small spray bottle of vinegar, for jellyfish stings, and the largest box of assorted plasters that i could find.
One thing that I absolutely swear by is a 'bite clicker', I don't remember the technical/trade name for them but they are little plastic gizmos about an inch or so long that pass a piezo-electric spark across insect bites and stop the itching almost instantly. I found them in a camping/outdoor shop a couple of years ago and have taken one around the world through all sorts of mosquito/sandfly infested areas and can confirm that they really work.


By the way, thanks for starting this thread. You have reminded me that I need to renew my 1st Aid certificate soon.

[acelockco]

Now the vinegar is one item that I forgot about and should be in there. It works wonders, I know from being stung.

I have never seen or heard of your clicker thingy though.

Humm, shock a wet diver?

[rubber chicken]

Humm, shock a wet diver?

There is no battery or anything similar in it, just a small piezo-electic spark generator like the ones you get in stove lighters and such like. The voltage/current is negligable, I've used them wet and dry, hot and cold and they work every time. Relief from itching is virtually instantaneous. An absolute godsend in places like Scotland in the summer, Siberia in the spring and New Zealands West coast any time

[acelockco]

I was just messing around anyway. I have never seen this item, I don't even know if you can get it in the US. Do you have a photo you can attach?

[Quero]

The *first* thing that came to mind when I saw Lottie's list was a spray bottle of vinegar, so I also endorse rubberchicken's mention of it.

For insect bites, a simple, effective solution is ammonia. You can have a small bottle of it with some cotton swabs to dab it on with, or you can buy the commercial product "After Bite" which packages the ammonia in a pen-like dispenser.

Another thing we usually carry in our med-kits here is seasick tablets.

[acelockco]

I always have After-Bite in my first aid kit, in my backpack, some in my fishing box. I LOVE that stuff!!!

[seasnake]

What the heck is "plaster" translated into Canadian???

I keep EMT shears, medical gloves and a barrier device for artificial respiration in my kit too . . .