First Aid Kit

[Bolar]

 

So at the end of the season I empty everything in the boat.  Clean and inspect through the winter so I'm ready to go in the spring.  I just opened my first aid kit and at some point this summer it got wet.  Some of the gauze was still damp.  Anyhow, everything was kind of gross, and I tossed the whole thing in the garbage.

 

The old kit was in a zippered pouch.  I'm looking for a new water tight kit, that has band-aids that actually stick.  Amazon has a ton of kits with reviews all over the map.  Anyone have a nice water tight first aid kit?  ?

 

[A-Jay]

There's this one ~ 

https://www.amazon.com/Marine-Emergency-First-Waterproof-Case/dp/B0108VOU7E/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=first+aid+kit+in+waterproof+case&qid=1608746191&sr=8-5

 

You could also purchase a small kit not in a case and put it in a Plano 3700 Deep box yourself.

A-Jay

[Jigfishn10]

Like @Jig Man, I have twins.

[Michigander]

I pack everything in ziploc bags inside the kit. 

 

Also, don't forget the Aleve and a roll of electrical tape!

[Bolar]

2 hours ago, A-Jay said:

You could also purchase a small kit not in a case and put it in a Plano 3700 Deep box yourself.

A-Jay

 

This is what I'm figuring on.  I was surprised some of the gauze and bandages wrapped in their original plastic packaging still got wet.  I'm going with a hard case for everything, no bags. 

[MN Fisher]

2 hours ago, A-Jay said:

You could also purchase a small kit not in a case and put it in a Plano 3700 Deep box yourself.

A-Jay

 

8 minutes ago, Bolar said:

 

This is what I'm figuring on.  I was surprised some of the gauze and bandages wrapped in their original plastic packaging still got wet.  I'm going with a hard case for everything, no bags. 

I've put together various items - gauze, tape, band-aids, steri-strips, scalpel, tweezers, two hemostats, alcohol, providone and other items. All in this nice little watertight box that's leashed so I don't lose it if the canoe rolls.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CJIBBJU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[gim]

2 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

All in this nice little watertight box that's leashed so I don't lose it if the canoe rolls.

This is the exact item I use to put items in that I don’t want to get wet. Keys, wallet, phone, first aid kit, etc.

[slonezp]

Ziplock bag

[Fishes in trees]

I'd get a waterproof box and fill it with the stuff I needed.  Pouches leak - zip lock bags sometimes leak, waterproof boxes are much less likely too, a long as you close it properly.

[Sphynx]

I avoid most commercially prepared aid kits, they tend to be boo-boo kits and feature mostly bandaids and comfort medication (pain relief etc) and most of these things are of no interest to me, I like to prepare my own focusing on the sorts of aid that is likely going to be a serious problem, blood loss anf breaks due to a slip/trip/fall, so Israeli bandages, tourniquet, chitosan bandages, antiseptic for disinfecting punctures from hooks (usually rubbing alcohol and neosporin) and splint materials, then my aid kit moves on to the next largest concern to me, which is hypothermia, I like to keep a warm, wool or synthetic material blanket, a change of clothes, and a couple of fire starting methods, as well as a couple of those cheap Walmart poncho deals for keeping bad weather off me while I work. You could go full 18W aid bag, but this kit gives me confidence that if I get into a serious jam, I can get myself back out. Put the whole thing in a zip sealed, clear fronted mylar bag and water ingress is no real concern. 

[slowworm]

I'm with Sphynx. I put my own together, and also include a tourniquet.  Prop strikes on limbs will bleed a lot.  I keep mine in a 1200 size pelican case.  I also keep a change of clothes with me.

[Captain Phil]

Never go fishing without one of these in your boat.  Fishing with a lure hanging off your face or hands is no fun.  Ask me how I know...

 

 

[optimator]

8 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

Never go fishing without one of these in your boat.  Fishing with a lure hanging off your face or hands is no fun.  Ask me how I know...

 

 

How do you know? ?

[Captain Phil]

10 hours ago, optimator said:

How do you know? ?

Over the years I had numerous customers hook themselves or others in the boat.  The first thing I always said when they got in my boat was "We have two rules, stay in the boat and don't hook the Captain!"  Most listened, some didn't.  Taking someone to the clinic with a Rapala hanging off their face is not pleasant.  It interrupts the fishing trip and makes for a bad day.   I can get 99% of fishing hooks out with a piece of string.  This is nearly impossible if the hook is still attached to the lure.  Side cutters are used to cut the lure away from the hook.  

 

The worst lure hookup I ever had was when fishing alone.  I was fishing a Devil's Horse lure.  When I tried to unhook a bass, the fish went crazy and hooked me in the chest.  The bass was pinned to me with all three hooks, one in him, one in my chest and one in my hand.  Thankfully, I had my cutters with me and we all got away.  If I had not, I'm not sure what I would have done.

[@reelChris]

A comprehensive first aid kit is a must for any boat, or car frankly.  Keeping one dry is an issue though.  Plastic bags always leak.  Boxes are better but they're not always waterproof even when they say they are.  I've started putting everything that must stay dry, especially extra clothing and emergency supplies, in dry bags.  They're not too expensive and you can crush down bulky stuff like sweatshirts and towels into much smaller packages.  

[haggard]

On 1/2/2021 at 3:00 PM, Captain Phil said:

Never go fishing without one of these in your boat.  Fishing with a lure hanging off your face or hands is no fun.  Ask me how I know...

 

 

 

Always. Initially I brought them to quickly cut a thick hook when the bass got gut hooked, to facilitate the fast removal of the rest of the hook (through the gills method, or whatever) - but it also came in useful when I hooked the bottom of my foot. Pushed it through up and out, cut it below the barb and backed it out. Continued fishing.

 

A must-have for cutting thick hooks.

 

 

[optimator]

On 1/2/2021 at 12:00 PM, Captain Phil said:

Never go fishing without one of these in your boat.  Fishing with a lure hanging off your face or hands is no fun.  Ask me how I know...

 

 

I just threw one in the boat bag. I can't believe I'd never thought of this before. 

[mcipinkie]

Unless you are lot stronger than me, common dykes won't cut a big, heavy hook.  I bought a pair of compound cutters and carry them.  Try to cut a Gamy Heavy Wire Flipping Hook and you'll understand.

 

Right idea though.  Will cut most of what we fish with.

[slonezp]

On 1/2/2021 at 2:00 PM, Captain Phil said:

Never go fishing without one of these in your boat.  Fishing with a lure hanging off your face or hands is no fun.  Ask me how I know...

 

 

Knock on wood, I've never got a hook embedded in me. I did take a jig to the head and I had a lump for a week.

 

[Sphynx]

3 hours ago, mcipinkie said:

Unless you are lot stronger than me, common dykes won't cut a big, heavy hook.  I bought a pair of compound cutters and carry them.  Try to cut a Gamy Heavy Wire Flipping Hook and you'll understand.

 

Right idea though.  Will cut most of what we fish with.

Depends a lot on the person in question, and you can easily figure on needing to be able to do it at 50%, as there is a good chance your not going to have a great angle, might have to use your non dominant hand and have lots of pain involved  to boot. It's easy to try to pack a small hospital in a kit, but the trick is to keep it organized, and to keep it manageable and realistic, doc used to organize our personal kits with colored tape, red for trauma, green for dehydration stuff, etcetera, it was a great, simplistic system that was easily remembered under high amounts of stress...obviously it is to be hoped that you don't find yourself trying to get a hook out or stop the bleeding while someone else is trying to shoot you, but it's worth keeping @mcipinkie post In mind that just because you can manhandle a thick wire hook in an ideal situation with your clippers, you may not be in an ideal place or configuration when it matters.

[TimTheGearNerd]

On 1/3/2021 at 9:26 AM, Captain Phil said:

Over the years I had numerous customers hook themselves or others in the boat.  The first thing I always said when they got in my boat was "We have two rules, stay in the boat and don't hook the Captain!"  Most listened, some didn't.  Taking someone to the clinic with a Rapala hanging off their face is not pleasant.  It interrupts the fishing trip and makes for a bad day.   I can get 99% of fishing hooks out with a piece of string.  This is nearly impossible if the hook is still attached to the lure.  Side cutters are used to cut the lure away from the hook.  

 

The worst lure hookup I ever had was when fishing alone.  I was fishing a Devil's Horse lure.  When I tried to unhook a bass, the fish went crazy and hooked me in the chest.  The bass was pinned to me with all three hooks, one in him, one in my chest and one in my hand.  Thankfully, I had my cutters with me and we all got away.  If I had not, I'm not sure what I would have done.

Sir, as I read the last part I squirmed like a child. 
 

Awesome and horrifying story. 
 

Thank you for sharing and tight lines. 

[WRB]

AJ’s suggestion is spot on.

You can fresh alcohol wipes to clean the wound area of sun lotion so band aids stick better.

A small tool kit with 6” Crescent wrench, spark plug socket, spark plug, fuses, tape, compound cutters to cut hooks, shoe lace to remove hooks, pliers, etc. is another must have item.

Be prepared.

Tom

 

[Deephaven]

For those that pack their own first aid kit, what do you put in it?  I am also not keen on the store bought ones, but *knock on wood* haven't needed one yet.  Would love to have a shopping/packing list.

[MN Fisher]

11 minutes ago, Deephaven said:

For those that pack their own first aid kit, what do you put in it?  I am also not keen on the store bought ones, but *knock on wood* haven't needed one yet.  Would love to have a shopping/packing list.

I keep it fairly simple

 

Tweezers - two types

Scalpel - just in case - #12 and #20 blades in original sealed foil packs

Hemostat - 2

Curved, sharp point scissors

Blunt scissors

Steri-Strips

Gauze pads

Tape

Band-aids
Alcohol - pads and a small spray bottle

Providone Iodine - antiseptic

Ibuprofen - 3-4 doses

Aspirin - 3-4 doses

Salt tablets

Triangle bandage - can be folded into a strip for a tourniquet

Space blanket - heat retention

Cheap plastic poncho - for those sudden squalls

 

The box I linked up top will hold all that with some room to spare for anything else you think you might need.

[Sphynx]

A lot of what you put in your first aid kit will be dependent upon what you feel proficient in using as far as medical gear, if you don't know how to apply a tourniquet, don't use it (this particular item I recommend still bringing, as someone else may happen along/be there who can use it properly) it's not terribly helpful having a kit getting cluttered up with stuff you can't use, so make sure whatever you include you know how to use, another thing I can't advise highly enough is to clearly label everything in your kit, you get hypothermia, lose enough blood to pass out, or break your hands/arms and can't use your kit, or go unconscious for any other reason, your only real hope is that someone else happens along and can navigate the kit in time to help you, it will also help you find things more quickly in less serious scenarios, possibly preventing an injury or use of the kit from ending your day early, or otherwise minimizing things that could ruin an otherwise good day