How prepared are you....really?

[Duckie]

I just completed my First Aid, CPR, and AED re-certification today and it got me thinking if folks really are prepared for physical accidents/emergencies when they are 30-50 miles out into the big blue.

It just got me thinking on which accidents are likely to happen out there and am I prepared to deal with them while we wait for help from the CG or others.

My initial list looks something like this...

1. Someone falls overboard...drowning and hypothermia?
2. Lots of sharp objects on the boat such as knives, gaffs, and hooks that can cut and puncture?
3. Someone is seriously seasick and goes into shock perhaps?
4. Someone slips and breaks a bone?
5. Potential eye injuries when lures snap back at you out of the water?

As the boat owner/operator, I feel that my number one duty is safety. Catching fish is secondary.

Anyway, just something to think about...

[fish_on]

Originally Posted by Duckie

1. Someone falls overboard...drowning and hypothermia?
2. Lots of sharp objects on the boat such as knives, gaffs, and hooks that can cut and puncture?
3. Someone is seriously seasick and goes into shock perhaps?
4. Someone slips and breaks a bone?
5. Potential eye injuries when lures snap back at you out of the water?

Well the boat can always use more bait I keep 2 large first aid kits, and a bottle of iodine (hard to get now ) Accidents happen and it's my job to keep someone alive until the pro's arrive.

[KeyWest]

Originally Posted by fish_on

Well the boat can always use more bait I keep 2 large first aid kits, and a bottle of iodine (hard to get now ) Accidents happen and it's my job to keep someone alive until the pro's arrive.

<Laugh> - Aren't we all just a few moments away from being chum?

[fishboys]

When I go with Roy he has me sign a waiver. If I start to bleed and can't be of any help to the crew then I am to be chunked up for bait. He tried to do that last time out and I wasn't even injured, I think that means I am not a "good crew member" Thank god my son was there to plead with him for my life.


But really something to think about as Capitan's , people will say and do anything to go fishing. Health issues are very important to know about as a Capitan. Previous strokes or seizers or anything else you might have health issues with needs to be disclosed to your skipper and is your responsibility. It could cost you your life.

Know your Capitan is important but Knowing your crew can be just as important.

[Pilar]

Fire, unlikely but might be bad.

[Chromaflage]

Heart attack
Diabetic Reaction

Whenever I take someone out, I ask up front, and include on the float plan, information about medical conditions that I should be aware of. My dad has had heart problems and whenever we go hunting or fishing, I always know where he keeps his nitro. If you take a diabetic - ask about their insulin. For crews - tell the skipper if you have any conditions that may need to be addressed while at sea.

First Aid/CPR is a great place to start. But beyond that:

1. Know your crew
2. Expect the unexpected
3. Prepare for the worst then prepare for worse than that

Also, as a skipper, make sure someone on board at leastt knows the basics of how to operate your boat in case something happens to YOU.



CrF

[Cod Father]

There is no first aid kit,CPR course etc. that is going to help the captain out when a crew member (______ addict???Forgot his first name-something addict)decides to gaff your 30lb Tuna and sling him over the gunnel at 20mph RIGHT in between your legs.Oh that hurt!! Thought my eyes where going to explode when I fell to my knees and couldn"t breath.True story.....right John !!!!

[CATCH AND EAT]

Originally Posted by Cod Father

There is no first aid kit,CPR course etc. that is going to help the captain out when a crew member (______ addict???Forgot his first name-something addict)decides to gaff your 30lb Tuna and sling him over the gunnel at 20mph RIGHT in between your legs.Oh that hurt!! Thought my eyes where going to explode when I fell to my knees and couldn"t breath.True story.....right John !!!!

Not much a crew can do to help a guy with a damaged outrigger. I heard that story and all a guy can do is laugh. One question, were ya coughing up blood?

[Something Good]

I am certified in first aid and CPR. I am also trained to use an AED and have taken a diabetic emergencies class. So far my first aid kit has been sufficient for the minor injuries on board. I think and AED would be a great addition to any boat that goes offshore. Not just for your crew but it could save the life of a nearby boater. It would be especially handy for someone that takes someone with a known heart problem out regularly.

[Nordic Sun]

Medical information included on the float plan is critical and here is why:

When the medics respond you need to be able to hand them a piece of paper with the medical information written down. There is too much work to do, to spend time recording verbal information.

Medications and conditions are often mispronounced and can be misinterpreted.

Certain medical information should be kept confidential, and as skipper I make that clear to the person sharing it with me. I put it down on my copy of the float plan only and share it with necessary medical personnel.

If you do not want to share your medical information with anyone on the float plan then you should carry a 3"x5" note card listing all the required info (Meds, conditions, Allergies, etc.) and then list on the float plan "medical information is in my wallet if necessary" (everyone do it as soon as you have finished reading this).


Having Medical Information written down speeds care! Time is precious. The FIRST thing you must always do is.........CALL FOR HELP!

Very few of us are qualified to administer ALS (Advanced Life Support) and even fewer carry ALL the ALS equipment. And to be honest BLS (Basic Life Support) saves more lives anyway.

So there you have it, be prepared. Write medical information down and have it available. Know your ABC's of first aid. Practice as if it were real when you can. Know how to summon help.

Bob

[Chromaflage]

Here's a link to a free, editable pdf for making a medical information card.

http://www.firstaidco.ca/medcard.pdf

You can download it onto your computer, edit the text and print it. No info is sent or transfered.



CrF

[Pilar]

Great stuff guys ... keep it coming.

Bad news is I'm starting to worry about all the strangers I take fishing and how little I know about them.

[flapbreaker]

I think we should draw the line when an open seat requires a prostate check.

[Nordic Sun]

Originally Posted by flapbreaker

I think we should draw the line when an open seat requires a prostate check.

I would like to reserve my right to refuse the exam based on who is doing it!

[5-Cents]

The guys that fish on my boat kind of know their injuries/ailments have to be life threatening somehow or we are going to keep fishing!

Last year someone tried to handle a shark one time out... that made me kind of nervous but if you handle a shark, get bit, we try everything we can do to stop the bleeding tp save you and you still die - then you're stupid and hopefully you didnt pass on your defective genes!

The goal is to be prepared as possible for most situations you will encounter out there... have at least two of everything, more than that most of the times, and you should be OK. IMHO one of the thrilling things about fishing out 50 miles is the sheer thrill of being in the JUNGLE - we ALL take a risk when we head out there; a big part of the draw... if you ever head out and dont think a little bit about never coming back then you shouldnt be heading out there.

[CATCH AND EAT]

Originally Posted by ODIN

I would like to reserve my right to refuse the exam based on who is doing it!

Four went out and Three came back.

Just say no to proctologists. yuk!

Bob, you try to pull that on me and I'll give you a black eye brother. Or is that Sister?

[Nordic Sun]

Originally Posted by CATCH AND EAT

Four went out and Three came back.

Just say no to proctologists. yuk!

Bob, you try to pull that on me and I'll give you a black eye brother. Or is that Sister?

Don't flatter yourself cutie, I was refering to the possibility of having a crew from (sounds like"Hoopers"). An old man can dream can he? OUCH! That frying pan in the back of the head hurts like heck.

I've got to go find some ice.

Bob

[CATCH AND EAT]

Ah........................hummmmmmmmmmm........... :blush:

[Grady252]

I received national certification as an EMT 2 in 1986 in the Army and went on to take an advance course, to operate diffibrillator, and read Cardio rythym stips, sutures, IV therapy etc...(comparable to a Paramedic) I was a CPR instructor for many years, and also received training when I worked in a large building in the AED.

The AED mentioned above for those who may not know is a difibrillator that is computorized and designed to be used by laypersons. It is connected by trained individuals and reads the heart activity and charges itself to difibrillate the victim as needed.

I do not think a boat is the place for an AED, nor is it cost effective. As mentioned above learn CPR and basic first aid, will save more lives and be valuable if you are ever in need boating or otherwise. In most cases early intervention by a family member or friend is usually the best lifesaver. It might not be a fishing buddy you save; it could be your family member over the holiday season.

The most important thing of all is always stay within your scope of training. The "Good Samaritan Law" only protects you if you help within your knowledge base. Seeing a Mcgiver show will not qualify you to use a ink penn to open an airway. You can do more harm than good if you try something you are not qualified to do.

Check into free first aid/CPR courses through your local fire department. Back when I was teaching CPR they had national days when they would try and certify as many as possible for free........

You cannot possibly be prepared for all emergencies and sometimes otherwise healthy people fall over when you least expect it, so why not know a little that could help you deal with the situation, and maybe save someone's life.

[skein]

Yep, basic first aid and maybe CPR, but I'm not gonna set my boat up to look like Gray's Anatomy. Besides, if you die on my boat at Tuna Town, what more could you ask for? There are worse ways to go.

(My post is not entirely tongue-in-cheek either)

PS. I, too, am an old EMT.

Skein

[Nordic Sun]

Originally Posted by skein

(My post is not entirely tongue-in-cheek either)

PS. I, too, am an old EMT.

Skein

Yep right on Jim!
If there is room for a trauma/IV kit, that means I didn't bring enough, fishing gear.

Know where you are, and how to summon those who need to know.

Bob

[Tinman]

Somewhere along the line, responsibility lies with the person who has health problems.

[Chromaflage]

I agree, to a certain extent. However, I would think that regardless of medical condition, if something happened while at sea, the skipper would be responsible to do whatever is reasonable possible to at least try to get some help. Yes, the person who has health problems needs to communicate at least to the skipper that a potential may exist. A skipper needs to evaluate his/her level of comfort/risk of taking that individual and have the guts to act accordingly.

It would be interesting to get a maritime attorney's take on this - I think I actually recommended a talk that included this subject for the next SD convention.

Originally Posted by Tinman

Somewhere along the line, responsibility lies with the person who has health problems.

[fish_on]

Gunna need a bigger kill bag and more ice.

Originally Posted by skein

Yep, basic first aid and maybe CPR, but I'm not gonna set my boat up to look like Gray's Anatomy. Besides, if you die on my boat at Tuna Town, what more could you ask for? There are worse ways to go.

(My post is not entirely tongue-in-cheek either)

PS. I, too, am an old EMT.

Skein

[KeyWest]

Originally Posted by fish_on

Gunna need a bigger kill bag and more ice.

Now that there is funny - I don't care who you are

[skein]

It would be interesting to get a maritime attorney's take on this

You didn't really just say that, did you?

Take a deep breath and step away from the keyboard....

Skein

[Chromaflage]

20 years of risk management and loss control - what can I say?

Originally Posted by skein

You didn't really just say that, did you?

[skybuster]

From an insurance standpoint you are just a regular recreational boater trying to do his best, and posts from this board can confirm that.

Suggesting that AED's should be available on offshore recreational vessels is not practical. Depending on our captains to save our lives is not practical. We are all still just a bunch of friends going fishing, and that should be remembered and emphasized, especially if an accident should arise.

WE ARE ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR OURSELVES!

The captains have enough to worry about!

[Road Rage]

How prepared am I? I'm prepared to be on your boat next summer!

No, really. Though I'm not current, I've had the 1st-Aid and CPR training multiple times over the years. Hope I never need it, but I know how to react if I do.

My wife always has a small yet efficient 1st Aid kit with her. I keep a pretty thorough kit in my truck and my boat.

IMHO, being prepared on the water incorporates back-up systems as well. In-addition to the fixed GPS and VHF, I have charts for the waters I'll be in and have portable GPS and VHF units as-well.

[backlash442]

Just an observation but it seems some of you fish with people you don't really know. Although a coronary could happen to anyone at anytime. Which brings up another thought. What is the chance of surving one even if someone does know CPR? How long for a helo to get out to where you are? In Ca. it could be a long time depending on where you are at. If off the central coast you might as well have the funeral out at sea.

[Onokai]

How prepared am I-lets see heres a list of boating things aboard in the last
35 years
Boat taking on water
Boat engine on fire
Boat rail dips below waterline
dead engine-more than once
Hooks in the head-
hooks in the arm-
hooks in the hand
Crew falls and dilocated shoulder
crewmember has the bends
Crew is all seasick and boat is leaking
captain is seasick
motor falls off while running (dingy)
mast breaks
ran aground-(I was not at wheel)

Well I/we made it thru all that all this without lawyers to
just a basic first aid kit and cpr and lifesaving as well as lifeguard training
and divemaster certification-geting rusty on the new cpr stuff now

as far as sharkbait-
that's what a lawyer is on my vessel
Mark

[Chromaflage]

Yeah, people say that - until they need one......than again after they don't need one any more.

Originally Posted by Onokai

as far as sharkbait-
that's what a lawyer is on my vessel
Mark

[Metal Manipulator]

Originally Posted by Onokai

How prepared am I-lets see heres a list of boating things aboard in the last
35 years
Boat taking on water
Boat engine on fire
Boat rail dips below waterline
dead engine-more than once
Hooks in the head-
hooks in the arm-
hooks in the hand
Crew falls and dilocated shoulder
crewmember has the bends
Crew is all seasick and boat is leaking
captain is seasick
motor falls off while running (dingy)
mast breaks
ran aground-(I was not at wheel)

Should I go fishing with Mark

[Chum Bucket]

A maritime attorney would probably say we're all friggin' crazy for taking strangers without an waiver, notarized health statement, advanced BLS equipment, AED, and making sure you have an EMT on board.

[onaga]

I've performed cpr in a boat before. A white water raft is not the ideal location to perform cpr. Should someone on your boat know cpr? yes. Whose life will it save? probably yours. Convice your first mate to take the above mentioned classes. The captain has a lot to deal with, delegate... Paramedics, Emt, Doctors and Nurses fish too. Give a call out on the radio, some help may be closer than you realize.

[Grady252]

Originally Posted by onaga

I've performed cpr in a boat before. A white water raft is not the ideal location to perform cpr. Should someone on your boat know cpr? yes. Whose life will it save? probably yours. Convice your first mate to take the above mentioned classes. The captain has a lot to deal with, delegate... Paramedics, Emt, Doctors and Nurses fish too. Give a call out on the radio, some help may be closer than you realize.

This is very true..... two of my regular crew last year are doctors..... they will be ont eh long range trip with me next week..... the radio is your friend.....