Quote:
Originally Posted by psneeld
]Anything that helps is great...but often administering CPR, AED, First aid, ...etc...etc takes additional crew as the skipper is busy with the vessel and or rescue communications..
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You make an excellent point and if we're wandering from from shore, we do make sure our crew size is beefed fully up. In those cases we have more people trained both to handle the vessel and to take care of the ill or injured.
One other point. The majority of injuries and illnesses on the water have nothing to do with sea conditions. Many are very minor things not taken care of, such as a cut, to infection, to infection spreading. Food borne illnesses, such as Salmonella or Listeria. Or major like heart attacks that can happen anywhere. Many are things that could have just as easily happened on shore had the individual been there. Then you have the water related ones like cuts while swimming or bites. And the falls which can take place anywhere on land or sea. A concussion from a fall sure becomes complicated if the sea is exceptionally rough.
The further we are from shore, the more trained persons we will have on board.
Can we always be successful? Of course not. Doctors in hospitals certainly are not. But we're going to be prepared and we're going to try. We're also going to contact experts, whether it's a trauma unit in the closest hospital or a company like MedAire which has a response center. We know we may not win the battle to save a life but we're not going down without fighting with all we have.
Some of the simple precautions need to not be overlooked either. If traveling abroad, the vaccinations and immunizations. Wherever you're going, basics like flu shots, pneumonia vaccines, shingles vaccines. One last one. Careful food handling. Number one cause of illness at sea today is Norovirus. It's known as the cruise ship disease. That and senior living facilities. It spreads so rapidly. Which brings us into isolating those on board with viruses and infections. Having one person sick is one thing. Having your entire boat sick is another and further endangers everyone. Just think of trying to Captain with Norovirus.