|
Recent Blogs
|
|
|
|
HAIGH QUARRY OPENING FOR THE 2012 SEASON IN jANUARY?
|
Capt. Darrick
Lorenzen
1/7/2012
|
|
No, the season at Haigh Quarry is not opening this weekend! It will open for the 2012 season on Saturday April 7th, but because of our unusually warm weather Tina has decided to give Midwest divers a chance to scratch th...
|
|
SCUBA DIVERS LEFT BEHIND IN FLORIDA
|
Capt. Darrick
Lorenzen
10/6/2011
|
|
The U.S. Coast Guard said Tuesday that it was investigating RJ Diving Ventures of Miami Florida. The investigation was initiated because the dive operator left behind two tourists while they were scuba diving.
D...
|
|
|
|
Recent Posts
|
|
|
Forum: BASIC SCUBA DISCUSSIONS
Topic:
Newbie Equipment Question
By: rosalind
Posted: 5/16/2012 7:41:35 AM
Despite the several benefits of the game, diving is very expensive. It's a excellent option to lease equipment before making any allergy choices. Besides providing excellent starting costs for newbies, lease locations us...
Forum: BASIC SCUBA DISCUSSIONS
Topic:
Newbie Equipment Question
By: rosalind
Posted: 5/16/2012 7:41:31 AM
Despite the several benefits of the game, diving is very expensive. It's a excellent option to lease equipment before making any allergy choices. Besides providing excellent starting costs for newbies, lease locations us...
|
|
Midwest Scuba Diving—“First Aid Kits: Are You Prepared?”
The best way to handle an injury is to prevent it from ever happening, but being prepared to handle an incident is an absolutely essential component of every diver’s emergency action plan. Every diver should be equipped with both the training required to assume a leadership role in an emergency as well as the supplies needed to manage an injury. The most crucial equipment? A well-stocked first aid kit. You never know when you may need one.
First aid kits come in all shapes and sizes, but there are some essential elements that should be included in every first aid kit. Every first aid kit should have nitrile gloves and a pocket mask, which provide safety barriers for the rescuer and reduce the risk of disease transmission. Your first aid kit supplies should be comprehensive and able to address a wide variety of injuries, such as bleeding wounds, musculoskeletal injuries and illness.
Bleeding wounds
Bleeding-control supplies, including an assortment of gauze pads, absorbent dressings and adhesive bandages, are essential components of any kit. Wound-cleaning materials should include antiseptic wipes or solution, soap, an irrigation syringe and antibiotic ointment. Additional wound-care materials include tweezers or forceps to remove debris, bandage materials such as non-adherent Adaptic or Tefla as well as self-adherent Coban (vet wrap), tape to secure bandages and shears to remove them. Tincture of benzoin helps bandages adhere to wet skin.
Musculoskeletal injuries
To address and manage musculoskeletal injuries,
such as sprains, strains, overuse injuries and fractures, your kit should include materials needed to fashion and secure slings or splints: triangular bandages, elastic bandages (ACE wrap), safety pins and cord. Cold packs and/or heat packs help manage swelling and possibly pain.
Illness
First aid kits should include some basic medications, but you should never administer any medication without proper training, permission and rememebering to check for allergies. Be sure to pack at least the following:
· Aspirin
· Ibuprofen/Advil/Motrin
· Acetaminophen/Tylenol
· Antihistamines such as Benadryl/Diphenhydramine
· Anti-diarrheal medications
· Hydrocortisone cream
· Your prescription medications
Customize it
A diving first aid kit should also include specialized items that take into account the specific environment. If you know of common environmental concerns such as jellyfish or fire coral, be sure to pack the appropriate remedies. For instance, if you are going to be diving in saltwater, you should have a bottle of vinegar to manage jellyfish stings. The higher your level of training to manage diving injuries, the more specialized your kit may be. For example, if you are a trained oxygen provider, your kit should include an adequate supply of oxygen and a demand inhalator valve/non-rebreather mask/oronasal resuscitation mask so you are prepared to respond to diving injuries. To download customized first aid kit checklists, visit www.AlertDiver.com.
Some additional emergency management components include vital sign assessment and recording materials such as a pen, notepad, watch and miniature LED headlamp. You should also pack a first aid reference guide, your DAN membership card, a means of conveying emergency information to DAN and local emergency response services (VHS, satellite phone, cell phone, etc.), a list of contact information including the DAN Emergency Hotline number (+1-919-684-9111), insurance cards and a list of allergies, prescription medication and medical conditions.
Pack your kit in a waterproof container that is labeled and easily identified as a first aid kit. Include some durable plastic bags as well to store any contaminated materials until they can be properly disposed. Once you have built your kit, the next step is maintaining it. Routinely inspect your kit
and replenish any used or expired supplies. You should evaluate your kit every three months, after every trip and prior to heading out for a dive trip.
Getting started: the essentials
If you are starting your first aid kit assembly, you may want to consider a commercially manufactured kit. You can customize it to meet your needs and replenish it as you go. DAN offers some excellent starter kits specifically tailored to water activities.Visit the DAN online store
to check out the wide variety of first aid kits available.
Having the proper equipment to handle an emergency is one thing, but having the knowledge to properly manage and treat injuries on the scene is another. DAN offers several courses to equip divers with the skills needed to manage diving injuries including Basic Life Support and First Aid, First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries, Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries and Diving Emergency
Management Provider Program. Enroll today
and enhance your knowledge of dive safety.
Divers Alert Network® (DAN®) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the safety and health of scuba divers. DAN operates a 24-hour emergency hotline (+1-919-684-9111) to help divers in need of medical emergency assistance for diving or nondiving incidents.
|
|