Boating USA — March 2018

BOAT DOCTOR///QUICK STUDY

42 | BOATINGMAG.COM | MARCH 2018

As a charter-boat captain who has ventured off shore for over a thousand

trips, I have had to deal with injuries including knife cuts, shark bites,

broken bones and profuse bleeding. Aboard a boat, you are farther

removed from professional help than when on land. The following tips

outline three must-know fi rst-aid techniques. —Capt. John N. Raguso

PROFUSE BLEED-

ING Applying direct

pressure to the wound

is usually the best fi rst

step. Sterile gauze

packing is preferred,

but a clean T-shirt gets

the job done. I keep a

Tac Pac Pro on board

my 228 EdgeWater

CC to supplement my

primary medical kit,

which includes the req-

uisite sterile pressure

and packing dressings,

tourniquet and more

(see “Tac Pac Pro”).

I also keep sutures,

cyanoacrylate super

glue and QuikClot in

my kit, and have used

all of these in emergen-

cies. A tourniquet is a

last-ditch measure to

stop the bleeding if the

other methods are in-

eff ective. Try to elevate

the aff ected body part

to slow down the blood

loss, and remember to

call for help on the VHF

or a cellphone and head

for the closest landfall.

BROKEN BONES

Broken bones and/or

bad sprains can occur

in a variety of ways,

from having a hand or

fi nger crushed under

a tight anchor line, to

slips and falls in rough

seas. If a crewmember

takes a spill and then

can’t put any weight or

pressure on a fi nger,

hand or leg, something

is probably not right.

According to some

of the doctors I fi sh

with, do not attempt

to realign a deformed

body part or push back

a bone that has pierced

the skin. Immobilize

the aff ected area above

and below the spot with

a splint (I normally

keep a few paint stirrers

on board with duct

tape, just in case) and

try to pad it with some

soft material (like a

towel or T-shirt) to re-

duce discomfort. Head

back to the dock.

SHOCK There are

several diff erent types

of shock and numerous

causes. One of the most

common forms is hypo-

volemic shock, which

is caused by a sudden

and signifi cant loss of

blood or body fl uids.

It’s always considered

a life-threatening emer-

gency because if blood

volume gets too low,

organs won’t be able

to keep functioning

normally. Symptoms

of hypovolemic shock

can include rapid

heartbeat, weak pulse,

extreme weakness or

lethargy, dilated pupils,

nausea, confusion or

disorientation, quick

and shallow breathing,

and/or cool, clammy

skin. If you suspect that

someone has gone into

shock as a result of an

injury, lay them down

on the deck on the

centerline, elevate their

feet by 10 to 12 inches to

help direct blood to the

vital organs, cover them

with a blanket, and

monitor their breathing

and heart rate for any

radical changes. Call

for help on the VHF or

a cellphone and head

back to home port at

the best practical speed.

QUICK TIP

All boaters should seek formal fi rst-aid training from

organizations such as the American Red Cross (redcross

.org) or the United States Power Squadrons (usps.org).

ILLUSTRATIONS: TIM BARKER; PHOTO: CAPT. JOHN N. RAGUSO

THREE

MUST-KNOW

FIRST-AID

TECHNIQUES

You are farther from help than you think.

TAC PAC PRO

Tac Pac Pro is assembled by first responders, medical professionals

and law enforcement. It provides nonprofessionals with the tools to

make a difference in situations of serious injury and that threaten life.

$68.98; premiersafetygroup.com —Capt. J.N.R.