First aid kits are something the majority of divers forget to add to the items they pack and take with them to the lake or even on a dive boat. Obviously not every single Open Water SCUBA diver needs to have the most overkill first aid kit with oxygen and all the items necessary to perform tasks in which they haven’t been trained in. However, a simple basic Scuba Diver Kit only runs about $30 and contains all the necessary items to treat minor stings, burns, and cuts. Personally, I believe it is extremely important for at least one diver to have a kit.
Rather if you build your own kit, or buy a pre-made diver-ready kit, having a simple first aid kit can allow any diver to be prepared for small injuries. Now, let’s cover the different types of diver kits available and why might each type of diver need to have one along side their save-a-dive kit.
Open Water Diver 1st Aid Kit
Pictured below is the Dive 1st Aid first aid kit for an Open Water Scuba Diver. This kit runs under $30 and is a great way for OW divers to be prepared for minor injuries. Inside the box, an individual will find items to care for stings, burns and allergic skin reactions. This person will also be able to treat minor pains, dehydration and motion sickness.
For a beginning diver with no advanced medical training, this is a perfect kit to pack with their dive gear. A diver should never plan to use this, but be familiar with the components inside incase they would ever need to provide care.
Advanced Diver 1st Aid Kit
Another option available is the Advanced Diver Kit. This set is obviously designed for an advanced diver who wants to be a little more prepared. This is our most popular kit as it contains all the products from the Open Water kit, yet adds items such as: a razor, gloves, tweezer forceps, eye wash, ear drops, vinegar, and more. These supplies help deal with more severe marine life bites or stings, as well as most of the illness or injuries that may come towards a diver’s way.
The Advanced Diver Kit is pictured below.
Rescue Diver 1st Aid Kit
Let’s say you are now a rescue diver and you have taken your dive training to that next step. We would like all rescue divers to have the supplies needed to support that training. After all, completing the rescue course with the knowledge of what to do will not allow you to apply that training without the proper supplies. At the Rescue Diver level, all individuals already have their CPR, First Aid, and Oxygen Provider completed.
Included in this kit a Rescue Diver will find everything that is included in both the Scuba Diver kit and Advanced Diver kit, but with more of that product. This kit is heavily focused on severe injuries with the potential for major blood loss. Additional items include blood-stopper bandages, eye pads, iodine prep pads, emergency blanket, instant hot and cold packs, pen light, safety pins, and larger gauze wraps, gauze pads, cloth tape, and vinegar.
This kit is definitely made for someone that wants to be prepared for the majority of first-aid related injuries plus some.
Divemaster 1st Aid Kit
As a professional, people look at you as an example. With the training you might have, just like for rescue, we want to be able to back that up with the proper equipment. Being prepared with all the possible first-aid related injuries is a must for a Divemaster. The Divemaster kit includes everything needed to control bleeding, disinfect and cover a variety of wounds, from minor scrapes and cuts to major traumatic injuries. This pack contains over the counter medications that are available to care for common ailments such as motion sickness, pain and electrolyte imbalances. Just like the previous kits, this contains all of the previous with more quantities and includes more instruments such as trauma sheers, tweezer forceps and a high quality tourniquet.
The DM kit is pictured below.
The Importance
When simply diving at the lake, traveling, or even hopping in the pool for a quick dive, these first aid kits are VERY important to have on standby. Now, I wouldn’t want to force every diver to have one of these kits. However, I would encourage all diver groups to have one. If you dive with multiple people, ask them and see what first aid they might have. I like to see everything visually so I imagine myself in every situation at the locations I dive. Where I choose to dive, there is no first aid available within miles and having one of these in my truck at all times can be beneficial in more than just diving situations. It’s cheap insurance.
For any questions or concerns, leave a comment below. We would love to hear your opinions of the First Aid kits available and what else your dive group might carry.
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