Latest addition of the emergency bag: The Medical Emergency Cards

In a medical emergency the first minutes are decisive – immediate response can save lives! To close the gap between care at the place of emergency and the on-board hospital the Maritime Medical Service has developed emergency cards with first aid measures. The guidance stands in direct relation to the contents of the emergency bag.

Unconsciousness, shortness of breath or an electrical shock – life-threatening emergencies happen suddenly and require immediate response. Helpers can bring the on-board emergency bag to the place of the emergency. The content of this bag is intended to aid in stabilizing injured or ill persons enough to transport them to the on-board hospital. There the comprehensive "Maritime Medical Handbook" by the Maritime Medical Service is available to the ship's officer or master. 20 emergency cards in-line with this handbook refer directly to medication and medical aids inside the emergency bag: for example, the content of this bag is sorted according to the same four modules and their assigned colours as the handbook. All items of the blue module are in relation to breathing. Red is dedicated to the blood cycle. The emergency cards take up this colour system, which makes the search for the right kind of medication in the emergency bag easy and quick.

On board the senior navigational officer is responsible for medical care. That is why in the summer of 2020, a student of the "Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften" (university of applied sciences) conducted an online survey among this occupational group. Her goal was to find out what expectations the future users might have of such cards. 125 persons participated; their suggestions were integrated in the development of the cards. For example: two languages! Hence why the front of the emergency card is in German and the back states the same in English.

The emergency cards can save lives and are now part of the mandatory medical equipment on board sea-going vessels flying the German Flag in accordance with the Maritime Labour Act. They are available for 19.90 Euro at Akamedica-Shop.