Cold, choking, bleeding and burns
Choking and breathing difficulty
A galley, a swinging fiddle, and a moving boat make choking more likely. Severe choking cannot wait for the next port.
Suspect choking if someone suddenly cannot speak or cough, especially while eating. Ask 'Are you choking?' If they can still cough, encourage the cough.
Source: Resuscitation Council UK, First Aid Guidelines (2025)
If the cough is weak or absent, give up to five back blows. If that fails, give up to five abdominal thrusts. If the blockage is still there after the abdominal thrusts, call for emergency help and keep alternating five back blows and five abdominal thrusts.
Source: Resuscitation Council UK, First Aid Guidelines (2025)
Do not use abdominal thrusts on a baby under one year, or on someone who is pregnant. NHS inform also says not to use them on someone who is obese. In those cases keep using back blows and get emergency help. Do not sweep a finger blindly in the mouth.
The Resuscitation Council UK adult choking summary teaches back blows then abdominal thrusts and does not spell out a pregnancy exception. This course follows the more cautious NHS inform limit.
Source: NHS inform, First aid Resuscitation Council UK, First Aid Guidelines (2025)
If the person becomes unresponsive, start CPR and make sure emergency help has been called. Anyone who needed abdominal thrusts, or chest compressions for choking, should be checked by a health professional afterwards because internal injury is possible. At sea, that check is through the coastguard.
Source: Resuscitation Council UK, First Aid Guidelines (2025)
If someone with asthma is struggling to breathe, help them use their own reliever inhaler, with a spacer if they have one. Do not invent extra puffs beyond the instructions they were given with that inhaler. Call for help if they are not improving.
Source: Resuscitation Council UK, First Aid Guidelines (2025)
Get certified
A certificate used for commercial work or offshore racing comes from hands-on training with a recognised provider, for example an RYA First Aid course or STCW Elementary First Aid. This online course does not award that certificate, and it does not name or recommend a training centre.
Check your understanding
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1. A crew member is coughing hard after a bite of food and can still speak. What do you do?
2. They cannot cough, speak, or breathe. What is the sequence for an adult who is not pregnant?
3. The person choking is pregnant. What should you not do?
4. A crew member with asthma is wheezing and has their own reliever inhaler. What is the first aid step?