Immediate action on a boat
Acting safely when help is not alongside
Your own safety comes first. On a boat that means the deck, the rig, moving gear, and not becoming a second person in the water.
Before you help, check that the scene is safe to approach. On deck that includes slipping, a swinging boom, a running line, an engine still in gear, and weather that could put you over the side.
Source: Resuscitation Council UK, First Aid Guidelines (2025)
At sea, contact HM Coastguard on VHF DSC, VHF channel 16, or MF DSC. The published telephone numbers are +44 344 3820026 and +44 208 3127386. A mobile or satellite phone can be used as well, but it should not be the only method you rely on.
Ashore, Resuscitation Council UK tells a first aider to call 999.
Source: MCA, MGN 623 (M+F) Amendment 1: Telemedical Advice Service (TMAS) for ships at sea Resuscitation Council UK, First Aid Guidelines (2025)
Use an ABCDE check: airway, breathing, circulation, disability (how responsive the person is), and exposure (what else you can see, including cold and wet clothing). Deal with danger, response, and life-threatening bleeding straight away.
Source: Resuscitation Council UK, First Aid Guidelines (2025)
Only use kit and medicines you have been trained to use. This course does not teach doses. If a doctor needs to advise a medicine, get telemedical advice through the coastguard.
Source: Resuscitation Council UK, First Aid Guidelines (2025)
A telemedical assistance service is a continuously staffed medical service that gives remote advice for illness or injury on board. In the UK, the coastguard connects you to a designated service. Help can still be hours away, so the first aid you can do yourself matters while you wait.
Source: IMO, Global SAR Plan (telemedical assistance services)
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. What is the first thing to check before you start first aid on deck?
2. You are offshore with a DSC radio. How should you start a request for medical help?
3. What does the C in ABCDE stand for in this first aid check?
4. A crew member wants a painkiller dose from this course. What should you do?