Question 1

A crew member is recovered from cold seawater, shivering and confused. What basic first aid applies before specialist help arrives?

Accepted Answer

Move them out of the cold/wind, remove wet clothing and replace with dry insulation, keep them horizontal where possible, give a warm sweet drink only if fully conscious and able to swallow safely, and avoid rubbing their limbs or giving alcohol Rubbing limbs and exercise both drive cold peripheral blood back to the heart, which can cause dangerous heart rhythm problems in a hypothermic casualty (afterdrop). Alcohol causes blood vessels to dilate, increasing heat loss despite a temporary warm feeling. Passive, gentle rewarming and insulation is the correct STCW-taught approach.

Question 2

You find a colleague collapsed on deck. Before anything else, what should you check, in order?

Accepted Answer

Danger (is the scene safe for you to approach?), Response (are they conscious — talk and gently shake), Airway, Breathing, Circulation — the standard DRABC primary survey DRABC is the universally taught primary survey sequence in STCW Elementary First Aid. Checking for danger first protects you from becoming a second casualty — a very real risk in machinery spaces, near live electrics, or in a confined space with bad air. Only after danger and response are checked do you move to airway, breathing, and circulation.

Question 3

A crew member has a deep laceration to the forearm that is bleeding heavily. What is the correct immediate action?

Accepted Answer

Apply firm, direct pressure to the wound with a clean dressing or cloth, and maintain it continuously — elevate the limb above heart level if possible and there is no suspected fracture Direct, continuous pressure stops the vast majority of severe external bleeding. A tourniquet is reserved for catastrophic, life-threatening limb bleeding that direct pressure cannot control — it is a last resort, not a first response, because of the risk to the limb if left on too long. Washing a heavily bleeding wound before controlling the bleeding wastes critical time.