Float plans and other safety issues

[Spot77]

This thread:

http://www.cbangler.com/showthread.p...ted=1#post9997

....got me thinking.

I'm guilty of telling my wife that I'm going out for the day. She knows I rarely leave the Magothy in my little 15' boat except to go up into the Little Magothy, but it 's still an awfully big river and I rarely give her specifics on where I'm going and what time I plan to be back.

And even if I DID tell her those things, who's to say she'll remember them?

I need to write things down before I go and make sure more than one person knows my plans.

Now in regard to thgat other thread, that really got me thinking about what to do in case of such an emergency.

If I were to come across someone needing help, I'd be in pretty good shape to help them. First, since I don't leave the Magothy, I'm VERY familiar with most boat ramps, docks, parks and other places that I could land someone needing urgent medical care.

Second, I have a very good trauma kit on my boat and I've had some decent training on how to use it. I wonderif there's a class that deals specifically with marine incident trauma?

Third, even on my little old boat, I have a vhf radio and a gps. I can get help to my location easily if need be.

I also have water, spare life jackets and emergency thermal blanket, Benedryl and for my own personal needs, insulin and glucose tablets onboard.

I've been out on a lot of other boats and not known a darn thing about the local area though, and maybe that's why these guys towed the victims' boat back to Essex....unfamiliar with the water perhaps?

It seems that there would have to have been closer landings to Aberdeen....Elk Neck State Park, Dundee State Park, even Mariner Point in Joppatowne. Getting in touch with Aberdeen Police would have gotten them permission to dock somewhere closer I believe.

I'm not trying to second guess their actions without knowing all the details; the story is awfully light.

So without listing everything in my trauma kit, does it sound like I have my bases covered? Ask yourselves if YOU do.

What are we missing?