powdahound80XGunny Sergeant
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IFAKs- kit list and information
08/28/2015 Last edited 08/29/2015 by tucker301
(6 votes)
Due to recent events with an injury from a ND, there was a conversation of creating a thread with information on a good IFAK. The contents vary a bit based on training. The list I am including is for those with limited or no training. You must read about the equipment and have working knowledge of it prior to an emergency arising. Reading a simple guide to first aid is good, taking a class, be it TCCC or something less involved is better than just a book. These classes can be expensive. We justify a metric shit ton of expenditures for all sorts of things. Many of us own firearms specifically aimed at keeping us safe. This knowledge and kit can be and often is life saving if the moment arises, it is up to you to decide what you or your shooting buddies life could be worth, or even that of a complete stranger.
KIT LIST:
Tourniquet - CAT, SOF-T - the other brands I know of do not easily allow for it to be tightened well enough to be effective. Both of these are one handed operation - key element.
Quickclot Combat Guaze -There was a study of all available hemostatic dressings. They used pigs and did real time tests on clotting. This one came out way above in all categories. No messing around. You want the Z-folded guaze, not a sponge, not the powder. All other guazes are not the same.
Pressure dressing. I like 2 sizes, I use a 4" and a 6". I like the rolled variety. These are prepackaged a easy to use.
Halo Chest Seal - I do not know of another brand. They make vented and unvented. Proper use and knowledge of what to use come from the class.
Nasopharyngeal Airway 28F - this will fit most. This provides a way to keep an open airway in an unconscious patient with a gag relfex. You will learn about this in class. DO NOT FUCK around with this if you dont know. If there is further facial trauma with fractures going into the basilar skull, you could stick this into the brain. This will certainly kill them.
Trauma Shears - basic and cheap. Allow rapid access to wounds. Can cut tape, bandages, or whatever else. Nice Titanium ones can be found on Ebay or Amazon. They are nicer and stay sharper much longer.
If you shoot at a busy range, maybe throw some gloves in - keep yourself safe at all times!
Except for the shears, all items can be found at
rescue-essentials.com There are other places, but they have a good selection, good prices, and flat rate shipping.
Unless you are actually an operator [(no, you are not)if you are, your employer usually furnishes this gear?], I recommend bright ass colors for your tourniquet, dressing packaging, and shears. Easier to find once you dump your IFAK, easy to see tourniquets are awesome on the receiving end, hard to miss.
There are many ways to store an IFAK. Most of the well known brands of gear aimed at the tactical crowd makes a kit especially for this. HSGI, blue force, 5.11, many others.
I use a cheap 5.11 6x6 MOLLE pouch or the next size up. Its all I need and my list is a bit bigger than what is listed above based on my knowledge.
Once you take a class, build a kit. Build a second one. Make your shooting buddies have one in their packs. If you feel the need for overkill, make a bigger one to keep in the truck.
I have no financial involvement with any of the companies listed. I have used a lot of this gear, in training or in life and appreciate it for its effectiveness and simplicity. If someone has information better than mine, please share. I do this for a living, I teach this for a living. That does not mean I know everything and I always love to learn.
I have the lists and links to view/purchase each of these, plus some of the fancier IFAK kits, but cannot cut and paste the google doc due to lockouts on my work laptop. If an admin (Tucker) would be willing to help with that, PM me and I can mail you the google docs.
Please be safe!
IFAK Contents
US Army ISR Hemostatic Study
Practical Use of Tourniquet
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pmclaineXFirst Sergeant
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Re: IFAKs- kit list and information
08/28/2015
(1 vote)
Awesome thank you.
The kits I posted elsewhere were a one step shopping excercise but I agree they contain gear beyond the basic goals of stop the bleeding, check for breathing, treat for shock, that almost anyone can employ with minimal training.
Thank you for taking time to post. Now I need to do some shopping. I think a modest expenditure of +/- $100 is not an exorbitant amount for responsibility and prep. Actually a lot cheaper than most of the stuff I buy in this sport.
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powdahound80XGunny Sergeant
Rating: 3.3/5 this site
598 posts this site
Re: IFAKs- kit list and information
08/28/2015
Pmclaine
If you look at the website, other than a bag to store it in on your person, the website listed is a one-stop shopping. Any smallish bag will work. A small fanny pack from Walmart will work. Just make it small and easy to find the gear is my best advice, the KISS principle applies for sure.
I might add, if you dont have to go all "tactical", make it a bright bag and mark it well.
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herofish
X56 MONTHS
Premium Member
First Sergeant
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Re: IFAKs- kit list and information
08/28/2015
I have been having problems getting the quick clot combat gauze z-fold - where can I get this ideally in bulk?
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anb618XCorporal
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Re: IFAKs- kit list and information
08/28/2015 Last edited 08/28/2015 by anb618
For anyone interested in buying a well thought out prepackaged kit, AR500 Armor sells their "Emergency Personal Injury Kits" or EPIKs that I think are very well thought out and priced very reasonably, especially the Pocket EPIKs and Pack EPIKs.
I purchased a Pocket EPIK ($29.99) and a Pack Light EPIK ($39.99) for range and work use.
The Pack Light EPIK contains;
(1) Celox 15g Hemostatic Granule Packet
(1) Swat-Tourniquet (Swat-T, Tourniquet, Pressure Dressing, or Elastic Bandage)
(1) H&H Thin-H Emergency Bandage (Compression Bandage, Hasty Tourniquet, or Emergency Sling)
(1) H&H PriMed Compressed Gauze Roll - 4.5" x 4.1 yards
(1) Waterproof Medical Tape - .5" x 2.5 yards (I replaced with 1" 3M Transpore waterproof tape)
(1) Pair Heavy Duty Black Nitrile Medical Gloves (Large)
(1) Re-sealable heavy duty aLOKSAK
The Pocket EPIK contains;
(1) Celox 15g Hemostatic Granule Packet
(1) Swat-Tourniquet (Swat-T, Tourniquet, Pressure Dressing, or Elastic Bandage)
(1) H&H PriMed Compressed Gauze - 4.5" x 4.1 yards
(1) 4" Compressed Bandage
(1) Pair Heavy Duty Black Nitrile Medical Gloves (Large)
(1) Re-sealable heavy duty aLOKSAK
(I added the 0.5" waterproof medical tape from the Pack Light EPIK in a void within the aLOKSAK without adding any bulk)
*This kit actually fits in my cargo shorts pocket when off-duty, and in my uniform pants cargo pocket without being unreasonably bulky. I realize I have no chest seal in either EPIK, but I have received basic SelfAid/BuddyAid training and know I can MacGyver a chest seal out of materials I already have on hand at the range and at work.
The two kits I bought are two of the more conservative kits since I have to weigh mobility and preparedness. Check them out if you're interested.
http://www.ar500armor.com/medical-kits-epiks.html
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powdahound80XGunny Sergeant
Rating: 3.3/5 this site
598 posts this site
Re: IFAKs- kit list and information
08/28/2015
@bisontactical - I dont know where to buy bulk, especially at a discounted rate. I would try contacting rescue essentials or even better, Quickclot.
The cheaper kits do add some benefits over nothing, but are not the best in my opinion. In the world of life and death, is it worth going cheap?
The Celox is an inferior product to the Quickclot combat gauze. I will get that study posted, then everyone can make their own decision regarding if the better product is worth the extra money.
The SWAT tourniquet will probably not work to control a mass hemorrhage. The nylon that tightens, then the stick that twists to tighten it is the key of a good tourniquet. That is why I only recommended the two I did, they are the best.
As for "making shit up on the fly" it is possible. Will it be as fast or as good? Be honest with yourself here. Its a $12-20 investment for the pre-made ones. So many of us on here function at a high speed when the shit hits the fan, we run at chaos, that we will be able to do what is needed in the moment. Making it as simple as opening a package stacks the odds in my favor. I work in a high level environment with all the staff, tools, and training to do this, we still use specific tools premade for the job.
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LRShooter101XGunny Sergeant
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Re: IFAKs- kit list and information
08/28/2015 Last edited 08/31/2015 by LRShooter101
(1 vote)
Keep in mind, something is better than nothing, and with anything there are "Pros & Cons" and "Good, Better, Best".
In terms of Gear/Equipment
Tourniquet - SOF-T Wide
https://www.tacmedsolutions.com/product/sof-tactical-tourniquet-wide/
(Personally, I would NOT spend money on a CAT Combat Applications Tourniquet, high failure rate, Chinese fakes, etc)
Pressure Dressing
OLAES -
https://www.tacmedsolutions.com/product/olaes-modular-bandage/
H Bandage -
http://gohandh.com/multi-use-hemostat-and-compression-bandage
Occlusive Dressing
Commercial Chest Seals (Asherman, Beacon, Fox) -
https://www.tacmedsolutions.com/category/airway-and-breathing/
Hemostats
Quickclot Combat Gauze -
https://www.tacmedsolutions.com/product/quikclot-combat-gauze-military-only/
Celox, HemCon, etc -
http://search.chinookmed.com/search...--searchtype-and--template-search--type-store
They all work well in the field, as long as they are NOT some form of Powder. Make sure they are impregnated in a Sponge or Gauze.
Notes on Gear Equipment:
- watch for Chinese Fakes especially on ebay
- many of these items like Hemostats have expiration dates. Arguments about how long past the date they are still good, when in doubt don't buy/use expired stuff!
- you can go to your local Dollar Store, buy gauze, ace bandages, and duct tape, and that will go a long way. You can improvise Tourniquets. You can use any plastic for an occlusive dressing. Keeping people alive, comes down to having some supplies, but knowledge and technique are ultimately the critical component.
Below is the way that we teach our people, it seems to work the best for most people without high levels of medical training.
There are 5 primary penetrating traumas that you are going to need to address based on location of the injury and treatment procedures:
Extremities / Arms & Legs - Gauze, Ace Bandage, Tape, Commercial Pressure Dressing, Tourniquet
Start with direct pressure on the wound site, elevation above the heart level, followed by pressure points, if that all fails go with a Tourniquet. You can also use a Hemostat (Quick Clot, Celox, etc) with a pressure dressing, but if the bleeding is severe enough you are generally better off to just go with a Tourniquet if the pressure dressing is not working.
Junctional Areas / Pelvis & Hips, Shoulders - Gauze, Ace Bandage, Tape, Commercial Pressure Dressing
Start with direct pressure on the wound site, if that all fails apply a Hemostat (Quick Clot, Celox, etc), pack the wound and apply pressure and/or pressure dressing.
Chest - Occlusive Air Tight Material, Commercial Chest Seal, Ace Bandage, Tape
Seal the injury site with an occlusive dressing (air tight material). If you completely seal the wound, monitor breathing, if it becomes labored (air escaping from lung is filling the plural space), open the seal and "burp it" allowing trapped air to clear the plural space, then reseal it. If you use a seal with a valve, or leave a partial opening in the seal, the wound should "burp" itself as needed.
Abdomen - Clean Sterile Dressings, Ace Bandage, Tape
Manage large amounts of bleeding with direct pressure and pressure dressings. Cover any protruding viscera or organs with sterile dressings. Do NOT attempt to place anything back into the abdominal cavity. Most life threatening bleeding will be internal, and little to nothing can be done for that in the field.
Head - Clean Sterile Dressings, Ace Bandage, Tape, Airway Adjuncts
Manage large amounts of bleeding with direct pressure and pressure dressings. Be very careful with pressure if the skull or other bones are compromised. Monitor for signs of airway compromise, maintain the person in a position that will allow fluids to drain out of air passage ways. Place/Insert Basic Airway Adjuncts (Nasopharyngeal Airway).
With all injuries above, remember "MARCH"
M - Massive Bleeds, Stop Arterial Bleeding
A - Airway, Maintain Airway based on Position, use of Adjuncts
R - Respiration, if not adequate, Rescue Breathing
C - Circulation, CPR if needed
H - Hypothermia, remove wet/bloody clothing, keep dry and warm
Look for and manage SHOCK as needed
Military / National EMT Training - Tactical Combat Causality Care Training Program
https://www.naemt.org/education/TCCC/guidelines_curriculum
Question on anything, feel free to fire away.
My background includes 30 years as a Military & Public Safety Medic.
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