Building a "SRT Blow Out Kit". Opinions needed...

[ceylonc]

Folks,

I spent some time following the comments on a topic posted a few days ago regarding the makeup of a "Small Med Kit" to be used by a SRT. If you want to check it out, here is the link:

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...187982-recommendations-small-medic-pouch.html

Anyhow, some great ideas & opinions were voiced as to what was needed in such a kit. Bottom line, contents vary based on the particular locale, user training, etc. Some pre filled manufacturer kits are out there, but contents always vary along with pricing and essentially build off what you'd find in a military IFAK. Being that I am just a civilian and don't have the training or experience on such a dangerous, high risk team, I'm NOT the guy who should be equipping such a kit without getting feedback from folks who do this job every day. My goal here is to put together a kit that the LEO & first responder experts here will want to incorporate with their gear. I acknowledge that the "perfect" kit may be impossible to put together for 100% of departments/teams out there, but I want to set up this kit as an option for the user who doesn't want to take the time to put together the individual components themselves. Most importantly, I want these kits to have what will be needed in the event that a fellow team member goes down & needs immediate attention.

Anyhow, here is a prelim kit that I put together. Here are the contents:

--TWO: Nitrile Gloves, pair;
--TWO: 6" Israeli Bandages;
--TWO: QuikClot 25g Gauze (not the powder);
--FOUR: H&H Compressed Gauze, 4.5" x 4.1yds.;
--ONE: Shears;
--ONE: Roll of Tape;
--ONE: CAT Tournaquet;
--ONE: Robertnazzi Nasopharyangeal Airway;
--ONE: Zip Lok Baggie;
--ONE: MOLLE Rip Away Pouch;

I know there are items that could be added or omitted in this prototype kit. Again, the goal here is to put at a team's disposal the exact same items in the exact same kit. Of note, I intentionally left out a decompression needle, as the hope is that an ambulance will be on location in the event a team member needs to be rushed to the hospital (at least one ambulance will be on standby or intentionally nearby if you're serving a warrant, etc). In some ways, this kit is intended to give a fellow team member the ability to patch up the injured member for transport to the hospital. The EMTs in the ambulance on site will have the expertise & training in administering a decompression needle as they work to stabilize the patient.

Finally, I had a pricing goal in mind as well. While researching similar kits, most seem to be pricing anywhere from $110 and up. I'm trying to keep this kit under the $100.00 retail amount, but also want to make sure I don't leave anything out that is deeded absolutely necessary.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post. Again, I'm seeking imput as to the components as it relates to a SRT FAK. If I'm totally off base here, please share your thoughts as well. While I don't do this kind of work, it is important to me (as a civilian who benefits from the existence & professionalism of such teams) to put together a kit that will help the brave folks who do this job.

Ceylon
deltaoutdoorsman.com

 

[Cobracutter]

Is this one kit for the team or a kit for each perso?. If it is the latter, then that is way to much shit. Look at a IFAK. You don't need the NA. You dont need all that gauze. One izze, one hemo, one cat is all you really need for a basic kit. Throw some gloves and tape in there and your GTG. Anything more is for a medic and unless you have a EMT-B or a few CLS classes under your belt, you will do more harm then good.

Celox is better than QC

I go back to what I said in the orginial post. You are not in afganistan. If your on a SRT/SWAT/Coolacrooftheweekdogkillingsquad you will have a Para or EMT on the team or on stanby. Let them deal with all the sexy shit. In all reality, the Torn is the only thing on the list that will save a life all things being equal. If the wound is in an area you cannot use a Torn, and is bad enough.... There is a good chance the hemo and pressure is not going to much even with advanced medical care.

I have a personal Ifak I build that has a few sexy items in it. It is for when I am alone and there is no aid avaible or would be able to reach me in time. Chances are I would never be able to use them most likley anyway if I was really injured/fucked up. I am willing take more risk in saving my own life, then I would in another. Plus, I can't sue myself when I'm dead.

 

[Rprecision]

I would ditch the gauze for a single tampon. Less room better suited for plugging GSW holes

In a LEO role self aid is a important part. But dont dismiss the fact after all the fun is over you wont have to help treat other.

My kit has exactly double what I need, allowing the treatment of a buddy and myself if his kit is not available

 

[Shibumi]

The problem with providing kits is who is the target audience? I have been on a Dept of Energy SRT unit as both an operator and team leader for 12 years. I have also just completed my EMT-Intermediate certification. In that time you see the way things are, can be, and should be.
For example, if you have a team medic, then he would require all the gear such as an NPA or an OPA, and a dressing for sucking chest wound, and possibly a needle for Tension Neumothorax, etc.
The reality which sucks, is that if you are depending on the EMT or Fire to come in and save your operator, it won't happen, unless they deem the scene to be SAFE. Hopefully it is, but if you look back at Blackhawk Down, Ranger Jamie Smith died from a hit to the femoral artery, and they were not able to get him help in time. The result was a needless death.
I would look at what medical training organizations such as CTOMS are offering and tailor it to that level. You could always offer a Individual kit and then a Team Medic kit.
One would be basic bleeding control and another a more advanced trauma kit to be used by a trained medic.
Hope this helps, and PM me if I can be of any further help.
PS, the Sniper Skid Plates you requested prior are now in stock and I have an indefinite source to keep you stocked up. PM or call to follow up.
Thanks,

Phil

 

[KYpatriot]

I have always wondered why so many prefab kits have a NA. If there is that much head trauma, sticking a tube in there doesn't seem smart if you never done it before.

I built a small like this for a personal hunting pack/range bag...it has a CAT, an isreali bandage, and celox. Hopefully will stabilize a bad cut or getting shot by some moron, giving time for the ambulance to arrive...

 

[ajwcotton]

HYFIN chest seal, no training to use it and better than trying to put any guaze or something on a sucking chest wound.
The double pack for entrance and exit wound is like 28 retail. So I'm not sure what you could get them for to pit into the kit but I think there has to be some sort of chest seal in a blow out kit.
It is something that would definately be in my blow out kit.

 

[CrazyDonkey]

Did you mean Quickclot gauze when you said sponge?

 

[ceylonc]

Did you mean Quickclot gauze when you said sponge?

YES, thanks for pointing that out. Will correct above...

Thanks for the thoughts & ideas guys. Lets keep them coming. Again, the goal here is for this to evolve into a USUABLE kit for SRT responders.

One thing I should probably clarify from above. I'd like this to be a kit carried by each team member. The thought being, heaven forbid, the guy next to you goes down with a GSW. You eliminate the threat, and while the rest of the house is being cleared by other teammates, somebody is dragging your wounded buddy out of the house. There is going to be absolute chaos, radios are going to be on fire as EMTs are called in & the ER is put on standby. The guy (or guys) who dragged him out are doing what they can to address the wound (or wounds) until help arrives. Could be 15 seconds, could be 15 minutes, but everybody on the team having the SAME kit with the same contents may be of benefit as they work together to keep the officer alive, calm, alert, etc...

I know, a dramatic example above, but the goal with any kit is for both the guy who was shot and the SRT members providing treatment to have simple but proven items that they can apply & use effectively in order to buy as much time as possible for their buddy.

Again, I really appreciate the help & opinions. Hope this conversation continues toward putting such a kit together.

 

[Brabo]

What we did is build a kit that each individual operator carries on his gear. All our guys are trained to (basically) a modified combat lifesaver in a course done by our medical director/tactical physician. The focus was on extremity bleeding management and penetrating chest trauma (as statisitcs from modern combat say the top two causes of preventable combat death are exsanguination and tension pneumothorax). As such, our kit consists of:

-Molle pouch with pull out tethered medical roll (I think it's the USGI IFAK pouch but I'm not 100%)
-NPA and lube
-Tourniquet (SOF-TW)
-2 14 ga Jelco needles
-2 pieces Tegaderm film
-EMT shears
-Black Sharpie marker

Ceylon,
You don't need a lot of the stuff in your original list if this is to be a kit that each operator carries. This kit should be a quick, down-and-dirty kit to address immediate life threats that a buddy can administer before either: a medic gets to the operator or the operator gets dragged to the medic. When you get too much stuff in a kit guys want to use all of it. This leads to an increase in the time the wounded operator is "on the X" or too close to the X. I know I'm not taking the time to put on exam gloves, pull out some gauze, dress the wound and then tape it down while you are in a bad spot.

I like the SOF-TW tourniquet better than the CAT because there is no plastic to break and no velcro to get covered in blood/fail. I also like the Tegaderm film over, say the Hyfin chest seal (for this application) due to its size. The Hyfin package is just a bit too big to carry in a small pouch and the Tegaderm will do the same thing.

Let me know if you need any more help or want to know any more specifics as to why we did the things we did or chose the products we chose.

 

[gasdoc09]

I have always wondered why so many prefab kits have a NA. If there is that much head trauma, sticking a tube in there doesn't seem smart if you never done it before.

Because an obstructed airway is one of the top 3 causes of preventable battlefield death. They're intended for the unconscious patient who has intact breathing drive but because of position or other factors is obstructed. Head trauma may or may not be preset. (Certainly someone in whom you suspect a basilar skull fracture might be better off without the nasal airway.)

Celox is better than QC

QC combat gauze over Celox probably doesn't matter enough to argue over. The old QC powder had issues but isn't really around any more.