Looking for a good first aid/trauma bag

[Ranger Bob]

Wasn't really sure where to put this so, Mod's feel free to move it if necessary.

I'm looking for a complete first aid bag for my truck. I have a Ram 2500 with the in-floor storage and would like it to fit down in one of those compartments. Looking for something along the lines of a U. S. Army CLS bag in terms of content but, without I.V. bags and OPA's. I'm not a "jump out and help at every accident I see" kind of guy. This bag would be for personal/family use and SHTF. Need enough supplies to treat 2-3 people under dire circumstances but, want the kit to be small enough to drop into a 2-day get-home bag. I can piece this together if I need to but, I'm curious what you guys are using. Any recommendations? Pics would be great!

Bob

 

[rockmyglock]

I use several ITS Tactical medical zip bags and keep one in my (and wife's) EDC bag and one in each console of the vehicle. Each bag can work 1-3 people depending on the severity of injury. Everything is included from boo boo kits, to trauma dressings (Israeli and OLAES), to tourniquets and chest seals.

I found it best to build my own kits from the ground up rather than buying premade kits. YMMV

 

[MarinePMI]

I found MyMedic.com handy, since they will take HSA/FSA dollars. For the FSA users, you have a "use it or lose it" deal, so I picked up a couple trauma kits from them. Keep one in the truck, and the other I ended up giving to a family member.

They're pricey, but have everything in them (advanced kit) except real drugs (anesthetics) and the training to use everything correctly.

 

[plong]

I use several ITS Tactical medical zip bags and keep one in my (and wife's) EDC bag and one in each console of the vehicle. Each bag can work 1-3 people depending on the severity of injury. Everything is included from boo boo kits, to trauma dressings (Israeli and OLAES), to tourniquets and chest seals.

I found it best to build my own kits from the ground up rather than buying premade kits. YMMV

^ Best advice you'll get right there. You pay a ridiculous premium for the convenience of having someone else assemble the kit(s) for you.
Chinook Medical
Rescue Essentials
North American Rescue

I too like the ITS pouches: ITS Tactical

 

[elmuzzlebreak]

Second for north american rescue

 

[Gustav7]

North american rescue... T Rex arms also puts together bleeder and daily carry kits that are pretty nice.

 

[Mattiejay6]

Check out adventure medical gear. They made good reasonably priced medical packs and are perfect to throw in a pack out.

 

[One1Bravo]

I also use ITS bags and build my own kits. That's what I'd recommend.

 

[MosesTheTank]

I have a few ITS kits and they are great. See Skinny Medic for larger kits. My advice for your truck is to have a seatbelt cutter handy and to keep a few tourniquets tucked here and there... glove box, center console... Then keep a blow-out kit separate from everything else. If you have an all-in-one kit and you are scrambling to save someone's life that requires immediate bleeding control, you are going to have a lot of non-blowout stuff scattered all over the place.

 

[rockmyglock]

I like to think of things in layers.

Having a kit in your bag is great. I recommend a flatpack carrier from PHLSTR in the front pocket. At a minimum I always have hemorrhage control in my pocket.

Having a clearly identified and set of bags for different situations is nice. In EMS we dedicate pouches or pockets to specific tasks (e.g. airway/oxygen , vascular access, trauma/hemorrhage control, mass casualty bags).

If you have the ability to keep a tourniquet on your person, please do. It is lightweight and easy to carry.

PHLSTR Flatpack - https://www.phlsterholsters.com/shop/flatpack-tourniquet-carrier/

Having trauma kits and other "level up" bags stuffed in glove compartments, consoles, velcro, zip ties and malice clipped near every fire extinguisher is a way to make the system scalable and easy to work into your vehicle kit.

You do have a fire extinguisher right?

ETA: The ITS bags come with these red hook and loop lanyard wraps (2) with each bag. I have these used to identify any zipper pulls or access points required to access my medical kits.

 

[MosesTheTank]

I like to think of things in layers.

Having a kit in your bag is great. I recommend a flatpack carrier from PHLSTR in the front pocket. At a minimum I always have hemorrhage control in my pocket.

Having a clearly identified and set of bags for different situations is nice. In EMS we dedicate pouches or pockets to specific tasks (e.g. airway/oxygen , vascular access, trauma/hemorrhage control, mass casualty bags).

If you have the ability to keep a tourniquet on your person, please do. It is lightweight and easy to carry.

PHLSTR Flatpack - https://www.phlsterholsters.com/shop/flatpack-tourniquet-carrier/

Having trauma kits and other "level up" bags stuffed in glove compartments, consoles, velcro, zip ties and malice clipped near every fire extinguisher is a way to make the system scalable and easy to work into your vehicle kit.

You do have a fire extinguisher right?

That Flatpack looks pretty nice and I'm going to get one to try it out. Too often I have TQs rolling around when they could/should be secured.

 

[Ranger Bob]

Thanks for all the recommendations guys. I dumped out all my old duffel bags and foot locker today to see if I had anything to get me started on this project. Scored six good field dressings, two of the Israeli combat trauma dressings, a couple cravats, a couple rolls of sterile gauze and a CAT. Not a bad start for building my own kits.

Took a look at several of the recommended suppliers and will delve deeper into it through the week. Also realized my wife has nothing in her car as well so I'll have to put together a whole road kit for her.

Bob

 

[Sticks]

I've got a beefed up IFAK stuffed in my Ram drivers door pocket. Added a few extra items to complete it, plus a folding knife with belt cutter and window spike.

The rest of my vehicles (2 plus work truck), range bags, battle bra, battle belt, and plate carrier all have kits built from ground up. IIRC my total kit costs were around $40 each. Helps to buy 5 and 10 packs of a thing.

Gave the company first aid kit back to them. 10 person boo boo kit.

 

[Downtown]

There is a excellent sticky at the top of this forum on building a kit. I found it very useful.