Suggestions for IFAK

[drift_g35]

After the recent events at the Boston Marathon, I thought it might be a good idea to have a first aid kit in the car. I have a simple kit with bandaids and stuff (came with the car). Being in the shooting sport and with all the crazy assholes in the world i'd like to have somewhat of an "advanced" kit. Any suggestions of Ready Made kits or would it be simpler to buy the individual items and assemble a kit myself?

I searched, but it wouldnt let me go to the 2nd page of the results so if there is a thread please point me in the right direction.

[Wulf202]

http://www.ar-15.co/threads/94531-Mass-Violence-Planning-and-Response-Civillian

[275RLTW]

http://www.ar-15.co/threads/69143-STOMP-med-bag-contents-v1-1?highlight=medical http://www.ar-15.co/threads/20317-First-Aid-kits?highlight=medical There's more. Search under "medical" vice "IFAK." The amount of gear you decide to carry will depend on the expected use, budget, and your level of training & competence...just like any other gear.

[ford_muscle1]

The military IFAK's are pretty good and you can find them at a good price at most surplus store's. They have a tourniquet, an NPA, some have combat gauze, plus gauze, and some tape. So they are a pretty good start for more of a trauma kit.

[Mick-Boy]

The best thing you can do for yourself is seek training. Find someone with a background in TCCC and learn the mechanics of stopping bleeding and establishing airways. You can MacGyver a lot of first aid gear with good training and the right mindset.

After you've gotten trained, talk to the guys who taught your classes. Ask them what gear they carry and what they leave behind. Take that information, look at your scope of knowledge and spend your money on what you need, not some one-size-fits-all kit.

TCCC is, first and foremost, a software issue. All the hardware in the world won't fix it without the right training and mindset.

[Scogin]

http://www.shop.darkangelmedical.com/Kits_c11.htm Dark Angel makes a good kit. I believe they are Colorado based as well.

[drift_g35]

The best thing you can do for yourself is seek training. Find someone with a background in TCCC and learn the mechanics of stopping bleeding and establishing airways. You can MacGyver a lot of first aid gear with good training and the right mindset.

After you've gotten trained, talk to the guys who taught your classes. Ask them what gear they carry and what they leave behind. Take that information, look at your scope of knowledge and spend your money on what you need, not some one-size-fits-all kit.

TCCC is, first and foremost, a software issue. All the hardware in the world won't fix it without the right training and mindset.



So what your saying is my current training by a Dr. Gregory House is not sufficient?[Smart]

[asmo]

Wonder if this will format right (guess not - excel tables don't show up on the actual view but they are they in the edit, weird). This is the content of my medical bag that I carry in the truck. Not exactly an IFAK but a little more useful for when you aren't carrying it on your person constantly:

Item Weight (g) Quant. Total Weight
Outside of Bag
Flashlight - MagLite Mini Mag 53 1 53
Knife - Kershaw 106 1 106
LED light on mini carabiner 14 1 14
Sharpie - Black 9 2 18
Carabiner 4" 43 1 43
Double sided Velcro (.5 x 17 in) 6 1 6
Saftey Pin - 2" 2 4 8
Bag itself 449 1 449
Left Side Pocket
Gauze bandage - 4 in x 3 yd 15 1 15
Conforming/Stretch Bandage - 4 in x 4.1 yd 10 1 10
ACE Bandage (no clips) 31 1 31
Purell Hand Sanitzer (2 fl. oz) 66 1 66
Right Side Pocket
Triple Antibotic Ointment 0.5 7 3.5
Alcohol Swab (2 ct) 2 4 8
Adhesive Bandage - 4"x3" 3 4 12
Benzoin Compound Tincture - 1fl.oz 30 1 30
Adhesive tape - clear 28 1 28
Mastisol - 15ml 24 1 24
Moleskin - 2" x 24" 25 1 25
Surgical staple remover 18 1 18
Front Pocket
Glucose Tablets (DEX4) - 10 tabs 52 1 52
NG tube - 28F 6 1 6
Micropur MP1 (10 ct) 7 2 14
Lubricating Jelly 4 1 4
Celox 15g 20 2 40
Casualty Reference Card 53 1 53
Nitrile Gloves (set) 24 1 24
Main Compartment
4in x 3yd gauze bandage 15 2 30
4.5inx4.1yd Kerlix 6 ply 45 2 90
SAM Splint 36" 132 1 132
4x4in Sponge (2 dressings) 5 3 15
CAT Tourniquet 63 1 63
DS24 Suture #3 2 1 2
DS30 Suture #2 2 1 2
Mayo Hegar Needle Holder, 5" 68 1 68
6.7mm Surgical Staples (20 count) 3 2 6
Cohesive Bandage 21 2 42
SurgiClose Stapler 71 1 71

1681.5 3.7 lbs





http://caliban.dreamscope.com/chance/picts/IMG_7082.jpg

http://caliban.dreamscope.com/chance/picts/IMG_7089.jpg

[drift_g35]

Wonder if this will format right (guess not - excel tables don't show up on the actual view but they are they in the edit, weird). This is the content of my medical bag that I carry in the truck. Not exactly an IFAK but a little more useful for when you aren't carrying it on your person constantly:

http://caliban.dreamscope.com/chance/picts/IMG_7082.jpg

http://caliban.dreamscope.com/chance/picts/IMG_7089.jpg

Anyway you could email me your spreadsheet so its easier to read?

[asmo]

Anyway you could email me your spreadsheet so its easier to read?

http://caliban.dreamscope.com/chance/picts/Medic_Kit_Contents.pdf

[asmo]

Someone just reminded me that I recently added a Halo Chest Seal and some Combat Gauze to that pack -- not in the picture or on my list (both of which are more than an year old).

[TriggerHappy]

If you haven't had training, check with Cmilliard here. His classes are great.

[cmailliard]

I just put two courses up on the schedule - Mick-boy is spot on and a squared away dude, Training First.

ar-15.co Thread (http://www.ar-15.co/threads/99803-Casualty-Care-Classes-Multiple?p=1085101#post1085101)

Asym Response (http://www.asymresponse.com)

As far as an IFAK goes - Know your capabilities and don't wander to far outside of them. Basic boo-boo stuff is good but if you want real lifesaving stuff look to a Dark Angel (http://www.darkangelmedical.com/), North American Rescue (http://www.narescue.com), Rescue Essentials (http://www.rescue-essentials.com/), TacMedSolutions (http://www.tacmedsolutions.com), and Chinook (http://www.chinookmed.com) for the best kit available.

I keep a pretty basic kit in my car. My plate carrier I use the North American Rescue Eagle IFAK - Sweet litte kit when you take the Tourniquet out and place on your kit.

The Kit Wulf202 has is pretty darn good for extended stuff.

For EDC I carry a Combat Gauze, SWAT Tourniquet and Gloves in a ziplock bag. ITS Tactical (http://www.itstactical.com/store/its-edc-trauma-kit/) makes the same thing vacuum packed. This is a small kit and will save a life and would have served well in Boston.

This is the 3rd or 4th hit on this I have seen in the past day - People wanting to be medically prepared. I will say several lives were saved in Boston because of Time and Tourniquets. The injuries are the same as what is seen in Iraq and A-Stan and TQ's have been proven to save lives with these types of injuries. Without a doubt if EMS and bystanders where not there so fast there would have been many that bled out and died. Kudos to everyone who responded they way they did.

On another note if anyone is interested in the Mass Violence courses I can put one up pretty quick. Very real information and relevant with the events in Boston. The news media has reported with about 50% accuracy and it pisses me off. You want real info take the Mass Violence Class, I promise you it is NOT what you hear on TV.

[Dave]

OK, guess I'm a little behind the times as I just use my combat lifesaver's bag from the Army, sans IV bag, and tossed a few extra goodies in.

[mdsmd]

great pictures good ways to see what you are packing. Thank you