IFAK or EDC trauma kits

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I see there was a blog post in March of this year with links to Lonny's Stop the Bleed information. I don't know Lonny, but the information seems straightforward.

My spouse has been active as a street medic in the protests last year (we live within twenty miles of where Breonna Taylor was murdered by thugs in blue uniforms), and has since taken courses and is now licensed as an EMT.

While I lack some of the physical agility I had ten years ago, and am thus not confident that I could work as an EMT, I am certain that more First Aid instruction is in my immediate future. My last formal training (aside from periodic CPR certifications) was when I was in Scouts as a teenager, and I HOPE that there have been some improvements in techniques since then.

And working at various times as a mechanic, carpenter, handy-man, and such, I've had a few minor injuries, mostly cuts and scrapes on my hands. I tend to be pretty minimalist on those--clean water rinse, pressure to stop the bleeding, protect it from dirt, go on with life.

But I keep thinking about being better prepared. My firing range baggage includes a basic trauma kit (tourniquet(s), a set of chest seals, a few gauze pads, a quick-clot package, some tape to hold the gauze in place), and I'm looking to build it out a tiny bit more.

I'm poking around in a few sites; My Medic, Dark Angel Medical, and North American Rescue, among others. Dark Angel offers a kit based in an ankle holster, for crying out loud!

I figure that my spouse will help me augment whatever I get, to customize for what I feel comfortable doing. I note that the kits usually come with size-Large gloves, which would probably tear by the time I get them on my hands, so I know going in that I'll be supplying gloves separately.

What are folks' favorite EDC or IFAK options?
Eventually I'll figure out this signature thing and decide what I want to put here.

Re: IFAK or EDC trauma kits

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The kits are good, so I will not list what is common, but what I add.
Hurricane whistle to get attention, help Emergency services find you.
Couple bottles of drinking water, great for removing grime to see what is beneath, rinsing eyes, drinking, etc.
Lots of blood clot stuff, powder, bandages, whatever
Flashlight
Small garbage or bio hazard bag- clean field to dump gear instead of ground while working and for used bandages etc after
Old School
The best upgrade for you firearm is always instruction and practice.

Re: IFAK or EDC trauma kits

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Oldschool wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 11:23 pm The kits are good, so I will not list what is common, but what I add.
Hurricane whistle to get attention, help Emergency services find you.
Couple bottles of drinking water, great for removing grime to see what is beneath, rinsing eyes, drinking, etc.
Lots of blood clot stuff, powder, bandages, whatever
Flashlight
Small garbage or bio hazard bag- clean field to dump gear instead of ground while working and for used bandages etc after
It's easy to see the wisdom in those additions! Thanks!
Eventually I'll figure out this signature thing and decide what I want to put here.

Re: IFAK or EDC trauma kits

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BearPaws wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:25 pm
I'm poking around in a few sites; My Medic, Dark Angel Medical, and North American Rescue, among others. Dark Angel offers a kit based in an ankle holster, for crying out loud!
A similar ankle holster is for sale in the LGC store. (Just the rig, not what goes in it.)
https://theliberalgunclub.com/product/s ... a-kit-2-0/

Many people in LGC use this or similar devices as part of their everyday carry (EDC)

FYI Lonny is a prominent LGC member who presents many of our Zoom education sessions.
All religions united with government are more or less inimical to liberty. All, separated from government, are compatible with liberty.-Henry Clay
Both oligarch and tyrant mistrust the people, and therefore deprive them of their arms.—Aristotle

Re: IFAK or EDC trauma kits

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Tourniquets are a waste of time. I spent 16 years in the field as a paramedic and not only did I never use one for the control of bleeding, I have never even seen one used. They are VERY frowned upon in the EMS world. Direct pressure, if it's not working, you're not applying enough pressure. To find yourself in a situation where you ACTUALLY need a tourniquet is an exceedingly rare situation, and most ANYTHING can be used as an improvised tourniquet.

You first want 2-3 large trauma dressings, and 2-3 Israeli trauma dressings (the one with the tie straps). And you want Kwik-Klot, that's good shit. After that you want kling gauze for improvising various splints (learn how to improvise a femur traction splint), you'll want transpore tape to secure bandages. Next, a rescue breathing mask, and OPA's for a CPR if you think you need it. Lastly, you want stuff for all of the minor scrapes, allergies, headaches, etc.
That should cover your medical needs. Now if you want to add things for food, water, and shelter...
“I think there’s a right-wing conspiracy to promote the idea of a left-wing conspiracy”

Re: IFAK or EDC trauma kits

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Here is my trunk kit, backpack has a balistic panel in it, so some protection from pistol rounds. What I know is from combat medics and when I was military police a long time ago.

This thread is inspiring me to check it again and try to get some more training.
Old School
The best upgrade for you firearm is always instruction and practice.

Re: IFAK or EDC trauma kits

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FrontSight, thanks for your advice as an expert. Military stresses the use of tourniquets and I have seen them used, but that is an entirely different environment.

Do you have any advice or what training to get and how to find it?
Old School
The best upgrade for you firearm is always instruction and practice.

Re: IFAK or EDC trauma kits

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Oldschool wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:27 am FrontSight, thanks for your advice as an expert. Military stresses the use of tourniquets and I have seen them used, but that is an entirely different environment.

Do you have any advice or what training to get and how to find it?
I'm not up on the various private training classes, but I do recommend the old standby's. Advanced first aid from AHA or Red Cross, CRP from same, or just take an EMT class.

If the military is currently stressing the use of tourniquets, perhaps something has changed. I'm not real up to date. Since I got out of the field, I haven't taken anymore classes. So I'll just say, use with extreme caution, because in my day if you put a tourniquet on a leg, anything below is likely to be amputated. Again, seek out the latest recommendation from REAL experts like the AHA, AMA, or Red Cross. I have practical experience, but I'm out of date...I'm not an expert.
“I think there’s a right-wing conspiracy to promote the idea of a left-wing conspiracy”

Re: IFAK or EDC trauma kits

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The big kit has a little brother about 1/3 the size that I take with me sometimes, that one just lives in my trunk. I have rolled up on major accidents in the middle of nowhere twice and been glad I did. Both times I was lucky and there was a Nurse or Firefighter that stopped to help, but neither time did they have any supplies.

As far as tourniquets, I was told the use of them almost always resulted in amputation, but now they have drugs that prevent that, and every soldier has one in kit.
Old School
The best upgrade for you firearm is always instruction and practice.

Re: IFAK or EDC trauma kits

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Tourniquets. I'd rather lose a limb than a life. Sometimes, pressure is not possible. Imagine two with heavy bleeds and you're the responder, not impossible in today's car wreck or mass shooting world. Tourniquet the heavier bleed so you have hands for pressure on the next. I am NOT an expert by any means, but the use of tourniquets in the field saves lives. It is just another tool and doesn't take up much space. But, if you're a first responder who's well trained, there are likely better options.

Re: IFAK or EDC trauma kits

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My kit is very small, and focused on wildland trauma. Two Israeli bandages, one large abdominal trauma dressing, a stack of 4x4's, 3 rolls of kling gauze, kwik-klot, 3 days of my meds. This fills up a small pocket in my wilderness survival pack (which has a bunch of other things). I do a bit of overlanding, or hunting in weird places, so I keep it focused to what I'm doing.
I don't have a kit for civil unrest. I'm completely surrounded by Trumpie Republicans...If the shooting starts, they'll probably all agree to kill me off in the first few minutes.
“I think there’s a right-wing conspiracy to promote the idea of a left-wing conspiracy”

Re: IFAK or EDC trauma kits

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Trauma is super easy actually, I found traumatic calls to be rather routine and boring (although the scene was always interesting). But really it's just as simple as find leak, plug leak. And never forget that Airway and Breathing comes before circulation. Don't lay someone in the "shock position" who has been shot in the chest and is nursing a lung wound. You have to sit them up so they can expand their chest wall regardless of what their blood pressure is. Airway, Breathing, Circulation. If you learn nothing, learn the ABC's and you're half way there. Keep the airway clear, aid the patients breathing as needed, and address any circulatory issues as you can. Without advanced medicine, that's about all you can do.
“I think there’s a right-wing conspiracy to promote the idea of a left-wing conspiracy”

Re: IFAK or EDC trauma kits

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FrontSight wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 1:11 pm Trauma is super easy actually, I found traumatic calls to be rather routine and boring (although the scene was always interesting). But really it's just as simple as find leak, plug leak. And never forget that Airway and Breathing comes before circulation. Don't lay someone in the "shock position" who has been shot in the chest and is nursing a lung wound. You have to sit them up so they can expand their chest wall regardless of what their blood pressure is. Airway, Breathing, Circulation. If you learn nothing, learn the ABC's and you're half way there. Keep the airway clear, aid the patients breathing as needed, and address any circulatory issues as you can. Without advanced medicine, that's about all you can do.
Much of that resonates with what formal training I had forty-some years ago, and I suspect that in most cases, it's still the best focus.

That said, my friends who are street medics are taught to be flexible--always look for the simplest causes (hydration for someone who is too hot before slapping a bandage where it won't do as much good, which is over-simplifying). Much of that is that they are working in a type of environment different than your hunting trips, and their training reflects that, as I suspect you would agree it should.

My spouse trained to be a Wilderness EMT (NOLS in Wyoming) over the summer, and I was interested in how their level of autonomy changes depending on the proximity of advanced care. This is not simple rote memorization, although having solid memory of the checklists is good. It's important to remember WHICH checklist is appropriate to the situation.

As for tourniquets, even as a kid I was taught that they were "life vs limb" decisions. Improvising one is easy enough to do if one is prepared to improvise. Having one ready to go if one is likely to need it saves time. I may not always carry one, but I am leaning toward carrying something more than what I now do for EDC, and if I'm carrying a pistol, I'm going to carry some stuff to help myself if the other guy shoots, if only so it's there for a bystander to use on me.
Eventually I'll figure out this signature thing and decide what I want to put here.

Re: IFAK or EDC trauma kits

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I have my Basic Life Saving training and have spent a lot of time watching combat medic training videos on the Youtubes (yes, I know. But it's better than nothing.) I hunt a lot with my sons, and so I carry a couple of kits.
Truck Kit (always in my vehicle) has IFAK similar to all y'all's (including, yes, a CAT TQ). It also has other basics like pain meds, cut/scrape needs, splint and rescue breathing supplies as well as an emergency blanket and extra N95 masks.
I carry an IFAK on my belt or in my bino rig when hunting, and I bring an extra belt pouch bleed kit for whoever is with me (I like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Recon-Medical-To ... 230&sr=8-4 )
I also usually have an extra TQ / Bandage / Gauze in my backpack which goes on hunting trips and to work every day with me.
I also have a couple pairs of surgical gloves stashed in all my kits.
I refuse to believe you can have too many med kit options.

Lastly, I think it's really important to practice with your gear, so my boys and I frequently drill each other on TQ application, gauze and bandage wrapping, and MARCH checks. It's something my kids (9 and 12 yrs) enjoy and have become proficient at. It came in handy when I broke my ankle in a bad skateboarding accident last year. My wife was out of town and I was pretty messed up... the kids splinted and ice wrapped my ankle with an israeli bandage :lol: They got me hydrated, warm and called someone to take me to the ER. The ER doc was impressed with their triage skills.
Crow
Minute Of Average

Re: IFAK or EDC trauma kits

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FrontSight wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:10 am Tourniquets are a waste of time. I spent 16 years in the field as a paramedic and not only did I never use one for the control of bleeding, I have never even seen one used. They are VERY frowned upon in the EMS world. Direct pressure, if it's not working, you're not applying enough pressure.
Many years ago, had a friend in surgery. Doc nicked the femoral artery. Blood hit the wall. One of the attending nurses was a friend of the patient, ended up with both feet braced against the wall to apply direct pressure while they got the bleed under control. Operation was a success, and - bonus round - the patient lived.

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