Life saving First Aid in a mass casualty situation.

[Sylvain]

Great thread. I started putting my first IFAK kit together today. There are a lot of good takeaways here.

Nice.Share pics and/or content if you can.

 

[SmileDocHill]

My order just now got shipped. I went to the 1500 this weekend and got a couple more mil surp. 9mm mag pouches that work great for CAT tourniquets, M4 double mag pouches for IFAK kits, and other random sized molle pouches for, well, I don't know yet. Looking forward to getting it all in the same place and reworking my battle belt, car kits, and general first aid kits.
I also robbed my office for extra sutures, needle holders, suture scissors, 4x4's, and 2x2's, and played with different ways to package them in sterilization pouches so they fit in kits better. I'll sterilize then put in some kind of plastic bag to protect since the sterilization pouch tears easily and isn't waterproof.

 

[MCgrease08]

Nice.Share pics and/or content if you can.

Here's what I've got so far.

The bag is a Condor Rip-Away Medical pouch. Pretty straight forward. It's got snaps that attach to Molle compatible systems so it can be mounted to soft rifle cases, backpacks, chest rigs, battle belts, etc. The portion that attaches is just a large Velcro patch approx 5" x 7" which is what keeps the pouch itself attached but can be torn away with a little effort.

I've got some trauma kit materials in here and still had room to add in materials for a boo boo kit too, since most of the common issues at the range aren't going to be major, but minor cuts, scrapes, burns, aches, pains, allergies, indigestion, etc.

Front - I need to add some tacticool patches (red cross, blood type)

Back - with attachment panel

Back - "pulled away" from Velcro mounting panel

Side view

Contents so far:

Trauma stuff:
- CAT TQ
- trauma sheers
- (10) 4" x 4" gauze sponges
- (2) rolls 4" x 4.5 yd gauze
- 3.5" x 3.5" Quick Clot sponge
- 2 packets Bleed Stop powder
- roll of cloth tape
- 3 pair nitrile gloves
- anti-bacterial wet wipes
- 3" x 3' Ace bandage
- Sharpie Micro

For the boo boo kit
- various sized band aids / butter flies
- Neosporin
- Chapstick
- Pepto Bismol tabs
- benadryl tabs
- daytime cold and flu gels
- a handful of Hall's throat lozenges
- extra pair of ear plus
- small Swiss Army knife
- pair of disposable contact lenses

I put all of this together before reading through the thread, so I'm already planning to add in a 4" Israeli bandage a couple of chest seals and a mylar blanket. Might have to take some of the boo boo stuff out to fit it all in.

 

[Sylvain]

Nice kit MC!

Your CAT tourniquet is a gen 7, the latest one, not 6.
I would suggest you store it with the time band velcroed to the side, not blocking the windlass.

Like so:

If you need to apply it to yourself, one handed, you might not have the fine motor skills to remove the time band before applying the tourniquet.
I would also make sure you can easily take it out of the pouch with one hand.
Maybe even secure it to the pouch with only one piece of elastic instead of two.

Also make sure you have a training version so you can practice with it without dammaging the tourniquet in your kit.

 

[MCgrease08]

Nice kit MC!

Your CAT tourniquet is a gen 7, the latest one, not 6.
I would suggest you store it with the time band velcroed to the side, not blocking the windlass.

Like so:

If you need to apply it to yourself, one handed, you might not have the fine motor skills to remove the time band before applying the tourniquet.
I would also make sure you can easily take it out of the pouch with one hand.
Maybe even secure it to the pouch with only one piece of elastic instead of two.

Also make sure you have a training version so you can practice with it without dammaging the tourniquet in your kit.

Looks like you're right about the CAT being a gen 7. And I agree about needing to find a better way to store it. Right now it's in there tight and does take two hands to remove from the pouch. Ideally I would like to have a way to store it outside of the pack completely. I have seen some models with straps allowing for storage on the top of the pack itself. The Condor has a Velcro strap on top, but it's not secure or tight enough to trust the TQ won't fall out.

Most likely I will end up getting a second one that I can slip into a pocket or wear on my belt for EDC purposes. I have also been looking at the ankle kits. That's actually what led me to this thread in the first place.

But I definitely need some training too.

 

[Sylvain]

Looks like you're right about the CAT being a gen 7. And I agree about needing to find a better way to store it. Right now it's in there tight and does take two hands to remove from the pouch. Ideally I would like to have a way to store it outside of the pack completely. I have seen some models with straps allowing for storage on the top of the pack itself. The Condor has a Velcro strap on top, but it's not secure or tight enough to trust the TQ won't fall out.

Most likely I will end up getting a second one that I can slip into a pocket or wear on my belt for EDC purposes. I have also been looking at the ankle kits. That's actually what led me to this thread in the first place.

But I definitely need some training too.

The ankle kit is a great solution.
I carried one with a SWAT tourniquet for like a year and recently switched to a CAT as my main EDC tourniquet.
I thought the CAT would be too bulky for ankle carry but nobody noticed.

Training is always good.

 

[actaeon277]

I'm waiting on my .50 cal can kit. Should be here any day

Got it.

 

[MCgrease08]

Here's a very straight-forward and basic overview of the steps and process for treating traumatic injuries. A good lesson for those us us not so medically inclined.

[video=youtube_share;w6pQV-CE4Fw]http://youtu.be/w6pQV-CE4Fw[/video]

 

[actaeon277]

Many of the distributors/manufacturers have good videos.
Some offer classes.
I'm sure the classes are better, but cost $$

Up here some of us had a free class given by Hobart Fire Dept (I think).
Stop the Bleed, or something like that.

 

[actaeon277]

https://www.dhs.gov/stopthebleed
[h=2]I Want to Take a Course[/h]If you would like to take a course to prepare yourself to assist injured people following a traumatic event, contact your local public health department, hospitals and clinics, emergency medical services, or fire and police departments to see if they offer any training.
You can also look for local classes on the Bleeding Control, Community Emergency Response Teams, and Medical Reserve Corps websites.

 

[MCgrease08]

https://www.dhs.gov/stopthebleed
[h=2]I Want to Take a Course[/h]If you would like to take a course to prepare yourself to assist injured people following a traumatic event, contact your local public health department, hospitals and clinics, emergency medical services, or fire and police departments to see if they offer any training.
You can also look for local classes on the Bleeding Control, Community Emergency Response Teams, and Medical Reserve Corps websites.

Thanks. It turns out one of the Indy hospitals (Eskenazi) offers the Stop the Bleed class monthly. I'm signed up for Feb.

Also, this is timely. There's a bill in the IN legislature that would require this course be taught in high schools across the state.

https://fox59.com/2019/01/16/new-bi...chools-to-implement-a-stop-the-bleed-program/

 

[Sylvain]

Thanks. It turns out one of the Indy hospitals (Eskenazi) offers the Stop the Bleed class monthly. I'm signed up for Feb.

Also, this is timely. There's a bill in the IN legislature that would require this course be taught in high schools across the state.

https://fox59.com/2019/01/16/new-bi...chools-to-implement-a-stop-the-bleed-program/

It's taught in middle school over here.
They have a 8 hours class I believe, covering CPR, AED use, bleeding etc.

First aid training is considered a civic duty and you are required by law to provide aid to someone .It's called "duty to rescue" or "faillure to rander assistance to a person in danger" if you don't provide aid.

In some EU countries that course is required to get a driving licence (like in Germany) and a first aid kit is mandatory in your vehicle (like in Belgium).

 

[2A_Tom]

It's taught in middle school over here.
They have a 8 hours class I believe, covering CPR, AED use, bleeding etc.

First aid training is considered a civic duty and you are required by law to provide aid to someone .It's called "duty to rescue" or "faillure to rander assistance to a person in danger" if you don't provide aid.

In some EU countries that course is required to get a driving licence (like in Germany) and a first aid kit is mandatory in your vehicle (like in Belgium).

I am absolutely opposed to Government requiring this.

I am totally for training in first aid. I am for the family, school and government teaching that it is your moral duty to render assistance to some one in need, according to your ability.

Hew and Cry was a law in England, but it is a moral responsibility today.

The problem is individual responsibility is not taught as much in the home as it needs to be.

 

[actaeon277]

Thanks. It turns out one of the Indy hospitals (Eskenazi) offers the Stop the Bleed class monthly. I'm signed up for Feb.

Also, this is timely. There's a bill in the IN legislature that would require this course be taught in high schools across the state.

https://fox59.com/2019/01/16/new-bi...chools-to-implement-a-stop-the-bleed-program/

glad you're taking the class.


Emergencies create stress.
Stress affects memory and reaction.
Training (hopefully) overcomes those.

 

[MCgrease08]

I am absolutely opposed to Government requiring this.

I am totally for training in first aid. I am for the family, school and government teaching that it is your moral duty to render assistance to some one in need, according to your ability.

Hew and Cry was a law in England, but it is a moral responsibility today.

The problem is individual responsibility is not taught as much in the home as it needs to be.

I tend to agree. I'm not sure something can be called a civic duty if it's actually required by law.

 

[indyblue]

I've been thinking of using my excess FSA funds (only $500 can carry over to the next year) to go to fsastore.com and getting at least one trauma kit. Seems like a good use of the money rather than lose it altogether.

 

[Sylvain]

I tend to agree. I'm not sure something can be called a civic duty if it's actually required by law.

Well in the US jury duty is a civic duty, and it is mandatory by law.

 

[actaeon277]

I've been thinking of using my excess FSA funds (only $500 can carry over to the next year) to go to fsastore.com and getting at least one trauma kit. Seems like a good use of the money rather than lose it altogether.

Better spent than lost.
As long as it is allowed.
Several good options out there.

 

[Ruger_Ronin]

Put an IFAK together for each vehicle, my hunting pack, and my plate carrier a few months ago. The 2 for the vehicles are tailored to serve the needs of the entire family (myself, wife, +3 daughters) including some "boo-boo" fixers. The 2 for carrier and hunting pack are filled with less trivial things, and filled with more severe trauma items.

ALL kits include TQ, shears, gloves, gauze, israeli bandage, lightstick, etc. for starters. I also carry an elastic type TQ (R.A.T.) in my pocket at work that's less bulky...

Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk

 

[MCgrease08]

I've been thinking of using my excess FSA funds (only $500 can carry over to the next year) to go to fsastore.com and getting at least one trauma kit. Seems like a good use of the money rather than lose it altogether.

Based on a quick trip to that site you may be better off buying components and building your own custom kits. Some of those bundles look pretty gimmicky and over priced without giving you the essentials for true trauma issues.

For example, the Wilderness Kit is $100+ and says it's for treating gun shot and arrow wounds, but the only items it listed to deal with bleeding were latex gloves and a 20 cc syringe. No tourniquet?

It looks like they have gauze, Quick Clot and other items that should go in a trauma kit, but the pre-built bundles look really over priced for what you'd be getting. I'm just start out with these kits, but from what I've put together so far it can be done with the core essentials for much cheaper.