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TacMedic556
05-10-12, 11:52
I had a PM question on here and figured I could address it in a forum. My answer is not too detailed, however many who think it and do not ask may want to know what they should stuff into their IFAK and where to get it. Here is what I replied to a gentleman on here:


First, knowledge is your best first line tool.

EMT courses are 200 hours. Wilderness EMT is similar. As a paramedic for the past 10 years and a tac medic the past 6, I realize the training required to effectively treat the wounded and keeping sane when doing so. Take a class if you can.

Pre-made kits are expensive and you can typically build one for cheaper.
Learn your ABC's - Airway, Breathing and Circulation.

With tac medicine, you are usually more concerned with bleeding and breathing problems associated with torso trauma.

https://www.tacmedsolutions.com/stor...ts_Results.php

This site carries great stuff.

For the individual or lay person, a small blow out pack on your gear consisting of:

-Pocket Mask
-Trauma Shears
-Chest Seal (Ashermans, Russell etc.)
-Gauze (multiple 4x4's 5x9's etc.)
-Hemostatic Agent, CELOX or Combat Gauze
-SOF-T (USA made) Tourniquet (metal one)
-Kerlix
-one or both: Israeli Bandage, Olaes Bandage

All the above is excellent to stop massive extremity hemorrhage. For Airway or Breathing, I also carry ET tubes, trach kit, Nasal Airways, BVM, OPAs, King Airway, 10 ga needle for decompressions.

If you are not trained to do so DO NOT carry advanced level devices, but instead only the bleeding control items. Burn sheets and pastes don't do shit for the seriously wounded. Evac and care is required. Plug the holes and get victim to care.

You may want a space blanket for victim heat retention, keeping them warm. The goal is to STOP THE BLEEDING! Every blood cell lost is one less carrying oxygen. Keep the blood in their body and keep them breathing. A good CPR course is good and will teach you rescue breathing as well as how to use a pocket mask.

Hope this helps. Let me know. Thanks pal. Be safe.

a0cake
05-10-12, 13:29
Just don't forget tape.

TacMedic556
05-10-12, 14:53
Always! Cloth tape is great. That's what I like about the Israeli Gauze and the Olaes. Can be done without tape.

mallowpufft
05-10-12, 17:01
I don't have exp. with GSW so this isn't a blow out item but is darn handy for everything else...in 14 years of ski patrolling and wilderness FA I've come to have a love affair with triangular bandages. There are few things in this world I can't do with 3 of them.
So many splinting/stabilizeation options easily done with them and easy to improvise with them.
Slings, swaths, splint straps. Hell, I've secured ppl to backboards with them in multi person trauma incidents when a kit came to me incomplete.

It's best to blame my misspelled words on autocorrect.