How to Build a Personal First-Aid Kit- SF style

[Iraq Ninja]

TacMedSolutions has scanned an article from the latest issue of the Journal of Special Operations Medicine. It is an excellent guide to how to build, package, and wear your personal first aid kit.


http://www.tacmedsolutions.com/blog/?p=92

[ST911]

There's some great advice in there, and digestible by all.

[SeriousStudent]

Thank you for the post, it is a good link. I like that blog as well.

[Vic303]

Nice article. Thanks for posting the link.

[G-2]

Thanks for the link

[Submariner]

I read the words on p. 46; however, I do not understand which length catheter they are suggesting. Would someone please explain it to me?

Thanks for posting this. It confirms much of what has been posted by the knowledgeable folks on this board.

[Iraq Ninja]

It is a bit confusing. The way I read it, the Army's chief surgeon put out in the memo that they will use the 3 1/4, while the author says the shorter version can be used with different placement if needed. The reports of near misses of the heart are probably the result of the lack of little of no training, or maybe stress.

I think that as long as you stick to the mid clavicular line and the 2nd intercostal space, the long one is the one to go with. It may be difficult to teach people two locations if they can't even get the primary one down correctly. While it is easy to find, I have seen plenty of people in training get it dangerously wrong. Either they do the wrong side, or they drift towards the sternum.

I carry a sharpie and put a dot where I intend to do the decompression.

I carry the NAR needles mainly because the container is very rugged and can be used as a sharps container, just in case you have no other catheters left and need to do another decompression.

[MIKE G]

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[MIKE G]

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[Ga Shooter]

Does anybody make a kit with all those recommendations listed in the article or do you have to purchase individually? I really liked the article but I was hoping for a little more detail as to which brand, type, etc. I purchased a Trauma Kit Now from BFG and need to put a kit together. Thanks for any help.

[Iraq Ninja]

There are quite a few on the market. MIKE G, our resident Medical dealer has one for sale.

Med kits are like ARs. You start off with a complete package, but end up changing out bits and pieces as you get experience.

For instance, I like medical components that can take a lot of daily wear and tear. The standard military issue Izzy style bandages hold up very well. For my 14 gauge catheter, I like the North American Rescue version in the hard plastic container. I also like their gauze and saline lock kits because they are packaged very well (you probably won't need the saline lock kit though).

I don't carry Asherman chest seals, having switched over to the
Bolin chest seal and a few Halos.

TactMed solutions may also have a kit, and they sell components.

Grey Group, another forum sponsor has some med supplies, but some of them are a bit expensive unfortunately.

NPAs are generally all good.

I prefer to shop from the companies that specialize in medical supplies, like Chinook, North American Rescue, etc. Lastly, you can get some really good deals on Ebay with military kits and supplies.

Try and buy at least two full kits and use one for training.

[Ga Shooter]

There are quite a few on the market. MIKE G, our resident Medical dealer has one for sale.

Med kits are like ARs. You start off with a complete package, but end up changing out bits and pieces as you get experience.

For instance, I like medical components that can take a lot of daily wear and tear. The standard military issue Izzy style bandages hold up very well. For my 14 gauge catheter, I like the North American Rescue version in the hard plastic container. I also like their gauze and saline lock kits because they are packaged very well (you probably won't need the saline lock kit though).

I don't carry Asherman chest seals, having switched over to the
Bolin chest seal and a few Halos.

TactMed solutions may also have a kit, and they sell components.

Grey Group, another forum sponsor has some med supplies, but some of them are a bit expensive unfortunately.

NPAs are generally all good.

I prefer to shop from the companies that specialize in medical supplies, like Chinook, North American Rescue, etc. Lastly, you can get some really good deals on Ebay with military kits and supplies.

Try and buy at least two full kits and use one for training.

Thanks for the reply. I had EMT training 20 years ago so to say I am rusty and need retraining is an understatement. Thanks again for the help.

[MIKE G]

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[Armati]

You can get it here from the source:

http://jsoupublic.socom.mil/publications/jsom/Fall%2009%20Vol%209%20Ed%204%20JSOM%20Binder.pdf

[C45P312]

Thanks for the article.

[rob_s]

Definitely want to read this after my coffee has kicked in...

[Ga Shooter]

Mike G

I finally got around to looking at your site and what you carry. I have a couple of questions. I was picking and choosing the items according to the article and what was said earlier and my problem is I do not see where you sell your gloves, shears, iodine and alcohol wipes seperately. Do you sell those seperate anywhere?

Thanks for your help.

[MIKE G]

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[Ga Shooter]

Good thought and something that can easily be done. In the interim if you drop me an email I will be happy to help you get what you need. As for the shears I am working with a company to get a reliable quality source of EMS shears and will post them up when they are available.

Thanks,

Thanks for the help. Email inbound.

[ICEPICK]

Great info guys. Thanks for all the info.

[chuckman]

I read this article when it came out. Good info, and I after 20ish years in the medical field I am consistently reminded that 1) old things become new again, and 2) simple works. Like many here, I have built and tweaked and refined, and it seems to always be a work in progress. Everytime I look at the next guy I see a better way to do something. Thanks for posting.

[757cc]

Very interesting read! Great post