Beyond your basic first aid kit

[shooter115]

Since more folks are talking about personal safety the last few days, I though I might share this. A couple years ago I was talking to a friend of mine who is was an 18D in the Army, about what I should try to have on hand when hosting shooting competitions. 18D is the MOS for a Special Forces Medical Sergeant........a.k.a, medic in the Green Berets. Which is pretty much one of the best field medics in the world. Anyways he was kind enough to list out all the stuff he recommends one keep on hand to deal with severe trauma and gunshot wounds. Maybe some of you trying to put together more than a basic first aid kid will find this useful.

Hi Chris,

Sorry this took so long, my break from school turned out to be quite a bit busier than I anticipated.

There are a lot of “high-speed” supplies available for trauma first-aid kits and I think you can get by the things listed here but I’ll give options if you want to upgrade:

First, I’d start out with a good assortment of band-aids, often overlooked but usually the most used item in the kit. An antibiotic ointment like Bacitracin is nice but not necessary since we aren’t in the wilderness.

4”x4” gauze, nice for bigger cuts or minor gunshot wounds

2”x2” gauze, a few for in between band-aid sized and 4x4-sized wounds, not used much.

4” gauze roll bandage (Kerlix) and 3-4” Ace wraps, 3-4 of each, good for pressure dressings on gunshot wounds. I think Israeli dressings have come down in cost to the point where even though they cost a little more, they’re probable easier and faster to use. Maybe a mix of a 2-3 Kerlix/Ace Wrap combos and an Israeli?

An abdominal dressing, they’re occlusive to keep intestine from drying out if it is exposed.

4 petrolatum gauze dressings for chest wounds, Asherman Chest Seals are nice but you can probably get 4 of the gauze for the price of one Asherman.

Tape, 1”, 2”, and 3”

A tourniquet, I like the SOF-T but the CAT’s are OK, too. ILO of a commercial tourniquet you could go old-school and use a couple of triangular bandages and dowel rod but I think the commercial ones are money well spent.

Triangular bandages or you can cut up an old sheet to make some. It’s nice to have a few of these around for securing dressings if you don’t have Ace wraps.

Trauma shears or bandage scissors. Trauma shears are more useful.

Nitrile or latex gloves to prevent blood-borne disease transmission. Size large will generally work for everyone.

Quick-Clot gauze or Hem-Con dressings are nice but expensive. If you do a good pressure dressing and/or use a tourniquet you can get by without them. Nice for combat though!

A bag/container to keep it all in.

I may have missed a few things that I’ll think of later but that should get you started. If you’re not sure what some of this stuff is, I can send you links to suppliers.

[LumberZach]

I'm still technically an EMT for a few more months (letting it expire as I don't really use it) so if like to be a part of this discussion.

I think the most important thing to have would be a couple of tourniquets. The list about looks pretty decent, but tourniquets are harder to improvise well than other things. Basics bandages,dressings,band aids and such are important.
I don't know most of the medical background on this board, but an occlusive dressing may be pretty foreign to most. There are different versions, but without learning how/what your doing this at be Alitalia more advanced. I plan on throwing some ceran wrap and medical tape in my kit.

I'll say I don't have much experience, but I went through the class and enjoy this sort of thing quite a bit.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Lumpy]

Don't they have this stuff now that's basically instant wound-filler? Is that for trained medics/EMTs only?

[gman1868]

Tactical Treatment of Gunshot Wounds:

I recommend the DTI kit from either Persys or R&R. You do not need to be an EMT but if you don't know how to use the components in the kit, drop me a PM or attend a course on how to use it.

http://ps-med.com/products/hemorrhage/DTI-01

http://www.rroutfitters.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1501&products_id=84578

What you get in a course:
http://defense-training.com/dti/tactical-treatment-of-gunshot-wounds/

[farmerj]

Don't they have this stuff now that's basically instant wound-filler? Is that for trained medics/EMTs only?

That's the quickclot he mentioned

[LumberZach]

I would highly recommend going to a short training course of some sort to get to know this equipment.
Couple more points:
1. Don't get the powder quick clot, they make it like a big sponge and that ms the one you want.
2. Never use tampons/feminine hygiene products. It's not the same stuff, it's designed different, it will not be as helpful as regular bandages

[Hmac]

"IFAK's" are really popular on gun forums these days. Part of the increasing sense of EOTWAKI and the resultant prepper phenomenon. My sense, from reading those posts, is that the majority belief is that just buying some Quikclot and a fancy pouch with a bunch of fancy bandages will automatically make you prepared for an emergency. Sort of the same concept that getting gun and a handgun permit will improve your capability of self-defense. I see people post frequently asking "what equipment should I put in my gunshot wound kit"? I would submit that if you have to ask that question, having a gunshot wound kit is pointless. It means you don't know how to use the stuff anyway.

I'd recommend getting training first. That will give you a better sense of what equipment is useful (not to mention how to actually use it).

[LumberZach]

"IFAK's" are really popular on gun forums these days. Part of the increasing sense of EOTWAKI and the resultant prepper phenomenon. My sense, from reading those posts, is that the majority belief is that just buying some Quikclot and a fancy pouch with a bunch of fancy bandages will automatically make you prepared for an emergency. Sort of the same concept that getting gun and a handgun permit will improve your capability of self-defense. I see people post frequently asking "what equipment should I put in my gunshot wound kit"? I would submit that if you have to ask that question, having a gunshot wound kit is pointless. It means you don't know how to use the stuff anyway.

I'd recommend getting training first. That will give you a better sense of what equipment is useful (not to mention how to actually use it).

I absolutely agree.

That being said, I don't think its a bad thing if there are a bunch of people with various medical supplies at the range so the people that know what to do have extra supplies floating around.

[LarryFlew]

China has arranged a couple of classes in the past, maybe she would be up to doing another if someone asked her to.

[PhilaBOR]

John Farnam put on a good one when he was in town. You could take the gunshot wound class one day, the other class two days or both. Last year it was advanced pistol, I think this year it was force on force.
I think he comes every year. Bob Jahn hosts him.

[xd ED]

China has arranged a couple of classes in the past, maybe she would be up to doing another if someone asked her to.

It was well worth attending(May 2012).

I'll do it again if offerred.
While perhaps not as specific to GSW, the Red Cross, and many adult education services offer a variety of 1st aid classes.

[ktech]

Yes, take a class - worth more than all the gear you could buy!

That being said, buy from a reputable dealer - there are fake CAT tourniquets out on the market (as one example) - don't just buy off eBay to save a few dollars.

Finally, if anyone is interested, I'd be happy to put together a group buy from The Officer Survival Initiative - I know the owner personally, and he's a good guy with quality gear. [/shameless plug]

[selurcspi]

John Farnam put on a good one when he was in town. You could take the gunshot wound class one day, the other class two days or both. Last year it was advanced pistol, I think this year it was force on force.
I think he comes every year. Bob Jahn hosts him.

ChinaKay and I both attended John Farnum's class last year and feel it has real value, both from a medical standpoint and a tactical one.
The kit is not cheap, but very few really good things are, and this is a really good kit.
John is a very thoughtful and knowledgeable trainer, and you will learn new things every time you take his classes, without getting the type of dross and personal opinions many other trainers spout.

[mmcnx2]

Actually I'd rather have a class from a vet that can train me to take care of my dog if she had a hunting accident, cuts. broken bones ect.

[selurcspi]

Actually I'd rather have a class from a vet that can train me to take care of my dog if she had a hunting accident, cuts. broken bones ect.

Dude, set it up, I'll bet you're not alone, I think a lot of hunters would like the same thing.