...DIY Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK)...

[7SFCW4]

Good Morning, this is just my take on the Individual First Aid Kit. There are of course commercially available versions that vary in price and capability. There are excellent individual trauma kits by numerous vendors. Here is what has worked for me based on my military and dad experience. This includes sources for the contents. (No flaming is necessary, I freely admit that I an not a doctor).

ULTIMATE I. F.A.K. [Individual First Aid Kit]

CONTAINER:
Condor Brand, EMT Pouch, 7x5x2.5 inches (available in a variety of designer colors)

CONTENTS:

MANDATORY:

10 ea, Band-Aid brand, "Tough Strips"
These babies will take quite a beating and still stick

1ea, QuikClot brand, Advanced Clotting Sponge, 1.75 oz
Granulated QuikClot: you must remove EACH granule before suturing, sponges or gauze are better.

1ea, Nasopharyngeal Airway (28 Fr., 9.3mm) with Surgilube

10 ea, Dispensing Needle, Blunt Tip 14 ga x 1-1/2"
After treating the sucking chest wound, insert to allow minimal air into the lung thru the front seal.

1ea, 6in, Israeli Battle Dressing
For those pesky non-TV bullet wounds

1ea, (pair) First Voice TS-FSOD1 Mesh FoxSeal Chest Seal/Occlusive Dressing
Through and through chest wound, see "dispensing needle" above

1ea, Prestige Medical Fluoride Scissor, Black, 7 1/2 Inch
Cutting Stuff

1ea, Tac Medical Solutions, SOFT-T Gen II tourniquet
Saving arms and legs

2ea, 3-0 Black nylon STERILE suture with attached needle
For sewing stuff back on

2ea Pair, Black Nitrile Sterile Gloves, with 2% Lydocaine Burn Gel, Individual

2ea Pair, Black Nitrile Sterile Gloves, with Betadine Swab, Individual

1ea, Epinephrine, auto-injector
Just in case

1ea, 2oz, Alcohol gel
Put on rubber gloves, smear with alcohol gel, and get to work

OPTIONAL:

Soda Bottle Pre-Form to hold pill items below when seal is broken

PRILOSEC OTC (20mg each)
DOSAGE = 1~3 day
Long term heartburn releif

RANITIDINE (150mg each)
DOSAGE = 1~2 AS NEEDED
Short term heartburn relief

IMODIUM (2mg each)
DOSAGE = Adult, 2 followed by 2
After first firm bowel movement
Children, ½ to 1 capsule
Short term diarrhea relief

ADVIL (200mg each)
DOSAGE = 2~6 as needed
Pain Releif

BENADRYL (25mg, 20ea)
DOSAGE = 1~2 as needed
Allergy symptoms, itching

CLARATIN (10mg each)
Loratadine Generic
DOSAGE = 1~2 as needed
Allergy Symptom Relief

LANSOPRAZOLE (30mg each)
DOSAGE = 1 per day
Long term heartburn
Proton Pump Inhibitor

CAFFEINE (200 mg each)
DOSAGE = 1~2 per
Drowsiness

# # # # # #
Sources:

Band Aids
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B6A6Y9E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Dispensing Needle
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001QRZ31C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Israeli Bandage
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003DPVERM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Chest Sealer
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LPICV1W/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Clear Airway
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003950R2E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

POUCH
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005E0YGBA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Scissors
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002WJHE7E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Tourniquet
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007AIJZO2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Gloves
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002XXO60M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Betadine Swabs
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002C30RLA...UTF8&colid=27BYBFB0FUUE&coliid=I3RZJZFPUAECX4

Burn Gel
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006GE5N6...=UTF8&colid=27BYBFB0FUUE&coliid=IJCUDRH58J648

Soda Bottle Pre-Form
http://www.amazon.com/Soda-Bottle-P...&qid=1412779790&sr=8-1&keywords=soda+preforms


All items have been vacuum packed for longevity and to reduce size.

Read More

 

[coctailer]

Have you tallied how much the DIY IFAC would cost?

 

[7SFCW4]

Barring the cost of items you have to buy in bulk: (1.) dispensing needles; (2.) burn gel; (3.) betading swabs... it is about $110.00 using Amazon as a pricing barometer, with free shipping...

 

[The Heretic]

This is what I got to put such items in my GHB:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001SH5U0E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You can get them in orange or other colors.

I got an orange one for my kids and a green one for myself.

They claim it is "water resistant" and not meant for submersion. I submersed it for about a minute in a bucket of water and nothing got inside. It has a seal where the lid closes.

The compass is nothing to write home about, but it works.

I know it is relatively heavier than a soft pack and bulky, but in my experience, in something that is going to be knocking about, especially in a GHB in the trunk of a car, this would protect its contents better than any kind of bag.

 

[Martini_Up]

Nice list

 

[powersbj]

How about the mini triple antibiotic ointment packs.

 

[rick benjamin]

Band-aid, one each (ok, maybe two)
Mask, dust, one each
Gloves, nitrile, one pair
Trauma dressing, one each
Quick-Klot gauze kit, one each
Put them in a One gallon freezer zip-lock bag

Put one in each car
Keep one at work
Have one for the home

supply links
http://store.glennsarmysurplus.com/medic-equipment-c168.aspx
<broken link removed>
http://www.copesdistributing.com/trauma-pack-with-quickclot-p-7287.html
http://www.coopersafety.com/
Amazon.com
Harbor Freight nitrile gloves
Harbor freight face mask, dust.

My experience, be prepared, nothing will happen.
Let your guard down for one heartbeat, SHTF!

 

[decklin]

I think you did a good job with this. I'd probably use the quick-klot gauze instead of sponges. The reason is I've never used the sponges so I'm not familiar with how well they work.
I've got a set of N95 rated masks in my truck next to my ifak.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Nice list, good work/research!

 

[7SFCW4]

Just a reminder here, this is for a Tactical, easy to carry, Individual First Aid Kit, not a squad level or in the rear with rear with the beer kit. Granted, my experience is 110% US Military where I had the luxury of a dedicated medic (he carried the IV's and antibacterial cream) even so, adding antibacterial cream to this is an excellent idea. My kit also is my individual (catering to kids and indigo's) based on my experience. You are usually wearing something with pockets for your indiv must haves, load carrying equipment, pack, etc...

So keep those great ideas coming!

 

[Medic!]

I was your dedicated Army combat medic for three years.

Now some folks may ask why you need all this medical equipment around when you have limited or no training? I would say get the stuff and keep it around. Even stuff to start IV's and meds. Somebody trained wont be any good without it. But do not exceed your medical TRAINING!

Your gona look like Sandra Bullock in The Heat giving that guy an emergency tracheotomy.

And don't forget epinephrine.

 

[The Heretic]

I have some advanced first aid (or at least it was at the time I was in the military) but not EMT/etc. level, so I wouldn't know when or how to properly use an airway or some of the other equipment (like the dispensing needle), but it doesn't hurt to have the equipment on hand because sometimes there is someone around who does know how to use it.

I have a doctor in my neighborhood, so I would guess he would know how to use some of the equipment.

 

[7SFCW4]

I would look to "Patriot Nurse" for how to's on all this stuff (if you haven't had the training yourself). And MEDIC! thanx! On those rare occasions that I take on some very much non PNW sun color, my wife, still comments on all the scars! At least I am alive for her to see them.

 

[Lange22250]

A couple of points.

You need a minimum of 2 tourniquets. A lot of combat medics I have talked to carried 8 and had each person on the squad carry 4.
Reasons - there is a good chance of injury to more than one limb, if the first placement is not effective a second TK is added, don't remove the first one.

QuickClot should not be the go to hemostatic agent if you have a choice, and you have a choice.
The reasons - it works by pulling water away from the cells it comes in contact with. This condenses the clotting agents in the blood but it also kills a lot of the tissue. Dead tissue need to be surgically excised complicating recovery.
Celox is a better choice as it is just as effective but does not kill tissue. A gauze preparation has more utility over a sponge when it comes to packing

A hemostatic agent is not that big a improvement over packing and direct pressure anyways, and they all require direct pressure to work well -

<broken link removed>
A study from the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, VA compared several
commercially available topical hemostatic agents to the application of direct pressure with
standard gauze.14
The authors used a swine model with a severed femoral artery and vein to
simulate a high-velocity projectile injury with jagged surrounding muscle. Combat Gauze,
WoundStat, Celox-A, and ChitoFlex were applied to the created injuries per the manufacturer
recommendations. They were then compared to each other and to standard gauze applied using
direct pressure. Manual pressure was held for 5 minutes and any bleeding occurring after this
was considered a failure of hemostasis. Primary outcome measures were failure of initial
hemostasis and the incidence of rebleeding. Secondary measures included total blood loss,
amount of rebleeding, and survival. WoundStat performed more poorly than Celox-A in
achieving initial hemostasis and in the incidence of rebleeding. Surprising to the authors,
standard gauze and direct pressure performed equally as well as the 4 commercially available
topical hemostatic agents. There were no significant differences in failure of initial hemostasis,
rebleeding, or death between standard gauze and the other agents.


The Israeli bandages are not the end all be all of dressings
Reasons - unless you really pay attention to what you are doing when applying them, the elastic will create a venues TK. That means the blood flows into the limb but has to overcome to pressure of the tk to leave or take the path of least resistance and leave through the injury. The standard of care for bleeding in direct pressure, for longer than most people think as they are doing it, or a TK. Unless you are holding and using the Israeli as a pad it's not really doing either.
3 or 4 ab dressings and 4 rolls of curlex have a lot more uses and cost less as well.

2 pairs of gloves is probably not enough
Reasons - they don't have that long a life span in the real world where there are sharp pokey things and you have to lift stuff. Next time you are doing something put some gloves on for a few minutes then fill them with water when you take them off. Try that a few times and you will be disappointed in the durability. A clinic test found exam gloves have an average life expectancy of 5 min in a hospital setting.
You will also probably need to re glove multiple times if dealing with an injury for an period of time over 10 min. to do stuff with equipment you don't want to contaminate. Doesn't make a lot of sense to protect your hands then smear blood all over your phone then your face.
They don't take up a lot of room so 5 or 6 pairs is more reasonable. I would always carry at least one pair that was a size too big. A lot easier to put on when your hands are wet. Alcohol under gloves is a bad idea for the health of your hands and makes an infection more likely.

Alcohol hand cleanser is not a great product
Reasons - it does kill 99% of germs but you don't need to worry about the vast majority of them because they don't hurt humans in the first place. It does not kill a lot of the germs we do need to worry about, e coli among them. It will kill the resident harmless and beneficial bacteria on your skin leaving you open to infection from other dangerous bacteria.
Hibiclens will kill what you need to worry about and comes in pads.

You don't need betadine
Reasons - the standard of care for wound cleansing is mild soap and water or simply saline irrigation. Betadine kills tissue complicating recovery. Remember when your mom put iodine on everything? She was actually making it worse.
The only reason to use betadine is the perp for a surgical procedure.

Last one
This should all be packed in a vacuum sealed bad to save space and keep it clean. Unless you are a bubblegum magnet this stuff will just sit exposed to moisture and humidity growing bugs.
Leave the band-aids out so that you don't have to bet into the main section all the time and add a 2" roll of cordasilk tape.

 

[The Heretic]

Cordasilk tape? What? Where can it be found?

Googling turned up nothing.

As for the gloves, I can attest to that. I got a box, and I still use them, but they rip and fall apart fairly quickly. I would imagine a heavier thickness would last longer, but they are so cheap and light you should be able to afford and carry many pairs. They are useful for working on machinery and other stuff besides humans.

Mechanics are increasingly using them when working with greasy oily stuff - I remember when I was a mech and at the end of the day my hands were not in good shape from all the petroleum based lubes and such I handled, and it was hard to get all the dirt and grease off.

 

[Lange22250]

Cordasilk tape? What? Where can it be found?

Googling turned up nothing.

As for the gloves, I can attest to that. I got a box, and I still use them, but they rip and fall apart fairly quickly. I would imagine a heavier thickness would last longer, but they are so cheap and light you should be able to afford and carry many pairs. They are useful for working on machinery and other stuff besides humans.

Mechanics are increasingly using them when working with greasy oily stuff - I remember when I was a mech and at the end of the day my hands were not in good shape from all the petroleum based lubes and such I handled, and it was hard to get all the dirt and grease off.

It looks like they changed the brand name - http://www.woundcareshop.com/DuraporeTape.aspx

 

[Soldier_Citizen]

 

[The Heretic]

It looks like they changed the brand name - http://www.woundcareshop.com/DuraporeTape.aspx

k thx

Q: what is the advantage of this kind of tape over others?

 

[Lange22250]

It has good adhesive qualities even on wet skin. Tears both directions well. You can also but it over hot spots on your feet to stop blisters from getting worse. Finally, that's what they had in the stock room.

 

[The Heretic]

K thx.

Always good to hear from actual usage.