IFAKs and contents

[Chuckman]

I have gotten a few PMs about IFAKS and contents, probably because I had posted the hot deal for the NARP kit earlier.

"IFAK" is a military term, "Individual First Aid Kit." Operationally and historically, it is to be used ON you, by someone else. Of course we don't have a perpetual two-way shooting range (most of the time) so 'our' needs are different. If you choose to use one on someone else (at the range, class, at home, etc.) you likely won't be left high-and-dry with a decent probability of you being shot.

The IFAK is trauma-centric, and designed only for the basics of MARCH (Massive bleeding, Airway, Respirations, Circulation, Hypothermia). In trauma, there is the Trauma Triad of Death, of which hypothermia is one 'leg' of the triad. A cold trauma patient will be a dead trauma patient.

Essential contents are (in order of MARCH): tourniquet (TQ), nasopharyngeal airway (NPA), chest seal, hemostatic dressing (i.e., Combat Gauze, etc.), mylar blanket. Also gloves. Add-ons would be a 3"-4" 14 gauge or bigger needle for chest decompression (HIGHLY recommend against laypeople doing this). Other desirables are sharpie, trauma shears/cutting implement, additional dressing like a compressed gauze or Z-fold, Oales, etc.

Best stocked kits: Tactical Medical Solutions, North American Rescue Products, Chinook Medical. Or buy components separately and stock your own bag. Or the middle ground, these places sell the entirety of the contents vacuum-sealed for kit replacement if you use the contents.

Let me know if you have any questions/concerns/issues/remarks.

 

[Burt Gummer]

I carry two tourniquets, cause when I screw up, it’s usually big

 

[Radar]

Training is paramount in having an IFAK. Like a handgun or barrel rifle, If you can’t or don’t know how to use it then it is pointless.

 

[turkeydance]

is it pointless to HAVE an IFAK?

for example:
my Mother has one.
she cannot not use much of it.
however, someone else could.

in other words:
YOU cannot fix it, but you have the tools
on hand for someone who CAN handle it.

 

[Chdamn]

We convinced a guy at sage that they were Improvised First Aid Gear. Even has a Velcro strip made for his pouch.

 

[Timfoilhat]

I have gotten a few PMs about IFAKS and contents, probably because I had posted the hot deal for the NARP kit earlier.

"IFAK" is a military term, "Individual First Aid Kit." Operationally and historically, it is to be used ON you, by someone else. Of course we don't have a perpetual two-way shooting range (most of the time) so 'our' needs are different. If you choose to use one on someone else (at the range, class, at home, etc.) you likely won't be left high-and-dry with a decent probability of you being shot.

The IFAK is trauma-centric, and designed only for the basics of MARCH (Massive bleeding, Airway, Respirations, Circulation, Hypothermia). In trauma, there is the Trauma Triad of Death, of which hypothermia is one 'leg' of the triad. A cold trauma patient will be a dead trauma patient.

Essential contents are (in order of MARCH): tourniquet (TQ), nasopharyngeal airway (NPA), chest seal, hemostatic dressing (i.e., Combat Gauze, etc.), mylar blanket. Also gloves. Add-ons would be a 3"-4" 14 gauge or bigger needle for chest decompression (HIGHLY recommend against laypeople doing this). Other desirables are sharpie, trauma shears/cutting implement, additional dressing like a compressed gauze or Z-fold, Oales, etc.

Best stocked kits: Tactical Medical Solutions, North American Rescue Products, Chinook Medical. Or buy components separately and stock your own bag. Or the middle ground, these places sell the entirety of the contents vacuum-sealed for kit replacement if you use the contents.

Let me know if you have any questions/concerns/issues/remarks.

Tape? My training was to improvise a chest seal from a dressing wrapper with tape holding it down on 3 sides.

 

[georgel]

We convinced a guy at sage that they were Improvised First Aid Gear. Even has a Velcro strip made for his pouch.

Wait, you convinced a guy IFAK was Improvised First Aid Gear
(IFAG)?


Ask Chuckman says, the IFAK is predominantly trauma based. The civilian version of MARCH is ABC, Airway, Breathing, Circulation. Make sure their airway is clear, they're able to breathe and blood is circulating and not spilling out somewhere.
This is different from a general first aid kits, which is bumps, scrapes, cuts and things like nausea, diarrhea, heat exhaustion, pain.
Then there's stuff in between. Broken bones, dislocations, fevers, hypothermia, etc.

The IFAK concept of each person carrying their own kit is important in a group setting because 1 guy can't/shouldn't carry all the gear for the group.

 

[B00ger]

Like that funny picture in the meme thread states: if you carry a firearm and ammo, but don’t know FA, how to handle yourself, can stay calm under pressure, and know your capabilities then you aren’t prepared, you are a loot drop.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Chuckman]

Tape? My training was to improvise a chest seal from a dressing wrapper with tape holding it down on 3 sides.

Yes, can be done. Not nearly as effective as a chest seal, but better than nothing. Attached is an (academic) article about chest seals and pneumo's.

 

[Johnny]

My current setup, BFG IFAK

2x Needle-D, 2x Chest seal, NPA, Small pressure dressing, Gloves, Small wrap of duct tape, Hypo blanket.
TQ on front of belt for self application.
I keep a couple more TQ's in top of backpack along with some clotting agent, Kirlix and ace wrap.

This setup seems to be ever evolving and is mission dependent, a little different for the beach than shooting in the woods.

Epinephrine in left front lower pocket that is not for me.
Dont forget the water, ibuprofen and dry socks. 😷

 

[Chuckman]

The IFAK concept of each person carrying their own kit is important in a group setting because 1 guy can't/shouldn't carry all the gear for the group.

This concept, too, is evolving. "Back in the day" dudes had that little plastic first aid kit on the back of their ALICE belt, and the platoon medic/corpsman carried every-damn-thing.

Then CLS-trained guys carried a CLS bag and acted as a 'medic lite.' The medic/corpsman still carried a metric crap-ton.

Then everyone got the IFAK, there were traditionally 2 CLS bags per platoon, and the medic/corpsman carried a bit less.

I had all my guys carry, in addition to their IFAK, a 500ml bag of NS, IV set up, extra TQ, and an extra hemcon/hemo dressing so I didn't have to carry 12-24 of all of those, and I cross-trained 3 guys for "CLS plus".

Now, SOF has the 'walking blood bank' protocol, so in addition to carrying a bag of fluid and those items, they carry a bag for immediate blood administration. While TCCC/TCCC+ is a LONG way from medic/corpsman, the overall health of the group is so much better than it used to be since good care is stratified at a lower level. Ol' Doc can't be everywhere at once.