My EDC IFAK (Individual First Aid Kit)

[ChefSimon]

After reading a few posts about what people have in their kit and experiences they have encountered, and having read a lot of what ParamedicPrepper has written I thought I would share mine with you all. Before I start, a little on my background. I have experience in advanced life saving skills through work on yachts and also with the British Army. Whilst I am no Paramedic I know how to give some specialist procedures for example Pneumothorax kit use, inserting airway tubes to assist breathing & inserting IV lines.

I've used this several times in recent months most recently on the train home from work when a passenger in another part of the train collapsed from a fit and unfortunately severely cut his head and damaged other parts of his body due to the fit and fall. A call went out for anyone with medical training to come forwards, I went. The 1st aid kit on the train was woefully inadequate for this situation so I was able to compliment it with my own kit. I actually got a very well done from the paramedic fast response who attended at the next station on my work. I had stabilised the chap as best I could without the use of drugs.

This kit has evolved over time and is now a part of my EDC either in or strapped onto my rucksack. It has grown from a basic pocket first aid kit into something that suits my skills and environment I regularly find myself in.

Some of the items in my kit I wouldn't advise carrying if you are unsure of the use as you can make people worse. In any medical emergency stick to what you know and are confident in doing.

So onto my IFAK:

Carrier is a 5.11 IFAK with Molle Attachements.

Front View

On the outside of the pouch I carry medical sheers & an ID Patch so if I'm the man-down people know what's in the pouch.

Side view with Shears

The pack is designed to be space efficient but fully accessible at the same time. The gloves are loose on top as it's the first thing I go for. "Don't be a fool, wrap your tool" - I know that's for safe sex, but it's also true for first aid!

Packed kit (it's tight but fully accessible)

Inside;
Chest Seal
First Field Dressing
Tourniquet
2x Chem Lights
Marker Pen
Pneumothorax pen (single use)
2x saline solution
10ml Syringe
IV Catheter
Foil Blanket
Basic First aid crib sheet (incase it's me that's down, anyone can see what to do)
Medical report card with elastic to attach to patient
Adhesive Wound dressing
Medium Crepe bandage
Medium conforming bandage
Eyepad bandage
Small crepe bandage
Medium breathing tube & lube
Packet Cellox clotting powder
Packet Steri-strip for wound closure
2x packets blue nitrate gloves
Medical tape
4x sterile wipes
10 assorted plasters
Re-breather valve & face sheet

The contents

This kit weighs in at just 400g so is nice and light to carry as an EDC.

After my last use of this kit the Paramedic was kind enough to refresh my kit from their supplies replacing what I used on the guy that collapsed.

You may ask why the chest seal in an urban environment. This year there has been an average of 4 shootings a week in Liverpool and stabbings are now counted by the hour the make the number look less... A chest seal as ParamedicPrepper has pointed out can be useful for other situations not just a sucking chest wound.

In my house I keep a much more extensive multi casualty kit, along with smaller kits in each main room of the home. I also keep a heavily customised kit in the car which covers both personal first aid and also basic kit for dealing with the aftermath of an RTA.

As a little anecdote to finish with I got told off during my last refresher as I sung Queen's Another One Bites the Dust during my compressions (it gives you the right number of compressions in the right time)

Thanks as always for reading and I look forward to reading the comments and questions.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Got told on the first aid refresher that sealing a chest wound with a 3 sided dressing / seal was a no no for a first aider in the latest revisions

6. Sucking chest wounds should be left open to the environment - Three sided dressings are no longer recommended.


Due to clinical experience of both improvised and purpose made dressings inadvertently becoming occlusive, the ERC guidelines recommend to ‘leave the wound in open communication with the environment’. This means that there is no longer a requirement to cover it with a dressing. The main emphasis on providing care should be to ‘do no harm’, and the risk of dressings becoming occlusive is significant.

https://www.qualsafe.com/pages/Resuscit ... dance.html



Here's mine that I made up a while back..

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=12132

Slung my catastrophic bleeding kit in my bag after recent events ( celox gauze, 6" Israel. Dressing and a C.A.T

[Yorkshire Andy]

Oh and what gets me is people with children who go on days out have NOTHING with them in the event one of them grazes their knee on stones on the beach

I'm afraid I've stopped offering minor first aid help I cant afford to replace the kit many times you struggle to get a thankyou out of the parents

My little man 11 weeks old has his own fak which lives on his pram which covers him and his big sister and brother for little things plaster's/ small bandage's/ blister plasters / wipes

[ChefSimon]

Got told on the first aid refresher that sealing a chest wound with a 3 sided dressing / seal was a no no for a first aider in the latest revisions

6. Sucking chest wounds should be left open to the environment - Three sided dressings are no longer recommended.


Due to clinical experience of both improvised and purpose made dressings inadvertently becoming occlusive, the ERC guidelines recommend to ‘leave the wound in open communication with the environment’. This means that there is no longer a requirement to cover it with a dressing. The main emphasis on providing care should be to ‘do no harm’, and the risk of dressings becoming occlusive is significant.

https://www.qualsafe.com/pages/Resuscit ... idance.htm

Here's mine that I made up a while back..

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=12132

Slung my catastrophic bleeding kit in my bag after recent events ( celox gauze, 6" Israel. Dressing and a C.A.T

I've got my re-qual in July which I am really looking forward to... Not!

I've read a few bits are changing/changed. Something about you don't do the breaths anymore either just compressions in case there is a blockage further down that you didn't see and you force it further in with the breath.

I totally understand what you said about kids at the beach etc, I know how you feel. You want to help but it ends up costing you the money in replacement kit. Love the Idea of a IFAK for the pram great idea!

[Yorkshire Andy]

Least latest covers catastrophic bleeding

That and you don't shout help anymore ( revisions are in the link above)

On my first course I had a argument about dealing with bleeding prior to starting CPR as "you'd just pump the blood out...
Airway
Breathing
Bleeding
Bones


And that's the way it must be done

Oh did I take great pleasure in reminding the trainer when he mentioned the changes...

I like the oales dressings that he showed us
https://www.prometheusmedical.co.uk/equ ... ar-bandage

But the packaging makes the dressing really big even though the dressing is equivalent size to the Israeli its just overhanging plastic which could be trimmed and sealed much closer to the packed dressing



Last summer 5 yo mini me took a chunk out of her heel on a indoor play park .. Line up screams and the terror of her bleeding..... Well yes there was a trickle of blood but to a 5yo it is the end of the world.... With crying to match probably lost more fluids in tears snot and saliver than blood....

Well Mrs andy got hold of her put her on her knee....

Few stern words issues by then my ifac was open and one saline wipe and a minion plaster applied and as if by magic all was well with the world....

Few parents sat on the seating just stared at the fact we had the kit with us one said it was a great idea to have a box of plasters and a wet wipe..... Don't think she realised the amount of kit that was in the pouch...

[ChefSimon]

Very few people do realise just what can be fitted into a small pouch. It was a similar thing with the guard on the train, he bought out the big box which had slings, bio-waste bags and large bandages but nothing of any real use. I pull out my pouch and he was amazed at what was in it.

I've had similar conversations to you with my last instructor and also with my wife last year when she done her First Aid At Work course. Always deal with a catastrophic bleed before anything else.

I like to think I'm in a unique position with my work now that I'm getting to see a lot of the new procedures as they are bought out (working for the NHS in a position that gives me access to the new 'ways of working') I've seen a lot of lessons learnt from Iraq & Afghanistan being bought into main stream medicine and emergency care now.

PS, Loving the Minion plasters!

Stiring up a debate, I still think that first aid qualification should be mandatory for all school aged children and a part of the driving license. Plus a first aid kit actually being law for inclusion in every vehicle & form part of the MOT or something.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Very few people do realise just what can be fitted into a small pouch. It was a similar thing with the guard on the train, he bought out the big box which had slings, bio-waste bags and large bandages but nothing of any real use. I pull out my pouch and he was amazed at what was in it.

I've had similar conversations to you with my last instructor and also with my wife last year when she done her First Aid At Work course. Always deal with a catastrophic bleed before anything else.

I like to think I'm in a unique position with my work now that I'm getting to see a lot of the new procedures as they are bought out (working for the NHS in a position that gives me access to the new 'ways of working') I've seen a lot of lessons learnt from Iraq & Afghanistan being bought into main stream medicine and emergency care now.

PS, Loving the Minion plasters!

Stiring up a debate, I still think that first aid qualification should be mandatory for all school aged children and a part of the driving license. Plus a first aid kit actually being law for inclusion in every vehicle & form part of the MOT or something.

Well 14 yo is in the army cadette group and he's been kissing Annie and playing with bandages... Opened his eyes to "real world first aid" no need for triangle bandage unbutton shirt or smock And tuck hand / arm in... Etc


I agree with the fak in every car think its Germany that insist on a minimum spec kit which contents piss all over most UK pick up in Halfords kits.

Lidl had some half decent din approved kits last week for £4.99

[Deeps]

Stiring up a debate, I still think that first aid qualification should be mandatory for all school aged children and a part of the driving license. Plus a first aid kit actually being law for inclusion in every vehicle & form part of the MOT or something.

I think First Aid at school is a great idea, its been mentioned on here a few times and I can't think of a single reason why we don't. Even 1 period a week at the high school to keep things fresh would be a great idea, kids could do it as part of the curriculum at the later stages of primary school and then its just....topping up.

While I've no problem with a compulsory FAK for cars at the moment we're down to a lottery of someone being clued up enough to use them, if First Aid is being pushed at school and hopefully with free top ups for the adults then its a great idea.

[shocker]

Im (almost) speechless at how much things have advanced in this area. And how out of touch I am.

I agree on the compulsory first aid training. I was lucky in having a Junior St Johns group meet weekly in the Rec Hall opposite where I lived as a child, so I got to blag in for free as they felt sorry for the pikey kid. Cant see that the same but updated would hurt youngsters, nowadays.

I really need to get some up to date training. (not quite) all-the-gear, no idea...thats me

[Deeps]

Im (almost) speechless at how much things have advanced in this area. And how out of touch I am.

I agree on the compulsory first aid training. I was lucky in having a Junior St Johns group meet weekly in the Rec Hall opposite where I lived as a child, so I got to blag in for free as they felt sorry for the pikey kid. Cant see that the same but updated would hurt youngsters, nowadays.

I really need to get some up to date training. (not quite) all-the-gear, no idea...thats me

I'm well out of date too and while the basics are the same, I'm not insured as a first aider, this is something to consider in our litigious world.

Stop the purple stuff pissing out and keep the heart going is the core I guess but things evolve. It would be good to get back in date, more to be of use to others, I'm happy enough to square myself away.