Ifak most over looked items

Discussion in 'Wilderness and Tactical Healthcare Management' started by BlueDogScout, Mar 18, 2018.

  1. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    so this is carry over from another post to keep it on topic. So far we discussed eyewash and a sharpie. What else should be in your ifak but is normally overlooked in the bugging of building a kit? Pictures highly encouraged of both the items, and full kits!
     
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  2. UK Jackal

    UK Jackal Member

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    Trauma shears are great but there are instances where the mechanical functions required to operate them are beyond the casualty! And let's not kid ourselves, we build these kits with the lowest common denominator in mind, yourself!

    Experience tells me that safety fish (or the various names they go by) are a must have.

    Also, get as bright a fish as you can find. In the dark this might give you a significant advantage. Bonus is to get the ones I have with a seatbelt cutter on the end. I put them in all the IFAKs/Trauma Kits I sell!

    IMG_1371.JPG
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2018
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  3. DYSPHORIC JOY

    DYSPHORIC JOY Administrator Staff Member

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    Splinter Forceps.
     
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  4. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    I might need to get one of those...

    Is that fancy for tweezers?
     
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  5. DYSPHORIC JOY

    DYSPHORIC JOY Administrator Staff Member

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    Not at all. I have used these more than any other FA tool on long camp outs and backcountry excursions. Leather gloves are often ineffective on thorns in my region. Nothing worse than broken thorns in fingers. F26C5D68-7557-451B-9891-A6E3C6D61CF1.jpeg
     
  6. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    Those look like very nice tweezers.... ;)
     
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  7. John

    John I know who I am! Staff Member

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    Tampons
     
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  8. RedEyedHog

    RedEyedHog Moderator Staff Member

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    No! Shut yo mouth!



    I’d say often overlooked is and extra tourniquet. Always keep two. Just in case there’s a need for ‘kissing tourniquets.’
     
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  9. DYSPHORIC JOY

    DYSPHORIC JOY Administrator Staff Member

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    Absolutely and understand how to improvise additional TQs.
     
  10. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    To defend John they are designed to absorb and stop bleeding. We actually keep a lot of feminine hygiene products in our equine first aid kit. They come in handy. You could use a tampon in a puncture wound to help control bleeding. Now I understand there are better products out there and for this thread maybe you don’t need to always include tampons and such but they do have a place.

    That is an excellent point. I only keep one in my ifak but there are two in my truck kit. Like @DYSPHORIC JOY says below I keep toggles, paracord and webbing (webbing is better than paracord) in many other aspects of my kit which could be used as a windlass style TQ.

     
  11. Hammer

    Hammer Member

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    Just as importantly, know when not to use tourniquets. I know the wilderness med community has come around to recommending their use again, but it's important to keep in mind that you need to be very conservative with the application and monitoring of a tourniquet. I'm of the opinion that you really shouldn't have a tourniquet in your first aid kit unless you've had specific training on their implementation, assessment and use, or you could end up doing more damage than good.

    Beyond that, though, I think 1st aid kit contents are somewhat context specific. Is this a car/basecamp kit? A kit that you will be carrying on your back? If so, for how long - a day hike or a 7-day backpacking trip? If so, how remote is your route? Will you be responsible for others? If so, do they have any 1st aid training as as well, or will you be the most experienced on the trip?

    I don't think most backcountry first aid kits require many obscure items - what they require is people who know how to use the basics and know to improvise. Wilderness medicine is a lot more about training, assessment, and stabilization than it is about having a huge 1st aid kit. And recognize that unless you're a professional, you're probably not really going to be "fixing" many serious things in the backcountry - you're going to be stabilizing and getting them out, asap.

    This thread has been a good motivator for me to do something I try to do every year around this time - go through my various first aid kits, see what might be missing, what needs to be re-supplied, etc. for upcoming trips. I'm going to work on that this afternoon, and I'll post pics and lists of my various kits as I do...
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2018
  12. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    For me when I think of an ifak it’s about the one you keep on your person to take care of you. There can be extras to share but for the most part it’s for you. In that context my ifak for my kit is kinda small. I have a larger truck kit that could be used at a base camp scenario but the ifak in my kit is just me. Thus I have my meds for a normal weekend with the scouts, various bandaids and gauze, the coban is for the gauze and safety pins to reenforce. The gloves are in case someone needs to help me, (lefty don’t work right) and the Izzy bandage/TQ are for what if it’s bad. I have bled out before and it’s not fun. If it wasn’t for amazing doctors and the grace of god I wouldn’t be typing this right now. I know how to use a TQ, but I agree they can be dangerous if people are ignorant and so many are. So my ifak is for basic first aid and not for trauma or extremely hazardous situations.
     
  13. UK Jackal

    UK Jackal Member

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    The requirement for multiple items takes us to a different (and very important) subject all together. There are different kits for different scenarios (lone/3rd party/small team/large team etc) and I won't get bogged down in that as it will take us too far off the original post, what I will say is that I wrote a blog about just that recently, have a read see what you think:

    http://jackalfirearms.co.uk/jackal-firearms-trauma-kits-and-knowing-how-to-use-them/

    As for a thread listing items we often miss, tampons are great but using makeshift items when proven kit is available is working in a scenario where we have not properly prepared or have been caught out! This could/should be avoided by adequate training and planning.

    Celox is the one thing I often see missing from IFAK kits. The roll gauze is great stuff but on the (very valid) tampon point, the celox applicator is a FANTASTIC bit of kit for lone/blow-out kits. Easy to apply and small to store.

    IMG_1376.PNG
     
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  14. Hammer

    Hammer Member

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    Thanks for posting this, Simon. I've been working on a kit specific to carrying in my range bag and your link was helpful.
     
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  15. UK Jackal

    UK Jackal Member

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    My absolute pleasure buddy! I've been (un)fortunate to deal with quite a bit of major trauma including GSW over the years, so I've been able to work through what works and what doesn't. If you ever need to pick my brains just give me a shout!
     
  16. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    Never seen this before, very interesting thank you!
     
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  17. UK Jackal

    UK Jackal Member

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    Once again, my pleasure! *ThumbsUp
     
  18. Neilsen

    Neilsen Member

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    @Hammer has hit the nail on the head. I’d have to agree with his opinions, especially TQs. Knowledge is often overlooked. It’s great to have all the gear but you need to know how/when to use it. Be comfortable with it before you actually need it. Improvisation is key. My paramedic instructors in college stressed this a lot. I carry a pretty minimal kit but I am comfortable improvising. Make up scenarios and talk it out, plan what you could use, what you can substitute if you didn’t have it.

    Disclaimer: I’m not a wilderness first responder but I was a paramedic.
     
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  19. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    Technically isn’t knowledge the most overlooked item in an ifak kit?
     
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  20. John

    John I know who I am! Staff Member

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    I'm dead serious about tampons. I can pack several of those in my kit with minimal space required. I can use them to pack a wound or use them in combination with a pressure dressing until the patient can get stitched up. These are specifically for absorbing blood and a must have in a blow out kit or IFAK. You guys would love the Wilderness First Aid (3 days) or the Wilderness First Responder (5 days) we've got coming up. If we don't on over specifically what you'd like to know, I'll be happy to stay late as will some other instructors.
     

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