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Slims · 09-24-2010, 08:23 AM

I have to caveat that I am not a medic. I know what I have been taught by our medics and I trust them, but cannot always adequately explain the *why* behind a particular practice.

Remember that you blow out med kit is just one element of what your entire unit/team will carry. Each person carries very little because you are not planning on doing anything except stopping a bleed to your leg/arm by yourself....Your kit is for the person treating you to stop immediate bleeds/life threats and should be focused nearly entirely on that. Remember that your buddies will use items from their kits to treat you if necessary and a medic *should* be moments away. Likewise, if you walk up on someone who is shot through both legs you use their tourniquet first and then yours....bleeding stopped. The medic can do more if necessary.

The kit I have in my civilian blow-out bag is bigger because I don't expect the combat-style team effort. But it is not intended for self-aid either...There is no way on earth you are going to be able to pack your own wounds, etc.

My combat blow-out bag is pretty minimal and so is that of everyone I work with (except, obviously, for our medics).

It contains:
-Combat Pill Pack (NSAID, Antibiotics, etc) You take it when you get shot to make life easier down the road by preventing infection.
-Morphine auto injector/ fentanyl lollipop
-Combat Gauze x2
-Chest Seal x 2 (Aschermans, hydroseal, etc. Whatever we get)
-Tourniquet
-Nasophyrangeal airway
-Catheter for needle decompression
-Israeli Bandage
-Ace Wrap

It fits in a small pouch on my side. It is a lot smaller and more useful than an IFAK. Honestly, the only item I keep within easy reach of both arms is my tourniquet, which is rubber banded to my molle behind my radio pouch. You are not going to be applying your own catheter, airway, wound packing, etc. About the limit of what a soldier will be able to do by themselves is apply a tourniquet and morphine....But even then the morphine is likely a bad decision and our medics often with hold it so I am not worried about not being able to reach that.

A lot of our guys carrry trauma shears (the big heavy duty things) and they tuck nicely into the MOLLE loops on the outside of your kit, no need to bury them out of sight in a pouch.

09-24-2010, 08:23 AM	#26 (permalink)
Slims Eccentric insomniac Location: North Carolina	I have to caveat that I am not a medic. I know what I have been taught by our medics and I trust them, but cannot always adequately explain the why behind a particular practice. Remember that you blow out med kit is just one element of what your entire unit/team will carry. Each person carries very little because you are not planning on doing anything except stopping a bleed to your leg/arm by yourself....Your kit is for the person treating you to stop immediate bleeds/life threats and should be focused nearly entirely on that. Remember that your buddies will use items from their kits to treat you if necessary and a medic should be moments away. Likewise, if you walk up on someone who is shot through both legs you use their tourniquet first and then yours....bleeding stopped. The medic can do more if necessary. The kit I have in my civilian blow-out bag is bigger because I don't expect the combat-style team effort. But it is not intended for self-aid either...There is no way on earth you are going to be able to pack your own wounds, etc. My combat blow-out bag is pretty minimal and so is that of everyone I work with (except, obviously, for our medics). It contains: -Combat Pill Pack (NSAID, Antibiotics, etc) You take it when you get shot to make life easier down the road by preventing infection. -Morphine auto injector/ fentanyl lollipop -Combat Gauze x2 -Chest Seal x 2 (Aschermans, hydroseal, etc. Whatever we get) -Tourniquet -Nasophyrangeal airway -Catheter for needle decompression -Israeli Bandage -Ace Wrap It fits in a small pouch on my side. It is a lot smaller and more useful than an IFAK. Honestly, the only item I keep within easy reach of both arms is my tourniquet, which is rubber banded to my molle behind my radio pouch. You are not going to be applying your own catheter, airway, wound packing, etc. About the limit of what a soldier will be able to do by themselves is apply a tourniquet and morphine....But even then the morphine is likely a bad decision and our medics often with hold it so I am not worried about not being able to reach that. A lot of our guys carrry trauma shears (the big heavy duty things) and they tuck nicely into the MOLLE loops on the outside of your kit, no need to bury them out of sight in a pouch. __________________ "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." - Winston Churchill "All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act out their dream with open eyes, to make it possible." Seven Pillars of Wisdom, T.E. Lawrence Last edited by Slims; 09-24-2010 at 08:27 AM..