how complete is the FAK you will count on?

[Kaw77]

I purchased this - but I am also looking at adding 2 IFAK (blow out kits) as well
Is this sufficient or what am I missing??

1 EFA - First Aid Instructions - 10 Pill Bottle - 16 Bandage Strips 1''x3'' - 10 Pain Relievers - 2 Bandage Gauzes, 2''x4.5yds. - 2 Triple Antibiotic Packages - 1 Elastic Bandage, 6'' - 2 First Aid Cream Packages - 1 Triangular Bandage 40''x40''x56'' - 1 Burn Aid Package - 1 Field Dressing - 2 Tape, Rolls, Adhesive - 4 Sterile Sponges, 4''x4'' - 1 SAM / Universal Splint - 4 Abdominal Pads, 5''x9'' - 1 Tourniquet - 1 Eye Pad - 1 EMT Shears, 7.25'' - 16 Alcohol Wipes - 1 Pair of Tweezers - 15 Iodine Wipes - 1 Stainless Steel Hemostat, 5'' - 15 Antiseptic BZK Wipes - 1 Suture Set - 15 Clean Wipes - 1 Irrigation Syringe - 1 Lip Treatment - 2 Tongue Depressors - 1 Sterile Flushing Solution - 1 Airway - 1 Hand Soap - 2 Instand Ice Packs - 6 Safety Pins - 2 Pairs Latex Examination Gloves

IFAK
The IFAK will be issued to every Soldier via the Soldier as a System (SaaS) Rapid Fielding Initiative (RFI). Weighing one pound, the IFAK will consist of the following six (6) expendable medical items packaged inside of a modified MOLLE 100 round SAW ammo pouch.

NSN NOMENCLATURE UNIT PACK QTY

6515-01-521-7976 Tourniquet, Combat Application 1

6510-01-492-2275 Bandage Kit, Elastic 1

6510-01-503-2117 Bandage GA4-1/2”(Israeli Bandage) 100’s 1

6510-00-926-8883 Adhesive Tape Surg 2” 6’s 1

6515-01-180-0467 Airway, Nasopharyngeal, 28Fr, 12s 1

6515-01-519-9161 Glove, Patient Exam 100’s 4

 

[SMS]

Sufficient is relative to intended application and end user skill, Kaw.

It's a pretty complete kit, but keep in mind that a soldiers IFAK is intended to be used by trained individuals to stabilize a casualty until/during evac to higher medical.

Take the Nasopharyngeal tube for example, if the end user has never done one or doesn't even know what the purpose is, why pack it? Sutures? Same thing. CATs, along with Naso's usually come into play during severe trauma...is your expected environment going to have follow-on higher level resources that make the use of a CAT or Naso tube worth packing/storing/using?

In other words, if your bug-out partner catches a 7.62 to the face and is still clinging to life but having trouble breathing because his nasal cavity is destroyed...is it really worth plowing through the muck to try and put a tube in?

You could save some expense and space and tailor your own kit to one that focuses on the basics; stopping bleeding, preventing infection, providing comfort, and then grow your kit as your skills grow.

Bandaids, gauze, iodine, alcohol, more gauze, pain meds, compressed gauze, medical tape, and most importantly GAUZE. Can you tell I like gauze? LOL.

 

[okie362]

Gauze?

Don't forget Tefla Pads!! Those things are great and they don't stick as bad when the blood dries.

 

[Kaw77]

@SMS point taken tks

 

[Johnjosiah]

KISS method.

If things are so bad as to need quik clot packs and such then we are in trouble beyond some of our worst nightmares and significant first aid is probably palliative at best. There won't be anywhere to evacuate a person to even if you can stabilize them. The key will be to prevent minor issues from becoming major ones. For instance copious water and a bar of dial soap is about as good a cleaner as there is. Thus, a water filter and bar of soap can replace iodine, alcohol and peroxide. 4 4x4s is nothing if a wound is bleeding at all. You don't need a tourniquet if you have a triangular bandage, belt or about anything else that go tight around an extremity. Sharp knife and few sticks and you have all the tongue depressors you need. Duck tape and gauze (I think it was mentioned) and you have all the bandage strips you need. Sanitary napkins are great bulk bandages and cheap I think. Again gauze and a knife make lots of eye patches. Latex and latex free gloves are great and have many uses beyond 1st aid. 5 or 6 pair would be a start for me.

Anyway you get the drift.

I could use a nasal air way for several things...Modified chest tube (maybe futile but might buy some time), funnel, straw, finger tourniquet, increase pressure to flush a wound, tracheotomy tube (likely futile), drain for a deep wound.

Think multitasking.