What is a reputable brand to get a trauma first aid kit? Looking for something that is more wound dressing like quick clot, tourniquet, items like that for major outdoor oopses. Have some FSA money to burn so any other good outdoors type things to spend it on would be nice as well.

https://www.narescue.com/community-preparedness-products/workplace-medical-kits/public-access-individual-bleeding-control-kit-nylon.html

I've got one of these in all our vehicles and equipment.

I have the Adventure Medical Kits Marine 600 in my boats. Like it a lot. Lots of resources and instructions on what to do.

shaynew1 said:

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https://www.narescue.com/community-preparedness-products/workplace-medical-kits/public-access-individual-bleeding-control-kit-nylon.html

I've got one of these in all our vehicles and equipment.

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+1 on NAR, they have sales all the time. Get the intermediate or advanced along with an extra CAT or 2. The femoral often takes two and then carry a CAT with you at all times. All of our vehicles carry squad sized kits and one in the house.

Go take a stop the bleed class.

Apache said:

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Build you own IMO.
You'll get better stuff & not 40 packets of alcohol wipes

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This. Built my own & made sure mine included a lot more for stopping major bleeding, not just some kids boo boo.

Also, if possible take a trama related medical class. I thought I knew a thing or two because I knew CPR, turns out, I did not. Take a class.

Apache said:

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Build you own IMO.
You'll get better stuff & not 40 packets of alcohol wipes

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Caveat: still buy TQs from someone like NAR, Dark Angel, etc.

Amazon has been known to sell (mistakenly or intentionally) knock off TQs. No Bueno.

BenderRodriguez said:

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Apache said:

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Build you own IMO.
You'll get better stuff & not 40 packets of alcohol wipes

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Caveat: still buy TQs from someone like NAR, Dark Angel, etc.

Amazon has been known to sell (mistakenly or intentionally) knock off TQs. No Bueno.

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Can verify.

Quote:

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Also, if possible take a trama related medical class.

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I've taken a wilderness first aid class a couple of times & consider it well worth the time & money.
If you hunt or work where help is likely an hour+ away, it is invaluable.
https://www.nols.edu/en/

Check out veteran Mike Glovers company - Fieldcraft Survival

That is one I was a little worried about. And some of those companies even have sperate websites that make it look more legit even though it's not.

Probably could use a refresher on some of the first aid. Been a while since Ive gone through it all. But have had the training previously for work, scouts, and rescue diver course.

I will get the name of the company of the ones I have, but get a tourniquet that you can use with one hand. Mine have a BOA system, similar to the system used on hiking boots.

Needs: quality tourniquet (two is better) make sure you know how to use it and practice, adhesive chest seal-think maybe a razor and some wet wipes too, quality trauma shears (wont bend, has serrations on at least one blade), quickclot is a maybe (have actually used twice very selectively), Israeli bandage, gauze sponges and wraps, Coban, CPR mask with barrier filter. Also there was a fad a couple years ago about Narcan, but it is only useful in a very few situations, eye wash, burn ointment, benzocaine, or other topical anesthetic like oragel works on abrasions.

I don't carry a lot of dressing stuff, rather rely in the trauma shears. If you are in a penetrating trauma setting, you'll cut clothing, and that can be used to pack wounds (atop sterile gauze) while you wait for EMS, or transport. Think about your actual needs and adjust your kit accordingly.

I worked trauma surgery for many years. I have once seen a tourniquet used appropriately by bystander, EMS or even the ER trauma doctors and nurses. My point is learn how and when to use it.

https://solatac.com/

Good dude.

Mr. Dubi said:

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I worked trauma surgery for many years. I have once seen a tourniquet used appropriately by bystander, EMS or even the ER trauma doctors and nurses. My point is learn how and when to use it.

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Seriously? What are the common mistakes?

The mistakes were:

1) Applying to venous injuries: this will cause so much venous congestion, that eventually the blood flow will look pulsatile.

2) Not applying enough tension on arterial bleeds -- I actually saw an arm with three tourniquets applied, yet there was pulsatile arterial bleed that continued to require direct pressure to stem the flow.

3) Appling to severe soft tissue injury without arterial bleeding. Capillaries bleed a lot, but do not require a tourniquet to stop the bleed.

A tourniquet should be a last resort, rather than a first approach. Tourniquets are very painful, if it's not needed you are just causing undue discomfort. Unless there is obvious pulsatile, or severely large volumes of bleeding, then direct pressure and packing should be used.

The use of tourniquets is not without risk: they can cause nerve damage and ischemia, which can cause further damage than the initial injury.

I'm not advocating for not using one, rather proper usage, with appropriate education. Attend a Stop the Bleed class. I also worked in invasive radiology for several years, where arteriotomies are done on every procedure. We, in all but a very few instances, were able to control the bleeding with direct pressure.

Understand completely on direct pressure usually being the answer (while waiting for ems and real help), but I think the emphasis on tqs is that even if you dont need one often, when you do need one you REALLY need one.

Great rec on Stop the Bleed stuff too.

I had a friend that runs county EMS up here make some for us (daughter is an EMT and I was a volunteer fireman) he based it on the ammo can style ones that he put together for the police dept, I added aspirin, Benadryl, 8 single serving bourbons, a tourniquet, a field suture kit, and a field surgical stapler.
I know it's a little overkill but I have seen some **** on calls and would rather have it and not need it than the opposite. Between COVID and the 2021 blackout I decided we were all a little to comfortable and reliant

stopthebleed.org

To help you get started.