The following is the current configuration of my modified medical kit. I wanted to focus on bleeding, chest and airway. The items with a link are what I added to the off-the-shelf kit.

MEDICAL INFORMATION / TRIAGE
(1) Wilderness & Travel Medicine
(1) Tactical Combat Casualty Reference Card
(4) Tactical Combat Casualty Care Card

PERSONAL PROTECTION
(1) Biohazard Waste Bag
(1) Rescue Mask, Soft Case
(6) Personal Antimicrobial Wipe
(2) Emergency/Survival Blanket
(2) Respirator Mask
(2) Bear Claw Glove Kit

BLEEDING
(2) Combat Application Tourniquet, Rescue Orange
(1) QuikClot, 25 g
(2) Trauma Bandage, 4"
(4) Compressed Gauze

AIRWAY
(2) Bolin Chest Seal
(1) Hyfin Vent Chest Seal Twin Pack
(2) Nasopharyngeal Airway w/ Lube, 28 Fr
(2) ARS Decompression Needle, 10 g x 3.25"

WOUND / BLISTER / BURN
(1) Trauma Pad, 5" x 9"
(3) Burn Jel, 3.5 g
(1) 30 Band-Aid, 6 Knuckle, 6 Moleskin
(1) Durapore Tape, 1"
(1) Stretch Gauze, 3" x 12 yd.
(1) Wound Closure Strips, 0.25" x 4"
(2) Non-Adherent Dressing, 3" x 4"
(5) Sterile Gauze Pad, 3" x 3"
(6) Povidone-Iodine Prep Pad

IMMOBILIZATION
(1) Disposable Cold Pack
(1) Disposable Heat Pack
(1) Elastic Bandage Wrap, 4" x 4.5 yds.
(1) Splint, Orange, 4.25" x 36"
(2) Cravat Triangular Bandage

MEDICATION
(1) Eye Wash, 4 oz.
(2) Glucose, 15 g
(6) Aspirin, 2/pk (Analgesic)
(6) Diamode, 1/pk (Anti-diarrheal)
(6) Diotame, 2/pk (Stomach)
(6) Diphen, 1/pk (Antihistamine)
(6) Hydrocortisone 1% Creme, 1.5 g
(6) Ibuprofen, 2/pk (Anti-inflammatory)
(6) Triple Antibiotic Ointment, 0.9 g
(2) Hydration Powder
(1) Insect Bite Treatment

INSTRUMENTS
(1) Catheter Tip, 18G
(1) Digital Thermometer
(1) EMT Shears, 7.25"
(1) Irrigation Syringe, 20 mL Luer Lock Tip
(1) Tweezers
(3) Safety Pins, 2"
(1) Disposable Penlight
(1) Permanent Marker, Extra Fine Point

I have space for future modifications; at this point, I'm not sure what I should add.

Jeanette Isabelle

I think it's very good. For me, I'd add more gloves, more OTC meds, and more small bandages.

Thank you.

I decreased the OTC medications because (in the stock configuration) I had to dig through so much to find what I needed.

What do you mean by "small bandages?"

Jeanette Isabelle

Small bandages are those with diminished dimensions relative to bigger bandages - typically less than 1.5 cm by 7cm - commonly referred to as "bandaids".

Thing is, you will probably apply about a thousand bandaids for every application of a tourniquet or splint. At one point, I was responsible for stocking the FAKs in a rather large office.People were getting into the FAKs and messing up the contents searching for bandaids that I finally placed a separate box of BAs outside the FAK so that its contents would be undisturbed and accessible for the really serious, but rare, incidents.

I soon started placing BAs in my wallet, readily accessible for the common booboo without even digging out a FAK. It really minimizes the drama....

What about steps and measures once the blood has stopped gushing? How will you summon or provide transportation to more definitive care? That is easily the most important action one can take in significant incidents.

If you face really significant injuries or mass casualty situations, you will run out of dedicated items. Always plan on improvising - it is an essential part of first aid.

No CPR mask?

I vouch for the CAT tourniquet as well. Seen these used first hand a few times overseas so I know they work. A lot of military units issue them for a reason I guess. It’s nice to have a practice one and a couple in your kit clean and ready for use.

Don’t underestimate how much gauze you might need for a bad injury. It would surprise most folks how much it can take to stop a major bleed. Depends on what you use the kit for I guess.

I split my kits into normal FA (small routine injuries) and a trauma kit. I keep 2 kits in each vehicle (small in the glove box, large under the front seat) and a very large, comprehensive kit at home. I have a smaller one for my hunting/ outdoor activity’s and my issued one sits in my gear at work. Most times you will only need a bandaid or something small so for me I like keeping the large, rarely used trauma specific items in a separate pouch. Saves getting blood on everything every time I cut a finger or need to dig a splinter out of myself.

Be wary of the plastic windlass on the CAT though. It doesn’t fair well in extreme cold.

Oh. I have them listed. The following is a link to more information.

https://www.chinookmed.com/801508/band-aids-blisters.html


That would depend on the situation.

Jeanette Isabelle

I have that.


The following is the link to it:

https://www.chinookmed.com/01180/ambu-res-cue-mask.html


It's not in my med kit; I have the blue trainer.

https://www.chinookmed.com/500471/combat-application-tourniquet-blue-trainer


I have dedicated bleeding items:



The one I listed is my big kit. I also have the following, also modified, in my EDC bag.

https://www.chinookmed.com/01423/traveler-kit.html

Jeanette Isabelle

That’s as good a FA kit as any. Looks like a lot of thought went into it. Not sure how I missed the CPR mask. My bad.

People tend to bleed a lot. If I have spare space anywhere in my kit I put more shell dressings or compressed gauze in there. Granted, my training and preferences lean heavily on what I have learned in my job. Depends on your own needs. I don’t expect to see the same type of injuries at home as I have while deployed. I keep a good trauma kit in the vehicle in case of car/ hunting accidents and the like where the injuries would be similar to what I am more used to seeing. Where I live, and ambulance can be an hour away in bad weather so I don’t see it as overkill.

If you ever find yourself in Ontario shoot me a PM and I can hook you up with all sorts of trauma stuff for your kit.

Job perk. They keep giving me new stuff all the time and they never want the old stuff back. That, and I’ve a few friends who are medics so they are always giving me swag to try. I’ve amassed so much of the stuff over my career I could probably stock a small ER. I’m too frugal to turn down swag of any kind.

Thank you. I borrowed ideas from a variety of sources, including military kits. However, when applying that to my kit, I went with the civilian version when possible.


I'm not familiar with the term "shell dressings."


Thank you; I don't see myself in Ontario any time soon.


I have enough spare parts that I could build a kit for someone who needs it.

Jeanette Isabelle

Shell dressing is (Canadian) army slang for a combat compression bandage. Currently we are issued the Israeli T3. We have a larger one designed for abdominal injuries as well but I don’t recall the name. Same as a CAT, they are designed to be self applied if need be, and are designed to hold tension with Velcro and buckles so you don’t need tape or pins to keep them on.