I included that reference book because of experience. As I always say, experience is the best teacher. One night, on vacation, Mom had a suspected neck injury. Fortunately, she was okay; for about an hour I wish I had that reference book with me. Since then I EDC that book.

Jeanette Isabelle

Good stuff!

That looks quite comprehensive!

I have a little jump bag (Condor Deployment Bag) with just some basics in it that I generally keep in my vehicle or take with me on scenes.

Front Pocket:
-Basic IFAK (Gloves, Izzie, CAT, HALO, QC, forceps)

Side Pocket 1:
-Booboo kit (Basic band aids, antiseptic / antibiotic ointment, tegaderm, gauze pads, OTC painkillers, that sort of thing)
-Small pack of wet wipes

Side Pocket 2:
-Oral airway set
-CPR pocket mask

Main Compartment:
-A bunch of gloves
-Few cheap $1 headlamps from Walmart
-Second CAT TQ
-Stethoscope and BP cuff (regular adult size)
-Pulse Ox
-Extra Kerlix
-Ace Wrap
-Bottle of saline eye wash for irrigation
-Cold packs (summer), hand warmers (winter)
-Oral rehydration salts and Pedialyte powder
-Glucose
-SOL Emergency Blanket

Outside:
-Mini Sharpie
-Res-q-me glass breaker / seatbelt cutter
-Benchmade rescue hook
-Bug spray (lately!)

It's not going to cover all possibilities (no room for a full set of BP cuffs for instance), but it's a good basis to deal with most of what we commonly encounter -- either simple booboos that don't really require EMS response, life threatening injuries that just need to hang on long enough for more definitive help to arrive, or relatively simple things that early intervention can help mitigate.

I would like to have an epipen and blood glucose monitor, but those (along with nasal airways and decompression needles) are out of scope for an EMR in my area. At the station we also have AED and Oxygen, but I don't carry that stuff around with me day to day.

Thanks, everybody.

Burncycle that looks great too. I prefer to have my EDC bag, which includes my EDC FAK, with me every time I step away from our property.

Starting this month, I will have my big medical kit in the SUV when we go on road trips.

Jeanette Isabelle

I updated my EDC FAK again after I received my latest order.

MEDICAL INFORMATION
(1) Wilderness & Travel Medicine

PERSONAL PROTECTION
(1) Respirator Mask
(2) Bear Claw Glove Kit
(6) Personal Antimicrobial Wipe
(1) CPR Face Shield

INSTRUMENTS
(1) Digital Thermometer
(1) EMT Shears, 5.5", Silver
(1) Tweezers
(3) Safety Pins, 2"

BLEEDING
(1) Trauma Pad, 5" x 9"
(1) SWAT-T Tourniquet
(1) QuikClot, 25 g
(1) Trauma Bandage, 4"

WOUND / BLISTER / BURN
(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.
(2) Non-Adherent Dressing, 3" x 4"
(5) Sterile Gauze Pad, 3" x 3"
(6) Povidone-Iodine Prep Pad

MEDICATION
(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
(3) Alka-Seltzer
(1) Hydration Powder

For my large kit I added the following, the Hemostat because of the recommendation:
Activated Charcoal
Hemostat, Kelly Forceps Straight, 5.5"

Jeanette Isabelle

I'm beginning reevaluate my FAK. In the past I've had tons and tons of bandaids and a lot of ointments; now I'm moving towards just a few bandaides but a lot more gauze and high quality tape. Less meds but a good array of painkillers of the various types, a couple meds that are multi-use but not a bunch of salves/creams. I'm looking to use tape and coban more, and add a bit more trauma stuff. Think an extra TK, some chest seals and another aluminum rolled splint. Maybe an Epipen if I can arrange for it.

My thinking is that if you only need a band-aid then you probably don't really need a band-aide. Almost any small cut can be treated with glue or gauze. I'm going to move towards a FAK geared towards trauma and not as much for boo-boos. Of course, booboos do occur so I'll keep a bit of that kind of stuff. I just want to be a bit more prepared for the major stuff.

I'm going the other way; toward a smaller kit.
- Ibuprofen ( and some other OTC meds)
- band aids
- tape
- exam gloves
- small tools (tweezers, keychain light, knife)
- gauze pads

I should have explained that my kit is a bit smaller, too. Instead of dozens of different OTC meds, hundreds of bandaids, etc I am trying to pick fewer but more potent items.

The following is the current configuration of my modified medical bag. 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
(3) Burn Jel, 3.5 g
(1) 30 Band-Aid, 6 Knuckle, 6 Moleskin
(1) Durapore Tape, 1"
(1) Stretch Gauze, 3" x 12 yds.
(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
(1) Activated Charcoal

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
(1) Hemostat, Kelly Forceps Straight, 5.5"
(1) Fresnel Lens

Hikermor, in the past, suggested that I include a stethoscope, blood pressure cuff and headlamp. I don't have room for a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff in any of the pockets. Also, I'm not a big fan of having much stuff outside my kit. If I can't include it in my bag or as part of my EDC, don't include it. As for the headlamp, I don't see myself needing it. However, I am open to that idea.

Haertig recommended oral airways in addition to or as a replacement of nasal airways. From everything I've read, use nasal airways, not oral airways.

Acropolis5 recommended safety goggles, a #11 disposable scalpel, that I replace the 3" x 3" with 4" x 4", add more 5" x 9" pads and replace the stretch gauze with CoFlex. Safety goggles won't fit, I don't know if a blade would be a good idea or not, the 4" x 4" came stock but I had to replace them with the 3" x 3" because of space, I removed the 5" x 9" trauma pads because of space and because I now have better trauma items and I removed the CoFlex (which was stock) and replaced it with the stretch gauze because the stock configuration was messing with my O.C.D.

Wound care goes in the wound care pocket, the bleeding items go in the bleeding pockets and the instruments go in the instrument pocket. Don't put things from all thee categories into one pocket and don't have wound care spread throughout three pockets. Companies such as Chinook need to hire people with O.C.D. to help design kits.

Chaos Magnet recommended that I include more medications and gloves; I had to reduce the number of drugs because the stock configuration made it difficult to find and retrieve the medicines I may need. I had to cut the pairs of gloves because I added to the personal protection pocket.

I've considered replacing the QuikClot, 25 g with QuikClot 3" x 4 yds Bleeding Control Dressing.

Since I've reorganized my kit from its stock configuration, I now have an empty pocket. I've wanted two Polycarbonate Eye Shields; I'm not sure which section they should go, immobilization, instruments or other. I still have an empty pocket. I considered a Dental Module; I'm still not convinced I need it. If I do need it, it would be great to have.

Edit: I may have room for the blood pressure cuff and stethoscope if I remove the hot and cold pack.

Jeanette Isabelle

As an aid provider, one of your most valuable attributes is the ability to conduct a thorough, comprehensive, and complete patient survey. This mostly requires training and experience on your part, knowledge of the patient's medical history and previous conditions (usually only possible with close friends and family members) and the ability to communicate with the patient. An unresponsive person is extremely daunting.

I have been impressed by the frequency of more potentially serious conditions that were far less prominent that an easily treated, readily apparent condition - say an obvious bleeding cut along with swelling and pain in the neck area, potentially indicating spinal fracture, a situation which mandates very careful packaging and transport.

Proper emergency care is far more than having a well stocked FAK, although that is important as well. Before you can treat and use your FAK goodies, you must be able to recognize a potential condition. That is why training is such a critical component of any emergency care situation.

There are people with far more experience that me. Their comments are appreciated.