In my last first aid class CPR was taught with compressions only. The reason behind this was that without proper, regular practice the pause for respiration may cause the blood pressure obtained with the compressions to drop below a required level.
A SAM splint does not take up much space and can be formed to fit narrow available space. A splint may help to control pain and keep a person with a broken arm more mobile and in better shape.
Basically it comes down to priorities.

Fit it where?


I never had to deal with a broken bone. I never had to perform CPR or deal with severe bleeding either.

The closest thing to severe bleeding was slicing the palm of my hand with a box cutter at the distribution center. I was holding a pool of blood in my hand with some of it dripping on the floor. I went to my supervisor and, as if the whole ordeal was no big deal, I said, "I need a Bandaid."

Jeanette Isabelle

We don’t need a FAK at all until we do; unfortunately, at that point we don’t get to pick the injury, it picks us. So the FAK’s we carry are hopefully appropriate. If a CPR mask is appropriate then carry it. If you are with a younger athletic crowd and the most likely injury is broken bones or sprains, and heart issues are decades away, why carry a CPR mask. Like M_a_x said — priorities. BTW, I heard the same thing regarding chest compression versus rescue breathing. As I understand, the chest compressions move enough air in and out of the lungs that breathing isn’t really required — focus on the compressions to keep blood moving to the brain. (Which means the CPR mask may be wasting space in your kit.)

The Wilderness First Aid course I took had very little (zero) training on CPR. It was about bleeding and other traumatic injuries such as falls, sprains and broken bones. We improvised splints from magazines and sticks combined with available wraps. We used sweaters from people in the class for neck braces.

You have a fairly good kit there Jeanette. Don’t try to envision every “what if” scenario or eventually the kit will end up in a backpack that’s too big for you to want to lug around.

As a normal person going about her business you already have put more thought into this than most. You aren’t a paramedic after all.

Tourniquets like the CAT are great for military use. The type of injuries seen on deployment (bullets, shrapnel or blast) make having these things available to be applied at seconds notice justified. I put them in my kits at home because I get them free and because I am familiar with them. They could come in handy if ever I arrived at the scene of an accident before an ambulance (happened to a couple of friends of mine) or for a hunting accident where it may come in handy. The truth is however, that You most likely will never need to apply one in civilian life under most circumstances. If you did find yourself in that situation without one you could improvise one with a whole bunch of stuff (same as a splint) and medical help should be available within a reasonable time.

In Canada at least, I am technically not even allowed to use one on a civilian as civilian FA vastly differs from combat FA. Application of a tourniquet is a big no no under a lot of circumstances. Not sure about your neck of the woods. The use of combat gauze to pack wounds (quick clot) and tourniquets cause extreme pain to the casualty usually to the point of them needing to be restrained. I would face a judge knowing I saved someone’s life if I had to of course, but that’s just me. I would expect to justify my actions to someone after the fact however.

Maybe you are joking about wanting a tourniquet to be quickly accessible at all times, but it’s possible you might be overthinking things slightly. If you work in a place other than the military where there is an excessive chance of losing a limb or getting shot perhaps.

I've needed a Traveler Kit, or similar FAK, in my EDC bag for at least twelve years. With them, I've treated scraped knees, a wardrobe malfunction (using a safety pin), a headache, first degree burns, sprung ankles, changing bandages, a door slamming on a hand, a lady trips and lands on a hard floor, more scraped knees, a bruised head and a suspected neck injury. Through all that, I've learned what adjustments I need to make. I've made adjustments accordingly.

Through all that, I never needed a tourniquet or any other major bleeding item. With that, why would I want to make adjustments for significant bleeding? It's not like I visit a gun range or a similar environment. I'm part of a religious group who gets targeted. For that, I need something for active shooter situations.

It's best that I don't handle a gun because of my anxiety disorder; I can apply a tourniquet on myself or patch others up after the smoke clears.

Jeanette Isabelle

JI.
“Yes to the sterile triangular bandage.

Hemostats can be used to help remove larger splinters/ sliveres, clamp a bleeding vein or artery & help to manipulate a wound or remove debris ( e.g. road rash). I once claimed a jugular cut by glass after the kid tried to run thru the safety glass smoke door wth glass reinforced with chicken wire.

I strongly suggest u rethink stretch gauze vs. co-flex/ vet wrap. In a real emergency, vet wrap more quickly and easily anchors and puts pressure on a dressing, anchors a splint and does so with less material, giving much better bang for the buck. 3” is best compromise size in that I wide enough for a big wond and can be cut in half or thirds for smaller wounds. That was my experience as a EMT in a very dense urban area.

Best of luck

I got my FAK from the factory with the stock triangular bandage.

https://www.chinookmed.com/05125/triangular-bandage.html

I want to take my FAK with me in a bug out scenario, an environment where I need every advantage I can fit into a bag. I upgraded the stock triangular bandage with a Berry Compliant Cravat Triangular Bandage.

https://www.chinookmed.com/05001pa/berry-compliant-cravat-triangular-bandage.html

How is the Dry Sterile Burn Dressing Cravat XL better than the upgrade I made?

https://www.chinookmed.com/100191/dry-sterile-burn-dressing-and-super-combat-cravat.html

Jeanette Isabelle

One of Chinook's military kits has added the Hemostat, Kelly Forceps Straight, 5.5" to the standard list of tools. I guess that's enough of a vote of confidence and I have the space for it in my instruments pocket.

https://www.chinookmed.com/01753/hemostat-kelly-forceps-straight-sterile.html

Jeanette Isabelle

I updated my Traveler Kit, the FAK I always have on me in my EDC bag. The following is the current contents.

MEDICAL INFORMATION
(1) Wilderness & Travel Medicine

PERSONAL PROTECTION
(1) Respirator Mask
(1) Bear Claw Glove Kit
(6) Personal Antimicrobial Wipe

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) Compressed Gauze
(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

With the bleeding supplies that I added, I don't know if the trauma pad is redundant. I overstuffed my kit and I could use some space.

Jeanette Isabelle

The Wilderness & Travel Medicine booklet is a good reference, but probably not necessary to carry in your Traveler Kit. That should free up a bit of space.
FWIW, YMMV