IFAK - Individual First Aid Kit

What is an IFAK?

An Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK) is a self contained, easily accessible, and easily identifiable treatment kit to help yourself in the event you are a victim of a massive trauma event, such as a bad cut, stab, or gunshot wound (GSW). Each pack has critical life-saving materials to control bleeding and prepare the wound for proper medical treatment. A basic tactical IFAK has life-saving bandages, a chest seal, tourniquet, and other medical devices.  

GENERAL SAFETY NOTE

DO NOT BUY CRITICAL MEDICAL SUPPLIES ON AMAZON

THERE ARE MANY COUNTERFEIT PRODUCTS THERE &

THERE IS NO OFFICIAL NORTH AMERICAN RESCUE STORE THERE

• • 1 Pouch to hold all the medical supplies (It should be a wearable tearaway design. When worn it should be accessible to both hands - you don't know if one will be injured)

    • Example 1 https://www.amazon.com/LIVANS-Tactical-Tear-Away-Emergency-Survival/dp/B0814SCBST 

      • $10

    • Example 2 https://www.amazon.com/LIVANS-Tactical-Portable-Everyday-Survival/dp/B0BX98QNFV 

      • $25

  • 2 x Tourniquet (Either or both. CAT is better for self application. SOF-T is better for applying to someone else)

    • Combat Application Tourniquet (C-A-T)

      • https://www.narescue.com/combat-application-tourniquet-c-a-t.html

      • $31.59

    • Tac-Med “SOF-T”

      • https://tacmedsolutions.com/products/sof-tourniquet?variant=40626596544711

      • $34

    • Snakestaff Systems - ETQ Gen 2/Gen2 Wide

      • https://www.snakestaffsystems.com/buy-now/etq-gen-2

      • $32

      • The ETQ Gen2 is small enough to fit in a spare magazine holder for your pistol

      • It is not TCCC certified (yet) but it looks like a winner. The last TQ added to the certified list was back in 2019.

      • Most people are not going to carry a CAT or SOF-T due to their size

  • 2 x Chest Seal

    • PrepMedic - Chest Seals/Sucking Chest Wounds https://youtu.be/MXTZbF4bAfE 

    • HyFin Vent Compact Chest Seal Twin Pack

      • https://www.narescue.com/all-products/hyfin-vent-compact-chest-seal-twin-pack.html 

      • $13.29

    • Hyfin Vent Chest Seal Twin Pack

      • https://www.narescue.com/catalog/product/view/id/939/s/hyfin-vent-chest-seal-twin-pack/category/2/

      • $16.39 (Pack of 2)

  • Medical Tape (waterproof preferred)

    • NAR Surgical Tape (6 per pack)

      • https://www.narescue.com/nar-surgical-tape-6-per-pack.html 

      • $17

  • Wound Packing Gauze

    • PrepMedic - Bleeding Control: Wound Packing https://youtu.be/XieRLnynqhA 

    • NAR Wound Packing Gauze

      • https://www.narescue.com/gauze-poly-rayon-3-x-4yd.html

      • $4 (15ft)

  • Hemostatic Agent Impregnated compressed Packing Gauze (QuikClot or Celox)

    • CELOX Z-Fold Hemostatic Gauze

      • https://www.narescue.com/celox-z-fold-hemostatic-gauze.html

      • $43 (5ft)

    • QuikClot Z-Fold Vacuum Packed Combat Gauze

      • https://www.narescue.com/all-products/combat-gauze.html 

      • $53.24 (12ft)

  • Pressure Dressing

    • NAR Flat Emergency Trauma Dressing (ETD)

      • https://www.narescue.com/all-products/flat-emergency-trauma-dressing-etd.html 

      • $8

  • Mylar Heat Retention Blanket

    • NAR - Emergency Survival Wrap 

      • https://www.narescue.com/all-products/emergency-survival-wraps.html 

      • $8

  • Trauma Shears

  • Sharpie (time on tourniquet)

  • Epi-Pin (if needed) 

  • Disposable Nitrile Gloves

    • In a light color - when feeling around for a wound, the blood you encounter will be readily visible on your hands.

    • multiple sets

Here is an ultra compact kit with an ETQ Gen2 that would be low visibility to carry...

• Live The Creed - EDC Pocket Trauma Kit

  • https://ltcreed.com/collections/frontpage/products/edc-pocket-trauma-kit

  • $115

This is important enough to say it again:

Your IFAK is for YOU.

It should be on you, easily accessible, easily deployable, with either hand. 

The tourniquet should be unwrapped and staged for single hand deployment. 

Seconds count...

If someone else gets hurt, you should use their IFAK for their injuries.

(Staging and applying a C.A.T.) https://youtu.be/UWWhOU5-neA 

(Staging and applying a SOT-T and C.A.T.)  https://youtu.be/pFVr8vXAD68 

PrepMedic - How to build an IFAK and save money! https://youtu.be/x_--5fuM1Dc