EDC Medkits

[Fidel MD]

I run an Emergency Department, have a full trauma kit in my truck and more than that at home. I don't carry much on my person, unless there is a reason for it.

I do have a pretty comprehensive blow-out kit attached to my range bags, which is enough to keep someone alive until I can get the gear out of the truck.

[Sniper-T]

Life is as you make it MTR. if you live a sheltered life you can probably get by with a couple bandaids. if you live 'balls to the wall with reckless abandon', ya might need a couple more! lol

I have a kit in my sled, my quad, my truck, my house, and after an unfortunate lawnmower incident a couple years ago, that my wife wont let me forget, I have one in the garage too. lol

[mitunnelrat]

I don't know if its so much a sheltered life for me as it is a healthy dose of luck and diplomacy. My face just isn't pretty enough to let someone smash it and make it worse.

Back on topic now though, I really am surprised I haven't seen more on-person kits in this thread. IMO the guns many of us carry are a prep "against" severe trauma, while a kit is a prep for it.

Fidel mentioned in another thread that we can bleed out within minutes of an injury, be it from a GSW, chainsaw, or lawnmower (?). At home is one thing when the gear is guaranteed to be nearby. Away from home is another beast in my eyes - at least under my specific circumstances. I can forsee being separated from a bag or my car, yet getting seriously injured. All it would take is one seriously disgruntled student.

[bacpacker]

I keep a decent kit in my truck and DD, some stuff really beyond my capabilities. I also have a EMT type kit at home. My nephew and niece are both anasteesiologist (sp). Nephew went thru it and thought it was pretty much up to speed. Just need to replace some of the expired stuff.
I keep some blow out type stuff in my GHB. I really need to get more of that type stuff. TQ, clot gauze, that type stuff. I've been using a chainsaw a lot lately and have been thinking about this stuff a lot.

[bourneshooter]

I'm working on a review of the Dark Angel Medical Offerings at this time, but I've reviewed a few different trauma kit options on the market for my blog. Here are the posts on them as it is relevant to the conversation.

(Typed while carrying a SONS low-vis deployment kit in my pocket and a CAT in a First Spear TQ pouch on my duty belt and about 3 IFAK's in my Patrol Car).

http://bluelinesheepdog.blogspot.com...auma-kits.html

http://bluelinesheepdog.blogspot.com...uet-pouch.html

http://bluelinesheepdog.blogspot.com...follow-up.html

http://bluelinesheepdog.blogspot.com...rry-ifaks.html

http://bluelinesheepdog.blogspot.com...ew-romanp.html

http://bluelinesheepdog.blogspot.com...or-leoccw.html

[Caveman Survival]

@mitunnelrat I consider it a product of a miss spent youth. Now that I have matured (some) life is pretty even keeled.

Since my posting I have been examining some basic med supplies that I can carry without being too bulky (gauze pads, wax thread, suture needle, etc.) it fits nicely in my over the shoulder pack I haul without eating up my knife, paracord, and fire starter kit space

[Gunfixr]

In over 20yrs of working in machine shops, I've seen plenty of blood, and most of it was mine.

9 times out of 10, electrical tape has fixed it. Most times I rinsed the wound with water first, sometimes not, just wiped on my pants and taped until blood stopped leaking around.
Then get back to work, wipe all the blood off everything so the steel wouldn't rust.

I don't get myself hurt near as much as I used to, but then now I have enough permanent damage from before that I don't really think I hurt any less, just bleed less.

[mitunnelrat]

I'm going to change the focus a bit, if I may bourneshooter? Ah hell, forgive me even if you don't want it, because I'm going for it anyway!

I came across a rather more comprehensive approach on another website (I forget where) that I find appealing as a vehicle-borne EDC kit. It comes from a civilian medical professional who's used it in real-world scenarios like the aftermath of tornadoes and such. He has provisions for infection control, Airway & Breathing, Circulation, and instruments in it:

Infection Control - Nitrile Gloves, 12 pair minimum. Blood Splash Gown, 2. Folded masks with clear splash shields, 2. Vionex (or similar) disinfectant wipes, 6. Red Biohazard bag.

Airway & Breathing - NPA's, set of 6 sizes. Pocket mask with one-way valve. Tongue depressors and set of oral airways. Turkey baster bulb syringe with flexible tube. Vaseline Gauze/ ACS/ other chest seal.

Circulation - Multi-Trauma dressin, 2 if possible. ABD pads or surgipad combine dressings, 2 to 4. 4"x4" gauze pads, 10. Bandaids, 10. 4" Coban Stretchy Adhesive Wrap. 2 or 3" adhesive tape. Triangular bandage, 2. foil rescue blanket. BP cuffs and stethescope (optional). Cake icing gel tubes, 2. Chewable baby aspirin, 1 bottle.

Instruments - head lamp. multitool. Pediatric medical card. vital stats pad. extra batteries. spring loaded center punch. pens. trauma shears. flashlight.


I can see a lot of crossover between this and a dedicated trauma kit, without too much extra. Mostly the ability to treat children with different size items, the cake icing for controlling blood sugar levels, and the baby aspirin for heart attacks. I figured it was worth sharing for some input and ideas.