Preparedness

Ralph’s Personal IFAK

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Rourke: This post originally appeared over at The Patriot Podcast and can be seen HERE.

 

So to begin, IFAK is a military acronym that stands for “Individual First Aid Kit”. It’s history goes all the way back hundreds of years when soldiers would carry bandaging cloth just in case they became wounded on the battlefield. It evolved to what is now found today with the modern soldier’s IFAK. They are impressive, and can handle a great deal of injuries and issues. I decided to go on a personal mission and develop my own style for myself, and my preparedness group.

The mission of this IFAK is to assist with life saving measures starting with traumatic limb loss, heavy laceration with arterial bleeding, gun shot wounds, to allergic reactions. It’s based on my years in the field as an EMT assisting in motor vehicle accidents, shootings, stabbings, suicides, allergic reactions, and cardiac arrest. From boo-boo’s to dismemberment!

This kit is designed to be on my body and that of my group’s members at all times when on perimeter patrol, bugging out, searching for supplies, foraging, etc during a SHTF style event. Every member has their own IFAK so that if they become injured, the contents of THEIR kit will be used on THEM. Likewise, the contents of my kit will be used on ME. Each kit is customized to the individual person to meet special demands that person may have medically. Every person in my group is also cross trained on everything in these kits.

All of this goes into the Condor Rip-Away EMT pouch. LOVE IT and also highly recommended.

4) 5×9 abdominal pads
6) 4×4 bandage pads
1) Israeli battle dressing
1) CAT tourniquet
10) Assortment of self adhesive bandages/bandaids.
10) alcohol prep pads
4) pairs of nitrile/surgical gloves
1) packet of Benadryl tablets
1) roll of cloth medical tape
1) black Sharpie
2) glow stick
1) tweezers, forceps, and surgical clamp each.
2) triangle bandages, in the plastic bag with safety pins
1) trauma shears/EMT shears. I also carry on my person the Leatherman Raptor shears… They kick ass and are highly recommended!
2) petroleum gauze in foil
2) rolls each of 6″ and 2″ gauze kling bandages
1) adult NPA (nasal trumpet) with water based lubricant packet
1) Epi-pen
Packets of Ibuprofen, Benadryl, Asprin, Tylenol, and Imodium.
The IFAK also includes Adventure Medical Kit’s “Trauma Pak with Quickclot“

In addition to all of this, I also keep in my car a full trauma kit. This is a completely separate kit from the IFAK and is about the size of a small suitcase. Inside it are most of the same contents of the IFAK. Differences are…

1 Burn Sheet
2 Large Trauma Pads
Stethoscope
BP cuff
First Responder’s guide to Medications
Roll of plastic wrap
Large Roll of Duct Tape
2 Surgical gowns
More Nitrile gloves
Infant, Child, and Adult airway kits
1 CPR mask
1 BGL kit
2 Cervical Spine Collars
2 Sam splints
1 King Blind Insertion Device for airway management
I also have about 3 times the bandaging supplies as my IFAK in this kit at all times.

This bag from Rothco would be perfect for your large Trauma Kit…

2699-A1

Hope this helps. Be sure to comment if you have suggestions on the kit.

Prepper Ralph

 

 

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19 Comments

  1. GotUR6 says:

    Rourke, I too am a former EMT and agree with almost everything Prepper Ralph has in his IFAK. But I see he has an Epi-pen in his list. How did he go about obtaining one of those? I’ve looked in to them and they’re prescription-only items as far as I can tell. And they’re VERY expensive (approx. $600 for a package of two)! Plus they are temperature sensitive and have a fairly short time period during which they’re most effective. EMTs/Paramedics might be able to “borrow” one from a hospital supply room or from the ambulance they rotate through but for most of us non-professionals that item would be hard to procure – or afford! Any suggestions?

    Reply
    1. MacDaddy says:

      GotUR6: Unfortunately, prescription is the only way to get an Epi-Pen. You might be able to get your doctor to prescribe one for you (I’d just be honest with him about it’s intended use). However, they are expensive if not covered by health insurance. Sometimes you can find them on eBay or Deep Survival (great source for medical supplies). They will last longer than their expiration date, until the solution becomes cloudy (couple extra years). Many many years ago, my kids’ pediatrician gave some really helpful advice for treating allergic reactions and I’ll pass it along. Upon discovery of an allergic reaction give the affected person diphenhydramine (Benadryl) + ranitidine (Zantac), as it is much more effective than Benadryl alone. For those interested, there are two general types of histamine receptors, H1 and H2, and Benadryl only blocks the H1 type. By using Zantac you also block the H2 type receptors.

      Reply
      1. GotUR6 says:

        Good to know about the Benadryl/Zantac combination. I already carry Benadryl in my IFAK so I’ll be adding the Zantac for that “just in case” scenario. Thanks!

        Reply
    2. Lightning says:

      GotUR6. Epi pens can be very expensive.My insurance helps with mine as I am a bee keeper. I am not allergic to bees but my husband and grand child are. Ask your Dr-. Lightning

      Reply
    3. goingray58 says:

      well .. If you are ok with gaming the system a bit .. I ran into a few moments as beekeeper that got me to the Epi-pen. I had been stung on the face/neck.. and the mentioned Zantac and Benadryl put me to sleep for a couple hours and woke very swollen and a trip to the minor med. .. I was having trouble breathing because of swelling.. not anaphylactic shock. However they Issued a script for two epi pens on a just in case thing… I suspect that would work for insurance if you want to get one.. Just sayin..

      Reply
  3. Badger359 says:

    My 2 cents, I have similar systems. A tip I was given by my cousin is to carry 4 tourniquets, one for each of your extremity, While serving in Afghanistan he got this tip from working with a USMC unit, when you get hit by an IED you can be bleeding from both legs and arms.

    Also I too carry an EPI pen, but it was prescription from my Dr, due to my Bee venom allergy, even that cost me $200 with a PCS card. Mine is kinda high tech, once you pull the cap a female voice starts talking giving you directions howto administer the shot.

    For me I use a three tier system instead of just one IFAK, mine is broken out into
    a) BooBoo Kit (Minor)

    b) Blow Out Kit (Major Blood loss)
    Celox, IDF bandage,chest seals, NPA, CATs, Chest Needle, gloves, tape, plastic squares, gauze

    c) IFAK (General)

    This works for me as I have mine broken into modules were I am most likely going to need a specific need and less digging through a kit.

    Just my 2 cents how I roll.

    Great article BTW

    Reply
  4. Panhandle Rancher says:

    Great bag Ralph!

    My contents echo yours but I include sucking wound seals, celox (bandages and granules), cat gut suture and needle with driver, antibiotics, script painkillers, etc. Imodium usually isn’t needed in combat as it left me hard and impacted so mine includes a potent softener. It is however quite useful for the runs and all kits should be so equipped. Likewise the EMT shears.

    My larger field kit is modeled after the army field medic kit https://www.amazon.com/Elite-First-Aid-Fully-Stocked/dp/B003H2EODW/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1471013887&sr=8-1&keywords=military+medical+kit). I like the way this bag unfolds into three easily accessed large pouches. It includes otoscope and opthalmoscope, pulse oximeter, SAM splints, plasma volume expanders and a wide range of antiobiotics and related meds. This kit is specifically assembled to address penetrating and crushing injuries as well as traumatic amputation. If any are interested, I could prepare a post with photos of contents of field and IFAK.

    Along the way, the wife became a nurse and has med/surg and ER experience. What a useful skill set. Daughter is a physician and engaged to a surgeon.

    PR

    Reply
    1. GotUR6 says:

      Wow, sounds like your retreat would be a very popular place to ride out TEOTWAWKI with all the medical professionals to complement your security experience! Nice!!

      Reply
  5. D says:

    Ralph,

    I agree with other folks here that your kits sound really good. I read this article this morning and had been pondering if I should add my two cents or not…but since someone brought up the multiple CATs I’d also suggest multiple Israeli bandages. I’ve always been instructed that if the wound seeps through one to try another on top. Not to mention there might be multiple areas in need.

    MacDaddy – thank you for that info, just as GotUR6, I had always been curious about getting my hands on a epi-pen as well with no luck.

    Reply
  6. Panhandle Rancher says:

    It shouldn’t be hard, just ask your GP.

    I always preface a strange request to the doctors with the fact that if it is for spares, and announce I wouldn’t turn the expense into the insurance company as a needed health item. Honesty is the best social lubricant. I also tell the doctors I frequent that I make an effort to be on time for appointments and pay bills promptly. Hence I don’t expect to be left waiting and waiting more than infrequently. One doctor who left me waiting even had a nurse pop into the room and apologize along with the offer to bring a cold soda.

    Doctors are human and I provide several with the occasional ‘consult’ outside of their expertise. One was complaining about putting up a fence and how hard it was to make holes in the rocky ground. No problem I told him, what if next Saturday I show up with my hydraulic auger with a rock bit on the front end loader of the tractor? It’ll make as many holes as you want and without working up sweat. One has to be a friend to make a friend.

    I’ve not encountered a problem with asking for additional antibiotics either. I spread the requests out over a year and always ask for a 90 day supply. If your physician won’t help you with such, you need to locate a different doctor. Asking for schedule narcotics would be a totally different matter but with the proper relationship, not beyond reason.

    PR

    Reply
  7. Prepper Ralph says:

    Just wanted to stop in and say thanks to everyone for the positive criticism! You’re all great!

    With that said, this is only a general IFAK for the individual. I’ve been trained in both Wilderness Emergency Medicine as well as an EMT. January I’m starting Paramedic Anyways, point I’m trying to make is that most of the items in the kit can be improvised in many different ways. One such example is the triangle bandages. They can be used as bandages, tourniquets, the pins as sewing/stitching needles/fish hooks, and the plastic bags can be used for sucking chest wounds.
    So if needed, many of the items can double/triple duty as other things if needed.

    Anything else folks would add or maybe subtract?

    Reply
    1. Panhandle Rancher says:

      Prepper Ralph, no criticism intended. We each prepare kits to serve our individual needs and all are different. I wish you best success with the paramedic training. If carried to the extreme one ends up with an ER room. The focus of my large bag is for traumatic amputation, crushing, and puncture wounds – the kind most likely post SHTF. The focus for my IFAK is GSW. I can see the contents of our ‘kits’ varying based upon geography and population. Each of us has something to learn from the other. I for one, greatly enjoyed your post on a critical element of our preps.
      PR

      Reply
  8. MacDaddy says:

    In a pinch, a blood pressure cuff can also be used as a tourniquet. It’s good to have some lidocaine gel/spray, a couple Water-Jel burn dressings (used by the military – Amazon) and some aloe vera gel for treating burns. I also like to keep some hand sanitizer (without fragrance) in my kits, to clean hands and equipment before treatment (though it’s best to sterilize your surgical implements/tools in a pressure cooker or boiling water, if possible). It’s also a good idea to have a few surgical masks, for your and others’ protection (they can also be used to filter liquids, in a pinch).

    Reply

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