# Soldier's 1st Aid Kit



## Matt_Fisher (28 Apr 2005)

Just wanted to see what the various opinions are on what a soldier should have as part of a personal first aid kit on their fighting order.

When I was in the CFs during the mid 90's the only 1st aid item we were issued was a single field dressing.  Granted, I never served overseas on a tour, but this was all we ever were issued.

Now in the Marines, our individual 1st aid kit comprises of 2 Israeli style field dressings, a pack of quick clot, a "Tourniquick" brand tourniquet set, a burn dressing, some assorted sized band-aids, a bottle of betadyne, a bottle of water purification tablets and 2 packages of gauze.  While operating in Iraq, it was SOP for every Marine to carry a 500ml IV starter kit.

What would be the recommendation on a suitable individual first kit for a soldier?


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## kincanucks (28 Apr 2005)

I like the Marine Individual Kits but I would add gloves and extra battle dressings.


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## Fraser.g (28 Apr 2005)

2x Field Dressings
One handed tourniquet
Betadine/ alcohol swabs (they don't spill)
Tylenol
Motrin
Assorted Band-aids
1x small pack of steri-strips 
Blister pack including second skin and mole skin
2x2 and 4x4 Gauze pads
1x Med Tensor Bandage
1x tape
2x Pr Exam Gloves 
1x Micro shield for CPR


Loose the Quick Clott! see http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/26415/post-167526.html#msg167526

I am sure others will add to this list but with the above you can get through most stuff. 
The only thing that I could think of to add would be an asherman chest seal and a 14G cathlon 
GF


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## medicineman (28 Apr 2005)

There is a personal first aid kit, LFC with a NATO stock number - it's barebones though (excuse the pun).   Gloves, Fd Dressings, pocket mask, betadine, bit of gauze and bandaids.   I used to make up personal kits for people that would fit well into a medium size ziplock with the same items , a couple of triangulars, a speed splint, extra gauze, kling and some decent tape and scissors.   The tropical first aid kit, indivual, comes in that big shaving kit, but seems to have more medicine and such than first aid supplies.   It does have some LCF to it though   ;D.   The rule of thumb I use is pack it to task.

You can go to the CMED site and look at the kit lists they have for the pre-packaged kits to get an idea of what THEY think soldiers should carry.

mm


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## Jamtorky (28 Apr 2005)

I have always wondered why we do not have and "Individual First Aid Kit" issued for all soldiers., more so for the troops on operational deployments. I would suggest the same responsiblity as the Atropine pen for NBCD.. use thiers on them ... 


I think somethig as simple as this is something the CF should look at since we are in the mood for getting all this new kit...


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## Grunt (28 Apr 2005)

I made my own and carry it in a medium Ziplock baggie in a utility pouch on the vest. 

I carry:

2 Gauze pads
2 gauze rolls
1 Triangular Bandage
1 Medical tape roll
2 Gauze rolls
1 bottle of Ibuprofen
10 Alcohol Swabs
assorted bandaids
1 Antibacterial cream (ozonal)
Blister care pack (moleskin/bandaid blister pads)
1 CF field dressing (meaning to add another pretty soon)
2 pairs latex gloves


Im trying to find a 1 handed tourniquet

Im putting together a larger first aid kit for my assault pack.

Any suggestions on stuff I should add to my aid kit?


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## Canadian Sig (28 Apr 2005)

I  definatly support the idea of a pocket mask in your F/A kit. We were issued them before deployment on Athena and I always keep it in my Tac vest.


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## Fraser.g (28 Apr 2005)

The triangular bandages are a great idea  as well as the Polysporin antibiotic ointment.

GF


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## Armymedic (28 Apr 2005)

Are we talking about a soldiers first aide kit or personal ones...

for a personal one for you to carry, then all your suggestions are valid.

As for a standard issue...size, space and actually useage is a problem. Also the CF medical side is leery about letting everyone carry pharmaceuticals, or items with an expiry date.


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## Trinity (28 Apr 2005)

Dunno..

I carried a medic jump bag all my career.....

that was my personal kit.   


(which i have for sale incidently in Cadpat and OD green)


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## Matt_Fisher (28 Apr 2005)

What I'm talking about is an individual kit that a soldier would carry on his fighting order/tac-vest/webbing that would be used mostly for trauma injuries.  Stuff that will save your life if you're injured.

Items such as tylenol, moleskin, etc. have been suggested, but I think these would be better off as part of a secondary kit that's carried in the patrol pack/ruck.  Stuff that will improve the quality of your life if you're injured.


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## Armymedic (29 Apr 2005)

Trinity said:
			
		

> I carried a medic jump bag all my career.....
> 
> that was my personal kit.



I carry a jumpbag as well...but while the bag intself was my personal kit, everything inside is meant for everyone else....

What you throw into your patrol pack for yourself, can be as varied as the person doing it. But the army is lacking in direction as to a dedicated FA kit, not that CF H Svc Gp doesn't have one...it is expensive and a pain in the butt to actually get.

My personal thought about it is we should carry....

2x pr gloves,
2x field dressings,
2x muslin bandages (triangular in your speak),
1x touriquet (or in lieu of, 5 tongue depressors taped together to make spanish whiplash tourniquet)
1x band aide pack, of 25 various sized band aides
1x pocket mask, or other barrier device for rescue breathing


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## Trinity (29 Apr 2005)

OK.. here is the irony of a personal kit

you get shot..... you're lying on the ground

One of two options
1) self aid...  patch yourself until a medic arrives
2) you can't do self aid.


So you have this nice first aid kit... and your buddy
doesn't know about it cause all he has is his field bandage
cause he didn't prepare a personal and nice med kit

This personal kit.. if honestly for personal I can see
only being an "ouch kit" for oneself.  Things to fix
your blisters, scrapes, scratches etc.. if you have a 
major injury...  your field dressing is still your best
friend for a variety of traumas...  

So I think at this point I would ask for clarification on what
the purpose of this kit.  Are we speaking strictly FIRST AID... 
or something more advanced...  like 500 ml saline iv, burn bandage, etc...

I mean you can put anything in a first aid kit...  but should you?


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## the 48th regulator (29 Apr 2005)

Trinity said:
			
		

> Dunno..
> 
> I carried a medic jump bag all my career.....
> 
> ...




Yep,

and how much else did you drag along, that I had to bury on the side of the road??

Sellling the packs...How much??  PM me! 

dileas

tess


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## Trinity (29 Apr 2005)

The only thing we dumped on the side of the road
was a few t flashes that we threw to get rid of them

I humped EVERY extra STUPID pound.  ugh  :


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## Matt_Fisher (29 Apr 2005)

Trinity said:
			
		

> OK.. here is the irony of a personal kit
> 
> you get shot..... you're lying on the ground
> 
> ...



The kit I was referring to would be a unit standard that held uniform items for every member of that unit.  The reason I suggested the 500ml IV starter, was that our platoon corpsman made the point that it was easier for him if everyone had their own starter kit on them, so that if they were wounded, he would use that starter kit, rather than only having 5 or 6 in his med bag and if he ran out...s*it happens.

It wouldn't be so much of a personal (meaning that the individual put items of their choosing in), but was an "individual" kit, meaning that it held the necessary items (field dressings, triangular bandages, tourniquet kit, burn dressing, asherman chest seal, pocket mask, etc.)  to save that person's life in the event they were seriously injured.  Each person would have their own kit, to be used on them, the same as every soldier has their own field dressing, that is meant for them, when they are injured.


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## Infanteer (29 Apr 2005)

Good concept and I agree with it.  Let's not forget that it is always better to be prepared, and if you have a good first-aid kit put together and your buddy is bleeding out, perhaps you'll have the tools to save him with - there is nothing that says you can't use your first aid kit for him (at least, not that I know of).


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## the 48th regulator (30 Apr 2005)

hehehe  

the t flashes, man padre everytime you type you bring back some awesome memories.

Hey, we went to the Windsor last night after the COC parade.  

dileas

tess


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## sdimock (30 Apr 2005)

I have a 7"x5"x3" first aid pouch that fits perfectly beside my field dressing in my tac vest.

It has many of the same items as the other kits that have been listed.

I'm a reservist and haven't been on tour, but as an engineer in BC we are often in the woods working with tools and equipment.

When on small party tasks, (and there may be 3 or 4 small parties out), it may take a few minutes for help to arrive on scene.

If it's a minor problem and you have the tools to fix it (tweezers and a bandaid for example) you prevent a soldier from becoming NS .

With more serious problems, the few extras and the knowledge to to use them, the medic arrives with the patient having a few steps covered.

Even though you follow the safety procedures, shit happens.

I would think you need it that much more when your actually in a hostile environment.

While the CF does not yet supply it, everyone should encourage their mates to have one.   


Chimo


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## CH1 (30 Apr 2005)

What ever happened to the morphine kits we used to carry.  Still have several newer ones in my kit.

cheers


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## TCBF (30 Apr 2005)

"What ever happened to the morphine kits we used to carry.  Still have several newer ones in my kit"

Used mine up at Happy Hour!  

Just kidding.  ;D.


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## Fraser.g (1 May 2005)

CH1 said:
			
		

> What ever happened to the morphine kits we used to carry.   Still have several newer ones in my kit.
> 
> cheers



The problem with the IM (Auto Injector) Morphine Kits were that they were not that effective.

This is why:

The auto injector was an Intra muscular injection.
When a person goes onto shalk from pain or any other reason a flight or fight responce is kicked in. This shunts all the available blood to areas that are essential for survival. the heart, lungs, brain for starters. This blood has to come from somewhere namely the periferal circulatory system. This meens that the muscles that you just shot the morph into now has a decreased circulatory volume.
To circulate the morphine into the rest of the body, it needs that blood to wash it out of the muscle and to the brain where it will do its magic. The result is that the morphine just sits in the muscle.
Now what was the old protocol for Morphine Auto Injectors... If it does not work then give them another to a total of X.

The end result is that you are giving a big depot of unused morphine in the persons glute or thigh.

Now fast forward to the UMS. 

They start to stabalize the shalk. This caused all that "parked" morphine to hit the system all at once. The result is what we call in the medical world...BAD.

Now I think these injectors are still around for one reason or another but they are on their way out along with MAST and Fluid Bolusing trauma pre-facility.

GF


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## nsmedicman (1 Nov 2005)

The only recommendation I have is to KEEP IT SIMPLE. Gloves, bandages, tape, antibiotic cream/ointment (polysporin), band-aids, maybe a type of CPR shield device, and some waterless hand cleaner.


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## medicineman (1 Nov 2005)

There is the First Aid Kit, Individual, LFC available from CMED - NSN 6545-CF-001-2354.  There isn't a barrier device in it other than gloves, and you should add an antibiotic ointment of your choice to it as well as a strip of elstoplast or something similar.  Comes pretty tidy in a ziplock bag.  UMS's usually get them with their theatre package from CMED.

MM


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## Big Red (1 Nov 2005)

In my left cargo pocket of pants/flight suit I always have an Isreali dressing. In my med kit on my vest in a small BHI pouch I have:

Israeli Dressing
2x Hemcon bandages
Danish SF tourniquet
Ascherman's
medical tape
1x OPA
1x NPA
Quickclot small package

In Bosnia we were issued 2 Canadian field dressings and 2 pairs of latex gloves which were used for picking up tampons on LZs as to not damage the Griffon's delicate rotors.


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## Gunnar (1 Nov 2005)

> In Bosnia we were issued 2 Canadian field dressings and 2 pairs of latex gloves which were used for picking up tampons on LZs as to not damage the Griffon's delicate rotors.



Say what?  Is this some kind of anti-helicopter warfare, as practiced by militant women in comfortable shoes?

What a bizarre idea!


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## JANES (11 Apr 2006)

I think it's important to re-visit this topic, as there are quite obviously some misunderstandings out there as to the best way to equip oneself for theater.  As was stated it is important to realize the difference between a trauma kit or "blow out kit" or "IFAK" or whatever you want to call it, and a boo boo head ache kit.  Your band-aids and tylenol, blister kit, teddy bear should be in your ruck.  Your trauma kit needs to be in a standard location, ideally reachable by either hand.  This way you can give yourself self aid or your buddy will know exactly where your gear is to use it on you.  In here you need to put the things that are going to save your life, not fix a boo boo. 
one handed (effective) tourniquet (CAT, SOFT-T)
Israeli dressing (cinch tight works too) This does nothing to "save" your life, but is good to prevent infection and for slower bleeds
Vacuum sealed gauze
HemCon and or
Quick Clot
Petrolum Gauze
14 gauge needle, alchol swab optional, 
NPA with a squirt of lube
gloves

Theres not to much of a requirement for a barrier mask or triangular dressing. 



			
				Big Red said:
			
		

> In my left cargo pocket of pants/flight suit I always have an Isreali dressing. In my med kit on my vest in a small BHI pouch I have:
> 
> Israeli Dressing
> 2x Hemcon bandages
> ...



I'd loose the OPAand tape (it wont stick to anything)
I've heard good things about the Danish Tourniquet, but there is no data on it, so I remain sceptical.  Two HemCons?  You must have deep pockets!


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## conoshan (11 Apr 2006)

Having a personal first aid kit is great but with the Tv find a place to carry it.  Check out Sgt Bilko on EBAY for the drop leg first aid kit.  Will carry about what the individaul needs with a spot for mask....made locally in Petawawa.  NSE just purchased 70 in Arid and there are quite a few individuals buying one for themselves


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## Armymedic (11 Apr 2006)

It is not your responsibility to find a spot...it is the chain of command's. In particular the RSM. Everyone should have thier medical supplies in the exact same location, preferably the exact same pocket as everyone else. You can ditch alot of other crap and have one or two pockets holding all your medical gear. Other then ammo, water, and medical supplies, what else do you really need in the other pockets of your vest?

You do not need to carry a pocket mask. Its bulky and a waste of space. Tell your CoC to get a face shield for AR if you are concerned...they are cheaper and smaller. 

BTWon't even think about having to do 'rescue breathing' to anyone not in a NATO military. Chances of you bringing them back....
slim to none.


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## Big Red (12 Apr 2006)

JANES said:
			
		

> I'd loose the OPAand tape (it wont stick to anything)
> I've heard good things about the Danish Tourniquet, but there is no data on it, so I remain sceptical.  Two HemCons?  You must have deep pockets!



The tape gets used for other things.  The inventor of the Danish tourniquet is a friend of mine and he says it works. That's the feedback hes got from the guys it's been issued to.  I like it because its lightweight.  I wear two London Bridge Trading ratchet straps anytime I'm on the road. 

Like anything else, Hemcons are free if you know the right people.


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## JANES (12 Apr 2006)

Big Red said:
			
		

> The tape gets used for other things.  The inventor of the Danish tourniquet is a friend of mine and he says it works. That's the feedback hes got from the guys it's been issued to.  I like it because its lightweight.  I wear two London Bridge Trading ratchet straps anytime I'm on the road.
> 
> Like anything else, Hemcons are free if you know the right people.



Just because the guy that invented it says its good, doesnt mean it's good.  You need independant testing and data.  A bias opinion won't save your life.  The guys that invented the SATS say it's good too, but that thing will kill you faster than doing nothing.  If the tape is used for other things I would take it out of the medical kit then.  And wearing two rachets?! wow, thats hard core.  Can't say your not prepared.  If the free HemCons have a training only sticker on them, I wouldn't use them also.  There are a lot of free training ones out there.  But I'm sure they are not.  I'm notsaying you're what you're doing is wrong, just adding my two cents.  It thinks it's good you're taking a proactive approach to mortality prevention.


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## Big Red (12 Apr 2006)

Don't worry, they are real. I've used one from the same lot and it worked.

The Danish TQ was tested by their SF, good enough for me.

Wearing TQs is becoming a more common practice over here.


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## kj_gully (12 Apr 2006)

Well finally stopped laughing long enough to post. Blister kits and triangular bandages in the indiv 1st aid kit! Might as well stick the st john's standard aide memoire in there and some diaper pins. I do have a question about the 1 way mask and gloves, though. Are troops with hep or aids dag green and deploy overseas? I guess clean gloves keep dirty hands away from bloody holes, but a CPR shield, or whatever you call it? Just thinking. As for the Asherman, I've never seen one, but I've heard of it, and it doesn't sound too effective. Medic after medic stood up and said "tried the Ashermann, it failed. 1 guy after several failures used the Hemcon packaging and lube gel, and had success. Anyone else hear anything similar?


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## JANES (12 Apr 2006)

Gloves are for dealing with locals.  I wouldnt worry about getting bloody hands from one of our own, though you NEVER know for sure.  Thats why if you have time and ability, glove up.  If you have time, throw three pair on, then you can just peel the dirty pair and your good to go for the next guy.  The CPR mask is extra weight and space.  Not required.  Medic should have a BVM.  Ashermans have worked.  They are getting a lot of bad reviews lately.  The glue is faulty, and I havent heard back from Rusch if they've solved the problem yet.  They are pretty much being phased out by a lot of users.  I would recommend going back to the petrolum gauze and a needle.  You can burp the petrleum gauze if it is an open pneumo.  The needle skills are being pushed down to the soldiers level too, which is good.


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## kj_gully (14 Apr 2006)

I was told that petrolatum was slightly necrotic to lung tissue, that's why the vaseline guaze is no longer recommended, although I would use it. That's why I put the occlusive & biogel out there preferentially.


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## JANES (14 Apr 2006)

You know what, thats fair.  I was trying not to go to far out of the box as some people start to get off topic when I do that.  But alas here I go.  Tegaderm, Opsite are thin and flimsy, vasoline bad, Ashermans don't stick, tape and dressing package - forget about it.  Go dig into your AED - thats that extremely useful peice of kit for combat trauma (sarcasm people - you can't be to careful around here!) and take those AED pads and put them to good use.  Cut off the wires and go stick them on holes in peoples chests.  That will seal it up!  Then people say, well what if the guy if hairy, and I ask you, well what if he was hairy when you try put an Asherman on him?  Take the disposable bic out of the AED when you're raiding it for the pads and give him a combat shave, patch the hole, needle the chest, two sandbags beside his head and call Rampart!  Oh ya, wrong topic, this is about First Aid kits.


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## medicineman (14 Apr 2006)

JANES said:
			
		

> Oh ya, wrong topic, this is about First Aid kits.



Glad you added that bit in - try explaining the why's and wherefore's to your med supply folks about the sudden run on AED pads  ;D.

MM


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## TCBF (14 Apr 2006)

On the way back from Appollo in 02, I bought a new shaving kit bag at the K-Mart in Guam.  it has a side pocket I use for blister stuff, etc.,  and what I call my 'OAM' (Old Age Medicine). If buddy reaches into my vest for my fd dressing, I don't want him getting mad at me when he pricks his finger on my toe nail scissors.

Fom an old post on this thread:

  "When a person goes onto shalk from pain or any other reason a flight or fight responce is kicked in. This shunts all the available blood to areas that are essential for survival. the heart, lungs, brain for starters. This blood has to come from somewhere namely the periferal circulatory system. This meens that the muscles that you just shot the morph into now has a decreased circulatory volume.
To circulate the morphine into the rest of the body, it needs that blood to wash it out of the muscle and to the brain where it will do its magic. The result is that the morphine just sits in the muscle.
Now what was the old protocol for Morphine Auto Injectors... If it does not work then give them another to a total of X.
The end result is that you are giving a big depot of unused morphine in the persons glute or thigh.
Now fast forward to the UMS. 
They start to stabalize the shalk. This caused all that "parked" morphine to hit the system all at once. The result is what we call in the medical world...BAD."

- I am a living example of similar.  I had an L1S5 (or is it L5S1?  I am a Crewman...) lower back 'event' in Nov, and got carted to the WATC clinic by two other Crewmen (also with 'experienced' backs. Track vibration comes back to haunt you..).  I think I got Demerol first, then, after no effect, Morphine (or a clone?).  Still no change, but when they try to get me to stand and my heart starts to come out of it's 'stand-by' mode, the muscle relaxent capability of the two needles (originally intended to help my back) did it's thing on the walls of my circulatory net, with the unsuprising result that I dropped like a half filled sack of grain, and gave the clinic staff a good - though unscheduled - training session.  It was interesting to watch - in a detached sort of way.  Calm, with a focused sence of urgency. In some respects like inside a tank turret.

I jokingly half accused them of giving me TX'd Morphine, or cutting their product to double their profits.  I told them that if it was 'the street', I'd be looking for a new supplier. 

Me; "I got carried in here this morning, and this afternoon, you wheel me to the front door in a wheelchair.  You guys call this progress?"

The Doctor thought that was funny.  The rest had a fairly pedestrian sense of humour by that point.

Anyway, the physiotherapist and good ol' physical exercise got me to where I did the BFT two weeks ago, so all's well that ends well.


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## COBRA-6 (26 Apr 2006)

kj_gully said:
			
		

> Well finally stopped laughing long enough to post. Blister kits and triangular bandages in the indiv 1st aid kit! Might as well stick the st john's standard aide memoire in there and some diaper pins.



+1, a blow out kit should only have basic, life saving gear.

Mudgunner49 clued me in to the V.O.K. (Ventilated Operator Kit) from Tactical Response Gear, I have 2 of them on the way. For $26US it is a very good deal for those who currently have nothing more than a field-dressing in their gear. Not to mention Tactical Response Gear has the best customer service I have ever encountered (their website wasn't taking Canadian credit cards, call them and they will go out of their way to sort you out, my order shipped the same day). 

Contents:

(1) Cinch Tight Compression Bandage (similar to Isreali)
(1) Primed Gauze (crinkle cotton)
(1) Tourni-Kwik (3” wide)
(1) Nasopharyngeal Airway (30FR Robertazzi Style)
(1) 14ga x 3 ¼ Catheter (sterile)
(1) Alcohol Prep Pad
(2) Safety Pins (2”) multipurpose 
(1) Duct Tape (2”x100” roll)
(1) Set Nitrile N-Dex Gloves
(1) Three gram tube of Surgilube


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## Centurian1985 (26 Apr 2006)

In my combo personal FAid/Survival kit, I used an old 64 pattern pouch that could attach to a ruck or belt, on the outside so it was always available.  In addition to many of the items some have already mentioned, I carried a few unusual items:

Small container of honey - good for burns, has antiseptic properties, acts as a second-skin barrier, AND its edible if you are in survival or E/E mode!
Small container of charcoal - good for settling the stomach or fighting off various indigestion problems.   
Chem Glowstick - always good for night time or when your batteries are dead. Use guntape to cover one side so it doesnt radiate light everywhere.  
Foil blanket - good for wrapping people (or yourself) who go into shock after they are hit, plus good as an improvised sleeping bag, shelter or signalling device.


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