Im in the process of building out a trauma bag for active shooter response. This bag is going to be a donation for my church, with a small congregation averaging 30 members for a Sunday service.
Anyone with some first hand experience is welcome to chime in. Feel free to ask questions if you have no medical training. At present I’m an EMT with about 1.5 years on a 911 response ambulance and took a stop the bleed course (general refresher & allows me to use two other items not covered by my license)
I have a list from a paramedic for basic bag contents:
Tourniquets (CAT gen7)
Trauma/Combine pads 8"×10" & 10"×30"
Roll Gauze 4"
Israeli Bandage
Celox Rapid Z-folded Gauze
Trauma Shears
CPR Mask
Space Blanket
Chest Seal W/vent
Dixie EMS First Responder Bag
I tend to get North American Rescue brand. There are many knock off makers of their CAT tourniquet on Amazon. I know I’m not getting something that could fail, buying strait from them.
At present I tend to carry a IFAK on my person, last 3 years or so.
CAT gen 7 tourniquet in a pocket. (Combat Application Tourniquet = C.A.T.)
This fits in a quart ziplock bag, in my other thigh pocket:
Compact hyfin vent chest seal, 2 pack
Compressed wound packing gauze or rapid ribon (Rapid Ribon has a cloting agent)
Swat-T tourniquet
2 rolled pairs of nitrile gloves (blue)
Decompression needle (check local laws on use)
NPA (Naso-Pharangeal Airway) w/lube
Derma safe folding razor blade
If others are interested I can link some videos on how to use the above items. Nothing equals actual hands on training, 1st Aid & CPR at minimum along with a Stop the Bleed cours are my recomendation.
This Individual Throw Kit from North America Rescue (NAR) is what I’m starting with ×’s 4. MSRP is $58.39.
This Individual Aid Kit has wound packing gauze and the less expensice petrolatum gauze + tape to make a vented chest seal. MSRP $15.09 with 2 going in the bag.
Per discussion with a trauma nurse, I’m ditching the Dixie brand responder bag (medical markings) in favor of a duffle bag with a flat bottom and fold back lid. The bag will have 1 gallon slide lock (zip lock bags) each labled with contents. Makes me asking for items easier and prevents contamination of other items not used.
Guy with some hands on training carried his trauma kit in the trunk of his car. He was involved in a multi car collision and attempted to retrive his trauma kit from the trunk. To his suprize the trunk of his vehicle would not open due to being rear-ended in the collision.
General take away:
Door panel, sun visor or headrest mount for a trauma kit prevent no access to medical gear.
Over the years, I built a list of how to videos from several sources. I have met a bunch at shooting events that had trauma kits but no formal training. Some got hands on with me on component use or if they were further away got emailed the videos with who to call to get basic classes for 1st Aid & CPR along with Sop The Bleed.
If the above linked video is too long (though I highly reccomend watching it), I can post some seperate videos.
RAT’s (Rapid Application Tourniquets) did not make the cut for approval. The USCCA emergency kit has a knock off RAT’s in the kit (atleast the one i recived for signing up did). Incomparing the knock off to an acual RAT’s Tourniquet, the knock off has elastic that is 50% strength. I highly doubt that the knock off would ever slow blood loss in actual use.
I have another type of tourniquet from Recon Medical, the aluinum windlass has a known issue of bending/snapping under use. I found this out after purchase.
This tourniquite is for starting an IV and not to ever be used for trauma.
Blue Latex free disposable tourniquet https://a.co/d/fTPU9N8
Thid is a basic kit to keep in a car/ truck/personal vehicle. Edit to addthe kit is $76.19 while the empty red nylon pouch is $29.99.
This one is a double pack version of the above kit.
There are many other options for belt or pack mounted kits at the North American Rescue website. Please feel free to check other vendors and with any vendor contact them before purchasing, i know some offer to take a HSA (Health Savings Account) payment. If you have an HSA it is kind of cool becuse it is no money out of pocket.
Thanks for the thread, great stuff. Time to go back through my med kit and check and update as needed. Actually create or buy another one, or two. More vehicles now so mpre supplies needed.
Also just realized my oldest son is at the age I should start teaching him what I know and maybe even get him CPR certified. I’m technically needing an update myself because I’m sure I’m expired.
Yup. That’s pretty much what I run. I only have two vented chest seals though, so I should probably get some more in case there are multiple injuries/victims/etc. CPR and First Aid certified. I don’t cary my IFAK on my person (although I probably should), but I do keep one in my car in case of a car accident.
Cap,
I won’t discourage more gear being avalible.
Some things to consider as part of the general discussion, more for all to read than specifically for you…
I belive a best practice is to consider what you expect and make an informed decision. Say I had 2 children and my spouse with me. Do I carry enough to treat all 4? Base line with a IFAK is to treat oneself, beyond that some personal decision making is in order. Also, have the younger members or all family members gotten a backpack with bullet resistant panels? A trauma kit in each pack makes more sense to me, not that those under 14 yrs old need to know how to use it.
The bag I’m working up is to treat about 25% of a given 28-30 people. I won’t bore others with all the details. A few key points I’m stuck with, aside from no cell service at the assembly location so, post incident we have a delay for 911 call, response is 20-25 min. once that call is initiated. Blood pressure drops as blood volume is lost, effectively equaling 30 second to 2 min window to plug major holes/apply a tourniquet.
On the flip side, any travel from my home area being longer than 30 min one way. I carry a larger bag of gear in addition to my, on body IFAK. Some additional items in that bag are mylar blankets and hot hands warming packets. Switchig from CPR with its A.B.C. paradigm to the MARCH algorithm gives a better flow to treatment.
My goal in all of this is preventing death from bleeding out before more help arrives.
Legal issues…
Arizona state law prevents me as a licensed EMT from using anything expired. I do check and keep my trauma kits current. Current stock is 2 years to expiration.
Failure to comply with the above, at minimum my EMT license is suspended and I dont get the option to ever have one in Arizon again. There is also the possibility of fines.
My point in saying this is, know your local laws. You do not want to deal with a court case after trying to help someone.
Known good vendors: Note this list is in no way comprehensive. I had a few others that are currently showing out of stock for all products thus, they are omitted. Edit to add: I have no affiliation aside from being a customer with 2 on the list. I’m not 100% sure but, most if not all, are American made.
North American Rescue
Large selection, well trusted, I’ve done some diriect buys without issue.
Refuge Medical
By Bear Independent on YouTube
Quality components, American made.
Live The Creed
Quality components, I’ve made a few purchases without issues.
Thats very generous of you but with tht great deed ,if there isnt anyone on site ,trained ot use it ,it will still be useless to them. So if there is not already someone that is trained or has practiced with the items then i hope someone can train at least a few people to use the fear so that there is always someone on site that can administer aid properly? I may just do the same locally? Thats a great idea and i have quite a few turny’s and sealed chest vents and so forth. would just have to get a few pouches? great of you to be so generous and its inspred me to do the same! thanks
@superurban
I have one recently retired nurse, 8 years ER experience and a active RN nurse on site in addition to myself.
With the recent death of one of our congregation, due to head-on collision, I’m planning to reccomend a 1st aid CPR course through local instructor. Those that show intrest will then get info on stop the bleed local instruction.
The rural area we live in requires one to be a motivated responder.
Local community College offeres the full 1st Aid & CPR course for $85 per person.
Got a local contact, Paramedic who offered to run the CPR/AED course for $25 per person.
I have a meeting in 2 weeks with my church leadership to discuss ordering an AED (automated external defibrillator). I was directed to this source for the AED:
My 1st order of trauma supplies will arive 4/20. I built a list of the other items to finish off the trauma bag. Likely ordering Friday. I’m adding a manual BP cuff (sphygmomanometer) and stethoscope.
This is intentionally omitting electronic heart rate/SPO2 (pule ox) monitor and electrinic BP cuff. The parasitic drain and/or lack of others knowing to remove a battery block in the unit creates some issues with stuff not functioning when needed. The other benifit of manual is no need to check batteries yearly.
