My personal GSW kit

[Ian McDevitt]

I want to cover what I carry every day J.I.C I get a traumatic penetrating wound while on the job. I can tell you that if I am conscious (which I will be unless hit in the brain or spinal cord), I'm gonna treat myself. It's called 'SELF RESCUE" and I have included a bit of it in my next book........Gotta head to work but will try and post some of me gear, wish I had a camera.

[Ian McDevitt]

I mentioned that I like the Celox products in all their forms. What I carry for my personal penetrating injury kit is the Celox-A. That's the syringe delivery system for the powdered Celox. I carry a pair of gloves, (nitrile), and I carry my SWAT-T tourniquet, an NPA or Nasopharyngeal Airway, and I just carry a medium size Israeli dressing or a thin-cinch dressing , maybe a cravat (triangular Bandage), and I'm good to go. So, to recap, I carry these few things on me, mostly during work or when i go out and carry a light jacket (which is always)

A dose of Celox-A
Pair of nitrile gloves
NPA (probably a 34 size)
An Israeli dressing or thin cinch
A SWAT T Tourniquet
Cravat



I always, ALWAYS carry my leatherman, a BRITE-STRIKE flashlight with two extra batteries in my pocket, and most times a small fixed blade or a custom folder.




If you want to improvise a great tourniquet, you take your cravat, get yourself a large key ring that you can fit the base of a short gun magazine into, and you have your improvised tourniquet. You tie the cravat with key ring on it above the traumatic injury remembering to leave as much flesh for the surgeons to work with as possible, you use either your short gun magazine or your tactical folder as a windlass, you wind the cravat tight till bleeding stops, then you slip the base of the short gun magazine or the tactical folder thru the key ring already on the cravat. The key ring acts as the "lock" for the windlass which is either your pistol magazine or your folding knife.

[Ian McDevitt]

Do you folks carry anything diffrent ? Does anyone have any questions on why I carry these particular items instead of others ? Is everyone asleep :) ? Should I shut up ?

[sniperbusch]

Hi Ian, this is one of my favorite subjects that is relative to the armed citizen. I just aquired 4 new 4-inch Emergeny Bandages w/ mobile pad to replace 2 that I gave away. The mobile pad model was previously available only in the 6-inch. These 4-inch ETDs are my single favorate piece of med gear that is compact and easy to carry.

[paintball]

Well I never leave home without my swiss army knife... A knife is a very important item to have its quite the multi tool.

[Ian McDevitt]

SniperBusch, I love the ETD's with the sliding pad also. Very convenient. I do hate the fact that sometimes both those and the CinchTight's are often billed as tight enough to act as stand-in tourniquets........That's a big friggin' negative. NEVER trust either of those cloth dressings as tourniquets.........SB, what type of TQ do you carry ?

[sniperbusch]

Both CAT and SOFTT, the CAT compacts easier and SOFTT being much more durable

[Ian McDevitt]

If you get a chance, check out the ratchet type TQ from Blue Force Gear. It looks very viable. I haven't used it though.

[plowboy65]

i use to work in the electrical field and you would be amazed at what a paper towle and a roll of electrical tape can take care of. place meat back over and put pressure on the cut till bleeding stops or slows down kepping pressure fold paper towle and rape tape tight but not to tight as to cut of circulation. and ive got the scares to prove it works

[Ian McDevitt]

I have never really used duct tape. I know it's included in alot of commercial GS Kits. It's always in the back of mind my mind that, in an extended, or even wilderness situation, I'm eventually going to have to change that ad-hoc bandage, pack the wound if it's irregular, re-wrap, and move. I am afraid that while removing the duct tape I'll blow the clot and I'll be back at square one. My ife has a digital camera around here somehere and I'll snap some pictures of some stuff for you guys.

[dman91]

you would be surprised what duct tape, alcohol, and a bandana will do and thats all you really need for a first aid kit

[JLBIII]

Well I think it prudent to mention a few things about tourniquets for those who may not know. Never use rope, wire or any material that may cut the skin. TK material should be atleast 2 inches wide and flat to prevent crushing tissue. A TK should be applied around the limb on the side closest to the heart leaving at least an inch of skin between the wound and the TK. Never put a TK directly on the wound. Tighten the TK until the bleeding stops and put a pressure dressing on the wound. Mark the victim with TK where it cannot be missed and the time it was applied. If it has been on longer than 45 minutes, loosen it slowly while maintaining direct pressure on the wound. If bleeding is again heavy re-tighten the TK. If the bleeding is now manageable with direct pressure alone, leave the TK in place but do not tighten it again unless severe bleeding starts.. If a TK is left on for more than 3 hours tissue distal to the tourniquet may die and the limb may require amputation. Tourniquets are no joke and should only be used as a last resort when direct pressure cannot stop the bleeding.

This info come directly from "The guide to wilderness medicine." written by Paul S. Auerbach, Howard J. Donner and Eric A. Weiss.

Joe

[dalewick]

I'm not trying to be a smart ass or something but just wondering, have you ever been shot or field treated a gsw or serious wound?

[JLBIII]

As a matter of fact yes I've treated serious wounds. Been shot nope, been shot at yup, have I shot people, yup I was on a MLE ( Maritime law enforcement) team in the Coast guard dealing with drug trafficker's that didn't like getting arrested and would rather shoot it out. Sorry if what someone else wrote who has years of experience in the medical field wrote something I felt relevant and I relayed it in a post. Tourniquets are useful life saving tools and can be dangerous when not properly applied. If you have a problem with the procedures take it up with the Authors.

Joe

[dalewick]

No problem, just a vet seeing whose quaterbacking. my experience is similar to yours except I have the displeasure of carrying someone elses bullet around always. zigged when I should have zagged.