Be ready for any situation at all times’

It is no secret that this world is in a difficult spot right now, with global conflicts rising and tensions running high. The past few years have shown us that established countries are susceptible to invasions, terror attacks, and more. Even in the United States, each year has amassed destructive riot after destructive riot, and it goes to show that you need to be prepared. Having your plate carrier and your other tactical gear such as helmets, a solid rifle, and even a good radio for communication is all great, but do you have possibly the most crucial survival tool, a first aid kit?

First aid kits may seem not as important as other parts of your kit, but keeping one or two of these first aid kits can be the difference between life and death, quite literally.

Let’s break down the importance of a first aid kit, what items you should have in it, and what the best first aid kit on the market is (in our opinion).

What is a First Aid Kit?

Now, you may think that a first aid kit is just a few bandaids and some anti-itch gel, but it is much more than that. A proper first aid kit, also known as a medical kit, is an assortment of different medical supplies and equipment used to give immediate medical treatment on the go. A first aid kid is primarily used to treat injuries and other mild or moderate medical conditions, and really hold you together long enough until you can get more intensive medical care.

While a first aid kit is great for immediate medical attention, it will not always save your life. For example, if you have sustained a severe, life-threatening injury, the chances are that a basic first aid kit will not be of that great of use. So, in what situations would a first aid kit be appropriate?

When to Use a First Aid Kit

First aid kits can be used for a variety of minor and moderate medical emergencies or conditions. For example, if you have suffered a paper cut you might have a few bandaids in your first aid kit. Or if you have been bitten by something you might have antibacterial medication or disinfectant spray in your first aid kit to treat that immediately. However, these are not the only situations that a first aid kit would be useful.

In more dire situations, such as a gunshot wound, a first aid kit can be useful. Gunshot wounds can happen at any point, and even if you are wearing a bulletproof vest or other form of body armor, you still are at risk for being hit with an armor piercing round, or being hit in an area that is not covered by your body armor. If that is a risk, you want to be prepared.

So, what should you have in your first aid kit?

What to Keep in a Rescue Pack or First Aid Kit

There are plenty of things that you can keep in a first aid kit, from anti-itch gel to butterfly strips. But here are some of our most important aspects to put in a first aid kit:

Gauze- To help stop any bleeding as well as assist in any general cleaning, dressings, prepping, packing and debriding wounds. Gauze also can be used as a temporary absorbent dressing over wounds.
Tourniquet- This may come as a surprise to you, but the need for a tourniquet can happen quicker than you think. Say you took a bullet to the leg, you’re going to want to stop the blood flow to that area to prevent bleeding out and dying, so a tourniquet is your best option.
Nitrile Gloves- Nitrile gloves are absolutely essential for any first aid kit or rescue pack, as cleaning a wound with dirty hands could end up being more detrimental than the initial wound. Especially if you are out in the field, chances are you have some bacteria on your hands, and if you are treating a wound, getting that bacteria in there could be the death of the person you are treating. That being said, a set of sterile nitrile gloves is crucial (not latex because latex allergies are more common than you think).
Bag to Keep All of this In- It is one thing to have all of the key components of a first aid kit, but you do not want those items strewn all over your tactical bag or vehicle. That being said, having a bag specifically to hold all of your first aid items truly completes your first aid kit.

The Best First Aid Kit

Alright, so we’ve told you all about what items to buy, for a first aid kit, but what is our top choice?

North American Rescue Mini IFAK

The North American Rescue Mini IFAK is our top choice for a first aid kit. Alright, what does that even stand for? IFAK is short for individual first aid kit, and the North American Rescue Mini IFAK contains some of the most important first aid items on our list, and then some. This kit can be the difference between life and death, and in today’s world you do not know when you may need something like this.

Let’s break down what’s in this first aid kit.

1 C-A-T Tourniquet

C-A-T is short for “combat application tourniquet”, and this is a key component of a first aid kit. A combat application tourniquet is a true one-handed tourniquet, meaning if your one arm is rendered useless and you are alone, you still can slide the tourniquet on and have it be effective. It is proven to be 100% effective by the U.S. Army's Institute of Surgical Research, as tests proved that the C-A-T completely occluded blood flow of an extremity, which in the event of a traumatic wound with significant hemorrhage is a life-saving tool.

4” Flat ETD

EDT is short for emergency trauma dressing, and another item to keep in your first aid kit to be prepared for any situation. It is a sterile bandage suitable for applying immediate direct pressure. This ETD is flat folded, with a vacuum configuration, which reduces cube space and footprint in your kit. It is multi-functional with an all-in-one design that is topped off by a simple application that is easy to remember and apply, even in high stress combat situations. The EDT can also be used to sling and swath an arm, to secure splints to an extremity or to perform any other function requiring an elastic wrap.

S-Rolled Gauze

As stated above, gauze is absolutely something to keep in any first aid kit as it can be used to control hemorrhage in conjunction with a compression bandage. It can also be used as backing gauze for hemostatic dressings or for minor wound bandaging.

HyFin Compact Chest Seal

The North American Rescue Mini IFAK provides you with two vented chest seals in a compact packaging designed for the prevention, management and treatment of an open and/or tension pneumothorax potentially caused by a penetrating chest trauma, such as being hit with a round to the chest.

Nitrile Gloves

As stated above, nitrile gloves are important for making sure that addressing wounds is done cleanly. You do not want to give someone an infection by treating them with dirty hands, so having a set of sterile nitrile gloves in your first aid kit is a must.

500 Denier Nylon Bag

Another part of your first aid kit that was deemed important is something to keep all of your items in, and luckily the North American Rescue Mini IFAK is complete with a black nylon bag to hold all of these items. It is compact and can be put right on your belt, or even a chest rig.

Price: $82.99

Do You Know First Aid?

Having all of these items as part of your kit is great, but if you do not know how to use any of them, that can be detrimental. We highly recommend taking a first aid course to familiarize yourself with these different items and how to use them. Check out the training on Core Vision Training’s site, and see what type of training is offered near you!

ALWAYS TRAIN

Having a first aid kit is great, but it is not always enough. You can be experienced in the outdoors, be equipped, know how to hunt, fish, and provide. However, knowing how to treat injuries is crucial. Not only that, but in order to go prevent injuries and defend yourself, being fluent in tactical training is crucial. Knowing how to shoot from long ranges, clear rooms in close quarters, and be a dangerous individual overall is crucial.

You can also check out some tactical training courses at Core Vision Training, to see how you really react in different scenarios. When it comes to finding good tactical training, Core Vision Training offers a wide variety of tactical courses that will help you get used to your gear and maneuvering through different situations.

The best part is, they offer training in many different areas of the country. Core Vision offers some awesome LPVO training, as well as medical to get you used to utilizing a first aid kit if you were to ever need one. Core Vision Training also offers some great close quarters courses.

There also are multiple states that Core Vision Training is in, offering tactical training courses in:

Wrap Up

Overall, having fancy equipment in your kit like night vision goggles, a good set of boots, plate carriers, and more is nice and all, but having a proper first aid kit is one of the most important items to keep with you. Whether it is in your bag, on your belt next to your holster, on your chest rig, or somewhere else, you need to have a first aid kit, and we recommend the North American Rescue Mini IFAK.

What are you waiting for?

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The Importance of a First Aid Kit for All Situations