The Army has begun fielding a new IFAK which looks to be a significant improvement on the old ones.
http://kitup.military.com/2013/12/army-fields-new-first-aid-kit.html#more-27138
Well the good side for me is there should be plenty of the “old” kits available for sale now.
I wonder how long it will be before “wayward” new versions begin popping up on eBay.
I’ve been able to get hands on several versions of the new Flat IFAK kits over the past couple of years… they are (imho) a very solid design idea. Here is one I reviewed a little while back:
And thank you frorthe review, well done.
Eye shield… brilliant. Why didn’t we think of this sooner? Eye trauma is not well covered in most TCCC. Seems like a simple addition current IFAKs.
I used one of these when they first came out. Great design and well thought out. I still have some issues with the packing list but it is an improvement to the way that it is carried.
I’ve been playing with the one I drew from RFI last month.
Definitely a step forward and I’m glad it was issued. (as was the Ops Core H-Nape)
I’m deploying soon, so I’ll wait to give my opinion of its performance until I get back.
Could you expand on this? What would you prefer?
I am just not sold on the packing list. I make sure that there are a minimum of 2 chest seals. This is because I usually have to use at least 2 on everyone that I have had to put a chest seal on. I also think that for the regular Joe out there there does not need to have any gauze in there. Put bandages in it them and a package of Combat Gauze. I am not sure what the Big Army teaches for TCCC but I would also have a 14 gauge in there for decompression. It is a very simple treatment that can make all of the difference in the world.
14ga is in the issued IFAK. Tension pneumothorax treatment is taught in all CLS and you are absolutely right about NCD.
Combat gauze is issued in theater for Big Army and in my last unit we all carried 2 per IFAK. Our medics worked a drug deal and got us extras for use in Squad EMT bags. I was able to carry enough to pack a wound on every limb of an entire Fire Team.
I’d like to see a forcewide adoption of the SOFT-T in lieu of the CAT, but it will never happen. The issued tourniquet pouches are a great addition in that it keeps our CATs mounted where we can reach them quickly without exposing them to UV. We still need to rotate CATs out of service every few months, but supply and budget issues make that pretty much impossible outside of SOF.
The new IFAK looks great so far. So long as we can top off on the supplies we really need, I think it’s a hell of an addition to the kit we draw from RFI.
I make sure that there are a minimum of 2 chest seals. This is because I usually have to use at least 2 on everyone that I have had to put a chest seal on.
Is this due to entrance and exit wounds, or multiple entrance wounds? How do you position the patient once both seals are on? Does air escape both seals or are you simply need to apply an occlusive to the wound?
I also think that for the regular Joe out there there does not need to have any gauze in there.
You don’t think Joe will pack a wound? Or, has no business packing wounds?
Put bandages in it them and a package of Combat Gauze.
When you say ‘bandage’ do you mean one of the many flavors of pressure dressings?
I am not sure what the Big Army teaches for TCCC but I would also have a 14 gauge in there for decompression.
Big Army teaches it only to Combat Lifesavers. SOF units teach it to everyone. Units I have been in like you to have 2 (NARP in hard case).
Does that answer all of your questions?
Thanks. Great food for thought. It has me rethinking a few things in my own kit. The problem with IFAKs is you are sort of dependant on the knowledge of the guy giving you buddy aid.
That is it in a nut-shell…that is why i loose sleep at night wondering if I trained my guys as good as I could…:dirol:
Ill be patiently waiting…whats the deal with the generic sounding chest seal, did the Army try redesign the wheel and go generic or are we getting bolins in here?
Granted my last deployment was in 2006-07’, but it was a battalion requirement to have every deploying soldier through CLS before we left Schofield Barracks. I cant imagine why units today wouldn’t follow this same practice.
That generally tends to be the current standard.
I’m fairly confident it’s the Hyfin Extreme, but I may be wrong. I’ll be back at Bragg either tomorrow night or Wednesday morning and will inventory the “as issued” IFAK and post it here.
Which chest seal is issued in the kit?
Is the HALO an approved item? I find it a very good solution, as it comes with two large seals in each kit. You can either apply them both as they are, or cut one down to size if that is all that is needed.
I was also taught the same thing re “chin to navel” wounds treated as part of Breathing/Respiration (depending on which model you use).
Re NDC procedure, do you leave the catheter in, or discard it once pressure is relieved? The technique we are taught (Advanced medic) is to fill up a 5ml syringe with saline, remove the plunger and attach the syringe to the needle part of catheter. Insert needle, preferably midaxillary line, and get visible cue wether or not decompression was successful when saline starts bubbling. A lot easier to determine success than to rely on audible cue. Midaxillary is the preferred spot, as midclavicular has a higher “risk” of being unsuccessful, ie not puncturing deep enough on muscular pts.