How to build an IFAK and save money!

Building pre-made first aid kits is great but often an expensive endeavor. This video walks through purchasing individual components to save a little bit of money.

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[DarrylMiglio]

'...your body starts to lose the ability to clot @ 95 degrees...' Thanks for sharing, that will get a space blanket added to my kit today

[johnhubbard]

30 plus years of construction taught me if you need gloves you need at least three as one will always tear when you need it, you will always need to change gloves at least once. So if I need a set of gloves in my PPE 1 set equals 3 pair.
Your videos have no wasted information, are clear precise and easy to understand, hell of a teacher thank you.

[brushemteeth]

Don't forget to write down the expiry dates of the items on a note that you leave visibly inside the plastic bag, so you don't have to take the items out to check their expiry dates one by one.

[joecamel]

One thing you might add to this is a light source. I pack a chem light/ Glow stick in my first aid kits. Bad things are more likely to happen at night and you need to be able to see what you are doing. Also being more visible for people who are coming to help.

[grogdizzy]

If you live near a military base, local army surplus stores are a great place to get top-of-the-line medical gear for a low cost. I got a CAT tq still in the package for $8 the other day.

[dianebeth]

Humble hint: if you have a vacuum packer, a 12"x12" (or so) microfiber cloth can be sucked down to nothing and can be used for mop-up, extra dressing, etc., etc.

[maxrockatanksyOG]

As an RN- the most crucial piece of gear is training, training, training.
Learn how to pack a wound
Learn how to correctly apply a tourniquet (compartment syndrome)
Learn simple basic CPR
Learn about basic first aid cardiac treatment
Learn how to apply a chest seal (this is sometimes better to let someone with more experience, let treat)
Practice an NPA (uncomfortable, but needed, keep a tube or 2 of lube too)

All these Tacticool people with all the gear & no idea= a really fucking bad idea.

I keep a Tourniquet, an Israeli Bandage, a Quikclot & roll of Cohesive bandage (sticks to itself, can be done with 1 hand- even 2 fingers) in my EDC & farm carry ammo can (throw on tractor or ride on mower).

Dont worry about medication- often it can fuck up us in Resus in ED; stopping a bleed is most important from your end.

Aussie RN checkin' in🤙

[geodkyt]

Two additional items I was advised to stick in there by a retired 18D were a Sharpie medium point marker (in a ziplock bag to avoid drying out in heat) and a cheap keyfob type disposable white light - the kind you can hold in your mouth while working.

[surratt]

I have built several of these kits for our cars over the past 18 months. Just like this. The only thing I add is a sheet of paper behind the chest seal with a list of contents written in sharpie so it can be read through the plastic bag. Oh I do through in a sharpie too. Great video.

[ajkurp]

Damn good advice. On shears- Even on the ambulance and in the ER I use the cheap shears. In a ditch along side the road, somebody behind you says, "Gimme your shears", most of the time you'll never see them again. Replacement is 5 bucks instead of 50. And the cheap ones are amazingly good. You rock.

[Hawkdriver-]

Great piece of kit and explained very well.

One trick I used on packing vacuum-sealed kits for our helicopters was to use pinking shears when cutting off the excess tube on each end. Leaves a beautiful series of notches all the way across each end that are more visible than the simple slits you cut and provide a tactile sense even with aircrew gloves on for limited visibility conditions. Tested on over hundreds of aircrew during training and real-world events with zero failure for both two-handed opening and one-hand with teeth.

[stevesmith]

I am a huge fan of the triangular bandage, there is nothing really cannot be done with one, and they are compact. Simple pad over a wound, something to hold a pad over a wound, a sling, a donut for wounds that still have something in them, even a tourniquet. when 3 or 4 of you each carry one, they can even be used to splint legs together.

[tiggalong]

A good video as always.
I always carry a large ziplock bag in my first aid kit to clean up after or place personal items in so that the patient arrives at A&E with them. Phones, wallets so on can be invaluable to medical staff.
I might put your vacuum kit in one so that when you rip it open you don’t lose something or get it wet.

[knewsome]

I've been using freezer grade Zip-Lock brand bags with some manual pressure "pushing" the air out for years. I found some kits that I made for a shooting flat range fundraiser in a tackle box about 14 years earlier. I opened it to see the condition of material - everything was in pristine condition. Thick "airtight" bags" out of sunlight and a dry environment seems to have been the key.

[JR-bxkw]

The only thing I would add is to add a sharpie to mark the tourniquet. Also I would use a sharpie to mark where you slightly made the nicks to easy open. Easier to find when needed.

[castlecarry]

This is one of the best IFAK walk-throughs I've seen. Thank you, sir. Very plain and simple to understand.

[gnuylxz]

I just added two Trama Kits to the medical arsenal, and it's a very comprehensive kit.
I just thought if I ever came across an accident and there was significant blood flow, I would be able to help.
In this kit:
X2 Isreal Bandages
X2 Tourniquets
X2 Chest Seal
X2 Venelated Chest Seal
X2 Bleedstop
X1roll of ( packing gauze)
X2 Mylar Blankets
X1 pair of Tweezers
X1 Headlamp
X1 Penlight
X2 rolls of tape
X2 Super Glue ( for medical purposes)
X4 Tylenol
X4 Asprin
X4 Ibuprofen
X1 Lighter
X1 Knife
X1 Medical Sizzers
X2 medical gloves
X2 sterile surgical Suiture packs
X1 Permanente Marker
X1 pad of waterproof paper
Allow the above fits in a mollie pack

[kennethjmurphy]

I like when a creator gives the information, not all the reasons and excuses and personal information that we don't need . This is the difference between men who have lived real experience and boys straight out of high school trying to make money by having a youtube channel running their mouth to hear themselves talk.

[BUZZKILLJRJR]

This is what I needed to see, I'm on a very Fixed budget and have almost no income. Being able to put together a kit, instead of spending $300 in one pop this way is much more feasible. That way I'm getting it together and have some of the things I need until I have a complete kit.

[jjfrange]

Thanks for this video. I've been making kits for cars, office, and edc with zip lock bags simply because I change the contents of my kits often. However, the vacuum sealer is a good idea for the items that I rarely use, but keep in each kit. Excellent tip!