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IFAK (Individual First Aid Kit) are kits or first-aid kits, which in the case of the military are the basic care pouch with essential materials for the treatment of wounds or bruises. In airsoft, we generally use the pouches merely for decoration, which are recognizable by the red cross sewn in the pocket itself and it would not hurt to know what they are and what elements a player without medical training can carry in a real emergency.

This article is made by a player, @Kyritaz_dfs (Instagram) with medical training who is a nursing professional, she will explain the content and configuration of three sets or kits from smallest to largest, according to the different needs and uses.

Very important! She reminds the readers to be responsible and not to carry anything that you don’t know how to use responsibility and only what is necessary for the activity you are going to practice.

1st Small first-aid kit for a first line

Why did I choose this pouch?

Due to its size and internal distribution, I carry a utility pouch from FLYYE brand in TAN colour with the paracord handles in red to identify it intuitively and quickly as a medical pouch.

Inside I carry very basic material with which I can perform first aid while I am on a mission until I reach the HQ and there I can have a apply a exhaustive treatment (all this depending on what I have, in case I do not need urgent medical attention, obviously.)

I carry all these in an airtight bag as you can see to preserve everything with as mush asepsis as possible.

I have just the necessary items to apply a quick cure, cut the bleeding, finger sprains, my own medication that I may need at any given time, etc.

What do I bring?

  • Fortasec.
  • Amchafibrin*
  • CPR manual.
  • Identification card in which the affected area/s and time can be recorded, it is also where I have my allergies written down, the current treatment I am taking and if I have any important illness (this should be done by everyone and communicate it previously to the event organizers, NOT THE DAY OF THE EVENT, but in advance).
  • Nitrile gloves.
  • Physiological serum and povidone iodine 10mL.
  • Chlorhexidine wipe.
  • Superficial hemostatic bandage for first aid.
  • Tape.
  • Gauze kept in an airtight bag.
  • Two wooden depressants.
  • Scissors and tweezers.
  • Ibuprofen.
  • Triangular bandage.
  • Pack of plasters in various sizes.
  • Sterile gauze pads.
  • Steri-strip 3M.
  • Thermal blanket other than the airtight bag.

*Informative note
It would be nice that we can carry this type of blister in all our kits. It is a tranexamic acid, which by applying it topically (we open the blister and pour the liquid from inside the wound on top of it) in a bleeding wound and apply pressure with a gauze, we will control the bleeding.

2nd Small first-aid kit for the second line

As a second kit I carry a TMC brand pouch, called Tactical Trauma Medical Pouch. I have had this pouch for a year and a half and I have used it intensively, I am always using it and I have had zero problems, it is highly recommended. Its dimensions are 20cm high, 17cm wide and 4cm deep.  Despite being a relatively small pouch, it can fit many things.  It has a quick and easy access handle at the top in case it needs to be used urgently.

It has an 180º opening, this allows us to visually check quickly what we need at that time since its internal distribution is quite adequate to arrange the items.

Why?
I usually do hiking and other sports so I take this pouch to always carry it on top of my backpack, therefore it works for milsims if for example I have to carry a backpack for the mission, for a trip or any other situation in which I may need it.

What do I bring?

  • Identification card in which the affected area/s and time can be recorded, it is also where I have my allergies written down, the current treatment I am taking and if I have any important illness.
  • Several first aid bandages.
  • Several Steri-strip packages.
  • Wooden depressants.
  • Several sterile suture packages.
  • Chlorhexidine wipe.
  • Transpore 3M tape.
  • Amchafibrin.
  • Single-dose physiological serum.
  • Paraffinized gases.
  • Permanent pencil.
  • Scissors.
  • CPR single-use mask.
  • Sterile gauze pads.
  • Povidone iodine monodose.
  • Pack of plasters in various sizes.
  • Antiseptic cream.
  • Tweezers.
  • Pillbox with medication.

3rd Main kit: Backpack

Thirdly, I carry a backpack that I adapted to a Flat Pack Plus kit.

Why did I choose this backpack?

It is a backpack that opens in 180º and is all female velcro inside. I really liked this because I wanted to add some transparent coloured medical pouches inside so that it had the appearance of a medical kit and also to identify with what type of material it may have inside thanks to the colours.

I carry five medical pouches inside.

A: Yellow Pouch:

  • 4 Oropharyngeal cannulas number: 0.3, 4 and 5
  • Large splint roll.
  • Celox.
  • Israeli bandage.
  • ARS thoracic decompression needle.

B: Blue Pouch:

  • Stethoscope.
  • Compressor.
  • Pulse oximeter.
  • Abbocath.
  • Nobecutan.
  • BMT.
  • CPR mask that can be attached to an ambu.
  • Various medical tools.
  • Ankle brace.
  • CPR single-use mask.
  • Scalpel blade.
  • Several sterile suture packages.
  • Steri-strip of various sizes.

Although it can not be seen in the picture I also carry:

  • Serum system.
  • Blood pressure meter.
  • Glucosaline, glucose, lactated ringer and sodium chloride, all in 100mL.

C: Green Pouch:

  • Syringes of various sizes.
  • Alcohol pads.
  • IM blisters of various drugs.
  • Permanent pencil.
  • Varied oral medication.
  • Physiological serum 10mL.

D: Pink pouch:

  • Triangular bandage.
  • Strips of various sizes.
  • Chlorhexidine pads.
  • Paraffinized gases.
  • First aid bandage of various sizes.
  • Nitrile gloves.
  • Sterile gauze pads.
  • Povidone iodine 10mL.
  • Physiological serum 10mL.
  • Chlorhexidine.
  • Antiseptic cream.
  • Duct tape.
  • Tape.
  • Instant cold bag.

E: Red pouch:

  • Scissors
  • OmniStrip (they are the same approach points as the
  • Steri-strip, but of a different brand and flesh colour).
  • Physiological serum 10mL.
  • More first aid bandage.
  • Tape.
  • Gauze bandage.
  • Compression bandage.
  • Crepe bandage.
  • Elastic bandage.
  • Cohesive bandage.
  • Gloves.
  • Thermal blanket.
  • Triangular bandage.
  • Sterile gauze pads.
  • Pack of various plasters.

This items are what I carry in my backpack kit, because I am a nurse and I have enough knowledge to use each and every one of the items that I carry in my different kits, so it does not mean that everyone should carry them. It is a first-aid kit with complex material that you must know how to use.

Like I always say:

DO NOT PUT IN YOUR KIT ANYTHING YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO USE. BRING ONLY WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR THE ACTIVITY YOU ARE GOING TO DO.