First things first, what is an IFAK kit?
IFAK stands for ‘Individual First Aid Kit’. These kits were first seen widespread in the military as they can be carried on your person and provide instant access to the medical equipment needed to control the bleeding of injuries such as gun shot wounds and prepare the wound for proper medical attention, which increases the patients chances of survival in an emergency.
The IFAK kit has now been more widely adopted with people from all walks of life carrying them, whether it’s a medical professional, a person going hiking or for storage in the back of a car for emergencies.
Why Do I Need An IFAK Kit?
With the origins of military use and treatment of gunshots, you may wonder why you need one. But the IFAK kit is something everyone should have ready and be prepared to use, whether that be in their house, back of their car or in their rucksack, as it could save your life.
"39 percent of pre-hospital deaths might have been preventable with the provision of basic first aid"
Hussain, L. M. and Redmond, A.D.
Are pre-hospital deaths from accidental injury preventable?
British Medical Journal. 1994; 308: pp, 1077-1080
An IFAK kit, or Individual First Aid Kit, is a compact medical kit that is designed to provide immediate medical assistance in emergency situations. There are multiple reasons why you should have an IFAK kit, including:
Emergency Preparedness: An IFAK kit can help you be prepared for emergencies such as natural disasters, accidents, or injuries while out in the wilderness. Having the necessary medical supplies on hand can make a huge difference in the outcome of a medical emergency.
Immediate Medical Assistance: An IFAK kit can provide immediate medical assistance in emergency situations, which can be critical in preventing further injury or even saving a life.
Convenience: An IFAK kit is compact and portable, making it easy to carry with you wherever you go. This means that you can have access to critical medical supplies at all times, even when you are on the go.
"Uncontrolled post-traumatic bleeding is the leading cause of potentially preventable death among injured patients"R. Rossaint et al.
The European guideline on management of major bleeding and coagulopathy following trauma: fourth edition. Crit Care.
2016; 20: 100.
Blood loss can kill in a matter of minutes and when disaster strikes the first person on the scene is usually a passerby or your friends/family. Having an IFAK kit to hand gives you the ability to deal with a major bleed and possibly save a life by controlling the blood loss long enough for trained professionals to arrive.
These kits are especially helpful for campers/hikers who may get hurt in remote locations, meaning treatment on the scene is vital to buy those extra minutes needed to get to safety.
What Items Are In An IFAK Kit?
The contents of an IFAK kit can change depending on several factors including individual preferences, level of training required, the willingness to learn and where the kit will be located. Additionally, local clinical governance may also be a factor depending on who will be using the kits.
Regardless of these factors, every IFAK should include at least some form of the following items:
Tourniquet
Tourniquets are a key item for an IFAK kit as their purpose is to control life threatening external bleeding. Choosing which tourniquet is best for your needs can be confusing. Windlass style tourniquets such as the CAT and SOFTT are most popular and are considered “gold standard” however, they do require appropriate training to be used effectively in the correct position and circumstances. Other options include the SWAT-T and Slishman Pressure Wrap which are much easier to apply particularly for the untrained lay responder due to their simple and intuitive application.
Functionally, all these options work to stem arterial bleeding from an extremity and regardless of the effectiveness of each tourniquet, they will buy you precious minutes before help arrives. Whichever you choose, the most important element is to train and become familiar with that tourniquet, practicing on others and yourself, so you are comfortable using it before it is needed
When including a tourniquet in your IFAK it’s always good practice to include a marker or Sharpie pen so you can record the time it was applied directly on the tourniquet. Many of them feature a label specifically for this purpose.
For more information on tourniquets check out our other blog here.
Wound Packing / Haemostatic Gauze
Depending on the training level of the user, an important element of any IFAK kit is effective wound packing. This involves forcing gauze (either conventional or haemostatic) into the wound cavity and then applying direct pressure until the bleeding stops.
Conventional gauze such as PriMed Gauze, relies on physical pressure to constrict blood flow; the more gauze that is packed into the wound, the less room for blood to flow out. Haemostatic gauze is impregnated with a haemostatic agent which accelerates clotting and can reduce the amount of time direct pressure must be applied to an arterial bleed. The downside of haemostatic agents is training, higher price and expiration dates. Some of the most popular Haemostatic Gauze Dressings include Celox Rapid, ChitoGauze and QuikClot.
Trauma / Pressure Dressing
A ‘trauma’ or ‘pressure’ dressing is designed to be applied after the wound is packed with gauze. These dressings work by further restricting blood flow by applying pressure over the injury and holding the wound packing gauze in place. There are a wide range of trauma dressings available but all have this same purpose.
The most popular trauma dressings are the Emergency Bandages which are commonly referred to as “Israeli Bandages” incorporates multiple first-aid devices including a primary dressing, pressure applicator, secondary dressing and an easy closure to secure in place. They come in a variety of sizes depending on the space available and the intended risk application. Generally in an IFAK kit we recommend a 4in dressing to make best use of space.
Trauma Shears
IFAK kits are used in high-stress situations and in emergency bleeding, shears are safer for the patient and make it much easier to cut away clothing and gain access to the wound.
Nitrile Gloves
Wearing gloves ensures the hygiene of the wearer so that they do not force any dirt/germs into the wound whilst giving treatment. They are also a precaution for the wearer to limit exposure to bloodborne pathogens. These gloves have a low cost and pack tightly so are a must in any IFAK kit.
Rescue Blanket
A rescue blanket is essential to help regulate body temperature and prevent the onset of hypothermia and shock after the injury. As with most options in list there are a range of choices available from a basic foil survival/space blanket which optimises space, specially designed trauma blankets which incorporate air pockets into their design to improve heat retention and even active-warming blankets such as the Ready-Heat II Torso Blanket. These clever blankets include fast-acting heating elements that react with oxygen when opened to provide active heating to the patient.
Other items to consider
The items listed above are key components for the majority of IFAK kits where bleeding injuries are anticipated in high risk environments. Many IFAK kits will either have more specific requirements or be intended for lower-risk environments so you may also consider including a selection of the following items too:
– Chest Seal
– Naso Airway
– Tape (such as Micropore tape)
– Triangular Bandage
– Plasters
– CPR Face Shield
The key items needed are those that control bleeding and stabilise yourself/the patient long enough for help to arrive. You may not pack all of these items or you may pack more, what is key is the ability to access them in an emergency which brings us to the next point.
What Should I Keep My IFAK Kit In?
This question begins to be answered once you know how much will be in your IFAK kit and where it will be stored. It’s generally recommended that you keep your IFAK compact with all its contents easily accessible. As the less time spent looking for the kit and getting out the item you need, the faster aid can be applied.
With this in mind, a quick access bag or pouch that can be attached to you/your gear or stored in an easily accessed compartment of a bag or your car is the best way to store your IFAK kit.
ACT-PAK Vacuum Kits
ACT-PAK Personal Aid Kit’s are small and cost-effective kits that are supplied in vacuum sealed and waterproof pouches. The pouch is suitable for individual carry in a pocket, bag, briefcase, rucksack, etc. and can also be stored away in a secure location like a glove-box, kitchen cupboard, office desk drawer leaving you safe in the knowledge that it will be there sealed until needed.
As these are vacuum packed the contents are pre-defined in a variety of configurations on our website however, we can also customise these contents so call us on 01952 56 56 56 and we will be happy to help.
5.11 UCR IFAK Pouch
If you want your kit compact and attached to your person/bag, then a 5.11 UCR IFAK Pouch is perfect. It contains MOLLE capabilities, allowing for it to be safely and securely attached to the body for easy access. It also comes with a Velcro front allowing for medical patches or name plates to be added, making it easier to identify if it was someone other than yourself looking for the kit.
Individual Emergency IFAK Pouch
For a small pouch with a wider opening that also keeps the MOLLE design, the Individual Emergency IFAK Pouch provides both easy access to its contents and a small profile to not get in your way while attached to your bag/body. Making it small enough to fit in most bag pockets. This pouch also features pull cords for quick opening of the center compartment.
What about kits for public access?
Placement of IFAK kits is a key part of the decision process with building your own IFAK kit. The majority of our content above is focussed on personal carry or individual use. A critical element of preventing deaths caused by bleeding is to provide the correct equipment in easy-to-access places in public spaces for use by lay responders who are first in scence. This is a principle that has been widely adopted with Automated External Defibrillators (AED’s) in public spaces across the world helping the survival chances of people who suffer a cardiac arrest.
When choosing locations for public IFAK kits you need to identify your risks and assess if access could be limited in the event of an emergency. For example, if you are barricaded in an office or room, could you access your ACT-multiPAK and life-saving bleeding equipment if it was only situated in the corridor?
The size of the area is also a big factor. Are you looking for something for smaller organisations, lower risk environments or for areas where smaller but more frequent distribution is necessary (e.g. individual offices, shops, classrooms) or are you looking for a mass casualty bag for larger organisations, higher risk environments or for wider but less frequent distribution (e.g. corridor, security office, reception).
ACT-multiPAK Bleeding Kits
ACT-multiPAK’s are intended for pre-placement in public spaces and can be opened quickly and efficiently for responder drop or throw distribution. Supplied in a rapid-access opening bag, ACT-multiPAK’s can be placed throughout public spaces including but not limited to offices, shopping centres and mass gathering events. They should be situated in numerous, easy-to-grab locations for easy-access in the event of an emergency.
Available in a variety of sizes and configurations, ACT-multiPAK’s are ideal for public access bleeding control provision whether it’s a small or large area. If you are not sure which ACT-multiPAK is right for you or your organisation we would be happy to help you so please call us on 01952 56 56 56.
A final note
As with any skill, in particular those that happen in a high-stress environment, training it key. Whilst a lot of the items included in an IFAK kit are intuitive and can be used by general public in the event of an emergency, training it a key component to a successful outcome.
Being familiar with your kit contents and their instructions for use will help not with correct application but when stress levels are heightened and time is key, muscle memory can empower the responder to deliver quick and effective action.