Chris, I know we haven't seen the whole "Elephant" yet but I did think this was a great video. RE: the whole series - I especially love love the methodology discussion and thought process that goes into each and every item - I literally have 4 base EDC level 1 configurations because some days require suit and tie, other days I am on clinical rotation or in areas where certain items are not permitted, etc. On to the topic at hand - MEDICAL LOADOUT aka the "Bleed Kit" - What should you prepare for? My answer - Self preservation! You are spot on talking about it's importance. In my 27 plus years of public safety / healthcare / disaster response - I cannot tell you the number of times I've needed encountered a medical/traumatic emergency while "off-duty." Anything from car accidents to kids sticking flaming marshmallow's in another kids eye backpacking/camping "20 miles from nowhere." These events are occurring every day - everywhere. Heed Chris's advice - always be prepared.
Being a licensed EMT and a career firefighter, I spent the most time and a little more money making my first aid and bleeding control kit. You have to take care of yourself first, then family/close friends and then strangers. If you get into a situation where you have to stop a hemorrhage, everything else you're carrying doesn't mean a thing. Good video Chris, this series is a good eye opener, makes me reevaluate my EDC.
Chris, your EDC videos may be some of your smartest work and ideologies to date. Your bleed kit is fantastic and I completely agree that the antiquated approach of "just using a bandana", won't cut it with an arterial bleed. I've been a paramedic for over 13 years and have dealt with my share of arterial bleeds and the SWAT-T tourniquet is one of the best tools I've had at my disposal. My thoughts are that anyone that is living life with an approach to preparedness could really benefit from taking a Certified First Responder course or better yet an EMT-Basic course. It will give you a higher level knowledge for medical and trauma preparedness. I'd love to see more of our prepper brothers and sisters taking this approach. Heck, volunteer for a ride-a-long with your local squad and expose yourself to what happens in real emergencies. Put your knowledge and skills to use and God forbid you need your skills for yourself, a loved one or a stranger, you will have your skills and experience.
Nice job. Absolutely bleeding should be everyone's main concern to have to deal with everyday. To date those vids you did with Hector were the most informative and valuable videos I have seen on TH-cam. I have gone back and watched them several times to keep it fresh in my mind
Chris, just an idea for you. As a knife nut, you are going to be at a higher risk of "puncture" wounds. Now assuming you don't hit an artery during such an accident, something I found really helpful when I slipped whilst stripping copper cable (I worked in a breakers yard at the time) with a very sharp knife and ended up stabbing my thigh, is the simple tampon. They are practically purpose built for the job of dealing with deep puncture type wounds and not only plug the hole efficiently until you can get to hospital to have it stitched up but they also aid greatly with your blood clotting in the wound. Thus reducing bleeding. Yes, I know you have the super glue but when you have something like a 3"+ deep hole in yourself that you weren't born with, it may not always be prudent to favour the glue over plugging and bandaging the wound. Also, what weight / bulk are 2 or 3 tampons going to add to your kit?? Anyways, just an idea for your bleed kit part of your EDC bag. Great video again thanks!!
They actually are purpose made for that use. Tampons were a military blood stopper for gunshot wounds. They were adapted into their current roll by military nurses, no joke.
If you are out in the bush, needing to know how to properly stop both arterial and venous bloodloss (venous bloodloss is by far the most common and luckily easiest to control) is one of the most important skills you can add to your arsenal. It's not one of those things you can bluff your way through. Good job Chris.
This is your back up. I'm glad that you are talking about bleeding control and medical emergency . One of the equipment that is under estimate in most of the vids that I watch is the first aid kit. Honestly, I laugh because everything is resolved with few band aids. As a foot & ankle surgeon, I carried a complete and concise first aid kid... Trust me... Great series...
Im an LVN working on my bsn. Trauma kit is a must to any preper! maslow's hierarchy of needs! Look it up prepers! What good is a fancy knife when u have an arterial wound! Watching your trama kit videos is what got me in to this channel! PM101!!! Good stuff bro!
I am an EMT and volunteer firefighter and that is a great tourniquet! I like this video a lot. What is crazy to me is the fact that when people prepare for disasters, the first aid kits people have are not sufficient. Most of these first aid kits that people buy only have band-aids. During a natural disaster, you need significant blood stopping capabilities. The average person does not have what is needed to treat the type of wounds that occur during a natural disaster.
When you talk about infection and germs you are right in what you are saying that your priority is stopping bleeding. It is better to survive with an infection than not at all. It is, however, better to survive without infection than with one. Infection can have serious and potentially fatal consequences further down the line so it is always best practice to be as 'clean' as possible. This is especially true of people who have weak or compromised immune systems. EMS and first responders often downplay the importance of infection control because we never get involved with the continuing care of the patient and never have to deal with the infection. You are also right in what you are saying that you should be familiar with your kit so you know what it looks like and how it works when you come to pull it out. But: why give your patient anything less than your very best? If it is possible, leave the dressings in their packaging. If it isn't possible, do your best anyway. Also, here's a top tip: if you do roll up your bandage, have the dressing pad end at the of the roll (not in the middle). If you are using that kind of dressing on anger it needs to be on quickly so having the dressing pad at the outside end means that a) you get to it first and can apply pressure without unrolling the whole bandage and b) when you come to wrap the bandage it is much easier rolling the roll around the patient than trying to wrap 10ft of loose bandage!
Medical Professional here, I totally agree with what you are saying. But please remember that having something like a bandana is better than not having anything.
If you are out stuck somewhere, your phone needs to immediately be treated as a resource. Samsung has extreme power saving modes. Or just turn it off until you need it my first you do that and have an Anker, your phone should out last you.
Totally agree about the Blood stopping kit! Everything else is pointless if you bleed out!. EMT for 5 years so always have various medical bits near by but everyone should have some form of Bleed control at hand whether it be for yourself or someone near by. More so in the current active shooter craze. Thanks for the video buddy, always new stuff to consider :D
Hey Chris, NC EMT and a Wilderness EMT helpful tip change your ace bandage to a coban wrap bandage. It doesn't have the metal clip and is very universal, if your arm is injured you can apply this single handed.
These videos are nice and gets me thinking. The EDC bag I use is a camelbak that's a small backpack. It has enough space for a lot of essentials but also has 3 liters of water. So I always have a drink on the go but also just in case of a shitty situation I have "3 liters of water" which can get you going long enough till you can acquire more water.
Agreement that bleeding is one of top things, after airway/ breathing. However I believe what you called Swat T is SofT. The Swat T is basically a wide rubber strap without a windlass. Add quickclot sponge or celox. Switch out one of you knives for paramedic shears or Leatherman Raptor!
This is as great video. Thanks very much. I edc a small first aid kit, and realize that with a little effort I can have a much better kit. And, for the record, my bag has my Mora Companion tucked in the front pocket.
Chris, I've been keeping a personal First Aid/Trauma kit in my EDC bag for Two years now. The only difference between yours and mine is that I also keep an Israeli Bandage in mine. In addition, I'm also certified with the Red Cross for First Aid/CPR/AED.
I recently started building my 1st edc bag and am having to self teach and learn everything on my own. I found the medical section very helpful and just wanted to say thanks for posting this video. 🤙🏼
Talking about germs. An EMT training us first aid strongly pushed that once the package is open, it's not sterile. Yes, if you are seriously bleeding, one of the last things to worry about are germs. Don't go out of your way to rub dirt into the would, but don't sweat touch contamination.
+jmtnvalley True, you could even use a dirty t shirt if needed, The priority is to stop bleeding first, Most people will be within reach of a hospital within an hour,
I have the same phone as you, and just so you know, if you go into the S Health app on your phone that's pre-loaded, it has a heart rate monitor and an SpO2 meter. They use the sensors right under the flash next to the camera.
I might suggest that you replace that compact with something that would take up just as much space, be a ton more durable, and provide extra functionality as well. Personally, I would go with something like the Suunto MC-2 compass. Mirror, compass, and magnifying glass all rolled into one durable bit of kit. JMHO. Thanks for all of the great videos!
Chris, I must say I am enjoying the videos lately, it has become a reminder of why I subscribed in the first place. That little tip on the heart monitor was genius! Thanks for bringing that out of the box thinking to all of us. Looking forward to more great things to come. Keep up the good work.
Fantastic video. Loving the new format and especially the emphasis on trauma kits👍as a community first responder in the UK I advise everyone to carry a kit and at least take a basic first aid course. Even off duty I have helped numerous people with my edc first aid kit.
Great video Chris, the only thing I might add to the medical kit is a Sam splint they don't take up much room and are light. I've been an EMT for 20 years and have found out there are many uses for one. Keep the awesome videos coming. Jim from Maine.
Yeah, but this isn't meant to cover everything. It's easy to let your bag become some monster kit. I got the bleeding stuff because that's much more likely and it can kill you in minutes.
I'm disappointed I can only hit the like button once. This is an amazing video, it really gave me a new sight on prepping. thank you so much for the video!
Awesome. Ive reduced mine down to four areas. Catch all, electronics, FAK, and USK. The biggest area I removed was clothing. I moved that to its own luggage bag.
Really was surprised the medical videos didn't draw attention. Not only is it important, it was a FREE tutorial ! I imagine a training course would cost you. In my mind this new series is what prepared minds is all about.......PAPA DUKES
Working my way thru your 2016 Q1 stuff still, got most of them watched and notes made. I remember when I first "met" you - you said the same thing, hardly any hits on the medical / critical care stuff vs everything else and I never forgot that, it made sense. You had said in here you were posting a couple of those links and my notes were to go find them...... before you said that, but I think you forgot to post the links to those 2 (Hector the EMT and the Is. Bandage, etc) bc I know I need to watch that stuff and learn. Another quality video by you, keep up the good work man. Oh and the last while you make GREAT points a few times about outside the box uses for things like your heart rate monitor in an emergency, I saw it a week or so ago in something else you did, I thought it was genius, it lines up with your PM philosophy nicely and using one's mind critically. Thank you for what you do and how you do it.
Its a really great practice to have your tourniquet set up for your thigh, that when if you have to apply it all you have to do is tighten it and then cinch it down.
I certainly think you're on-target with the arterial bleed kit. That is something that you should ALWAYS have nearby. However, there are a few things I think need to be added to your kit. First & foremost is clotting agent of some kind, Celox or Quikclot. I keep a Quikclot Z-fold Combat Gauze and a couple of their 50 gram clotting sponges in mine. Since the bombing of the Boston Marathon a few years ago, I also have multiple tourniquets on hand -- a C.A.T., a R.A.T.S. & a SWAT-T -- and I keep a small pack of baby wipes in there too. Those things come in handy all the time! For anyone bellyaching about the IBD not being sterile anymore, they cost $9. Get one to practice with and a new one to keep in your kit. Problem solved. BTW, if you do need an extra tourniquet and don't have one, an IBD makes a handy improvised tourniquet. They're one of the few things that you can actually make an effective improvised tourniquet out of.
I would like to start off buy saying thank you for ALL of the info you give to me. I am a Harvey storm victim. I got caught with my pants down. ever since Harvey I have ben putting together a bug out bag and I am 85% finished. I am also working on a e.d.c. bagthat I just started. there is so much to know and to do. thanks to people like yourself and other's I am slowly getting it together. I hope one day to meet you at one of our hunting and fishing shows in Houston. THANKS AGAIN and keep up the great wk. O THANK FOR YOUR SERVICE.
Great video Chris. I need to add a shemagh and gauze, would suggest one or two heavy duty trash bags. They are light and take up zero room and like the shemagh, have a bunch of uses.
Hey, Paramedic chiming in here. the idea of carrying first aid/ trauma gear is good advice, when talking about gloves, it's not a matter of "if you have time to put them on" if it's not your self or close familey, you want to make that your number one priority
Full time paramedic for a living cat tourniquet and such items you mentioned WILL save your life for sure belts and bandanas and such will not do much spend the money
Nice video Chris. It's given me some great ideas for my own future EDC bag. I'm not the biggest fan of messenger/sling bags though, so that would be something I changed.
Canadian paramedic --- what you carry is FAR less important than knowing what to do with it. A belt and a bandana are perfectly acceptable ways to stop bleeding if that's what you have. You need to add a few blood sponges (maxi pads) to that bleed kit at a minimum. Trust me on this one, once you start into a good bleed you'll thank me.
+PREPAREDMIND101 For me, all the knife reviews get repetitive, but I certainly understand that a lot of people love knives and maybe that is what they want to see. I will never tire of seeing your approach to kits and edc. What I liked (and still do) about your channel and what attracted me to it to begin with is your creative approach to everyday preparedness and your think outside the box approach to utilizing products in different and unique ways as well as your entertaining and humble way of presenting your ideas. I think this series is a return to where you started to begin with and it is refreshing and welcome as far as I am concerned. I sincerely appreciate all of your efforts and hard work in getting this content out to us to enjoy and for that I simply say "thank you." I wish you continued success in the growth of your channel. Best of luck to you.
Some other items I carry in my EDC include (2) 48" tie wraps from Home Depot. Good for restraining something or someone. Also, my power pack includes a car adapter for my S6
EMT here: yep it's important to to have something to stop bleeding. Maybe throw in some gauze to stop smaller arterial bleedings without having to use a Israeli bandage. Also remember, that completely stopping the blood flow should be the last mean of stopping a bleeding and that you'll need to write down the time. As a EMT I strongly recommend to allways put on gloves when dealing with blood or other body fluids of strangers, because you can get really nasty stuff from contact with blood of others. Oh guys and don't even think about replacing the Ibuprofen with ASS (Aspirin), since you'll have a bad time when you happen to have severe bleedings
I presume a multitool is on your person. Maybe I looked awy but I don't recall seeing a pen for the notebook. Also would love to have seen a shot of the bag being worn on you for a sense of size other than just hearing the dimensions. Thanks for another thoughtful video.
I appreciate you encouraging us to think for ourselves. My needs where I live are different from other viewers. BTW, you can do a ton of good with a tourniquet and an Israeli bandage. Just be sure to practice application techniques, so you're good to go when seconds really count.
Awesome video. Nice bag. It's not often that someone considers weight when choosing their edc. I'm looking to buy a similar size EDC bag from Deuter (because I live in Europe). Love the videos!
Like everyone else, I love the new direction of your vids. Thank you. I too have had to redirect my prepping energies. I love the bushcraft vids and spend far too much of my time watching 'Survival Lily'. But at 62 with arthritic knees, I will not be Bugging Out. Learning to Shelter in Place is more my speed. PS - A while back I asked if you have a cheat sheet for steel types. How about that?
A brief description of the properties of the many types of steel commonly used for knives. I know that you give that info in your vids, but I am still learning and could use a written copy for reference. Thanks.
I am liking your prioritising of first aid/self aid I carry a Petzl Elite in my first aid kit as the chance are it'll be dark and I'll want to use both hands! also a set of clear lenses for my Julbo Dust as eye protection is a Number 1. Finally N95 respirator?? Very useful stuff for under 200 gramms
Fire fighter emt here and while watching this in the middle I had to stop and agree with you, control bleeding is a key, if your not healthy you're no good to yourself or anyone else.
Great video. Disappointed to see that the price has gone up and that there aren't as many options on the Haversack. Waited three months for the store to reopen. Missed my chance. Guess I'll just have to find another bag.
I'd look at adding some HemCon Bandages to my trauma kit. We relied heavily on the CAT tourniquet, Israeli bandage, and HemCon bandages to stop bleeding quickly...
PEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY!,IF THERE'S EVER A IMPORTANT VIDEO THAT YOU, AND THIS CHANNEL PM101,HAS EVER DONE, ARE THOUSE "HOW TO",PLEASE EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO HECTOR,AND TO YOU FOR HAVING THE COURAGE, TO PUBLISH THEM, "IM SURE THAT IN SOME REMOTE CORNER OF THE WORLD, "LIVES HAVE BEEN SAVED", I FOR ONE KEEP ON GOING BACK TO THEM AS A REFRESHER, "WHAT EVER YOU DO, DO NOT TAKE THEM DOWN"!!!, BY THE WAY, LOVE YOUR CHANNEL/VIDS. THANKS ,FROM CARACAS, VENEZUELA. KNOW YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!!!
great job on the vid chris. that bag looks awesome I'm going to have to get one of those. the videos are great and I can understand all your videos now you are doing a great job chris
Dang it. Just ordered a Tom Bihn Cafe bag to use for edc last night, wish I'd seen this video sooner because I'm liking that Haversack a little bit more. (Though I'd have to wait until march because Malcolm won't be taking orders til then.)
If thats made by TAC MED SOLUTIONS thats the SOF-T Tourniquet. It comes in a wide version as well. The SWAT Tourniquet is basically a wide piece of rubber that can be used as a tourniquet or pressure bandage
No problem. I actually use both in my bag. I treat the SWAT-T like a compression bandage in most situations and then just in case it;s a back up tornaquit if the SOF-T Wide is in use
You should put your tourniquet in the place of the leather strop on the outside for quick access. And put some ducktape tabs on your medical bag to facilitate one hand opening. When It's cold/you're wounded/you have blood on you (...) these Ziploc bags can be difficult to open. Your backup light should be a headlamp, keep your hands free for something else. No water? If you carry a trauma kit, you should have some (in a squeeze bottle to rinse a wound and see what you're doing). Water is also drinkable! Multi-purpose stuff!
Mr. Tanner, Reguarding your comment about tourniquets, it is an absolute must to have a kit to control bleeding. Tourniquets are a proven way to save lives. Average joe with his bandana will normally fail unless you have a solid windlass rod to back it up. Go ahead and try to tie a bandana as tight as you can get a tourniquet. You can't. Plus a tourniquet is roughly 3x as faster than a bandana set up. To go further in depth on why a tourniquet is better than a bandana you have the possibility of an incorrect placement, incorrect knot that could make the tourniquet fall off, or the bandana being to short in width, the set up is most likely to fail. I highly reccomend the SOF-T tourniquet that Chris has in his video. The windlass rod is steel with a coating. CAT-T tourniquets are great and work just as well, however, I have seen multiple fail due to the plastic windlass rod that they slap on them. There is a reason they issue us SOF guys certain tourniquets. Take it from a guy who has been deployed twice. -Aaron
Great video ! My light weight urban EDC bag is the Maxpedition Textudo Laptop Backpack bag set up to be TSA, school, work and VA Hospital friendly. The bag fits a 17" or smaller laptop and the large inside pocket fits the AR500 Backpack soft Level IIIA Armor. Tethered to the outside of the bag is a Fox40 rape whistle (per Nutnfancy) by an I.D. retractable tether. And a couple of low key moral patches; an American Flag and a TNP Owl patch. Thank you for the video ! tjl
I have that stuff elsewhere. Dont need it in that bag. Not a survival kit. If I was in the woods, it might be in that medical kit. I don't generally suffer stomach problems.
If it's not too late, can you get Hector to say what he thinks of the Swat-T tourniquet? TheMountainRN has said he likes them because they're easy for laymen to use, but I'd like to hear Hector's opinion.
I have a larger first aid kit, but it has a repair kit and hygiene stuff. Would it make sense to break it down smaller for EDC? It's currently in a maxpedition fatty.
LOL Germs ! in almost a quarter century of bandaging other people's boo boos I can count on one hand the times I used a sterile dressing in the field. 4x4's and kling solve most problems.
Love your comment, I spent my EMT days in an urban area where 90% of our calls were stabbings, bottling or shootings. I just jammed my pockets with 4X4's, kling and gloves. Rarely had to go into the trauma bag except for airways or more 4X4s.
Thanks ! I know what you mean. We would build the basketball - add 4x4s until you had a semi-circular wad of 4x4's to keep the box clean (go absorbent or go home) We got hemostatic dressings, Israeli bandages, and cat tourniquets a few years before I retired. When I started we still had MAST trousers.- which worked great before the everything is disposable craze.
I am buying a tourniquet off of your site as soon as I hear back from you. I just want to know what tourniquet you suggest. The SOFT W Tourniquet or the R.A.T.S. Rapid Application Tourniquet System. I know both are well rated but they are significantly different. I get that the S.O.F.T.-W is probably better for use on other people but the R.A.T.S. looks like it Might be easier to use on yourself. If you have handled both, maybe you could shed some light on what would be better for personal use in a deep woods situation. (hiking and backpack camping)
PREPAREDMIND101 LOL, I should have kept watching the video . I was watching "How to use a CAT of SOFT Tourniquet" when I was writing this. The subject was addressed. However, The suggestion is still applicable. The RATS is small and lightweight but the SOFT looks high quality. I am getting the Ever Ready Israeli bandage. Is 4 inch or 6 inch bandage a better choice for size/weight/ cost constraints? The 2 buck isn't a factor but hands on is the you have is a good way to know what seems best.
+Michael Reed Get a couple of both ! Then decide which kit to put them in. Had basic First Aid in the Army and was taught to put the tourniquet between the heart and the wound and if your drill sargent had a head wound put the tourniquet on very soon before the line forms to do it !. tjl
Thanks for again stressing the importance of first aid preparedness. For me personally the ability to save a life takes 100% preference to taking a life in my edc bag. I refuse to carry a gun, I just don't believe in its utility, but you better damned believe I can stop trauma bleeding from my edc bag, and more depending on what else I have on my person or proximity to my car. A knife is a more multi use tool, so that's the weapon of choice too, if I need one. I practice my CPR skills, and thanks to those videos you did, I've gotten far less concerned about the tourniquet cleanliness and started practicing more, and I'm teaching my kids as well. Good citizens take care of each other.
Hmm. You only see a gun as "taking life"?? What about YOUR life? Doesn't that count for something? What about the lives of the persons being stabbed by someone or shot at by some crazy jihadi you run into? Or your family? What about a giant ass dog foaming at the mouth bearing down on you? You going to punch it? I would suggest shifting your perspective slightly. Don't value the life of a killer more than their victim. A gun is to PROTECT life, IMO.
I'm not interested in starting a thing on your video: contrary to popular belief, not everyone does that. Let's leave this with "I like options that aren't final." I'm not against guns when my goal is killing something, but personally, I don't equate that with justice. Like you're proposed scenarios, if I'm up against a rabid dog, sure, acceptable scenario for a gun. I don't come up on rabid dogs everyday, hence, no gun in my edc. If you're talking about human perps, I believe in the penitentiary system as a means of social correction for unacceptable behavior. I don't think I get to shoot someone to protect one life over another. I'm a firm believer in situational awareness, and subduing someone so they face justice. The "shoot this perp" mentality is just way out of hand in this country. I understand your points, and appreciate that you're taking the time to help me consider other points of view. From my seat though, I wish you'd come to a new perspective. The life I take in the street today could be a cousin who's been caught in an impossible situation, or a sister misled by a dangerous cult, or just a stupid kids who didn't consider the ramifications of a rash action. For me, if those were my people, I'd want a second chance for them. Hence, I extend second chances to everyone. Thirds too in most cases.
I improvised a tourniquet using my belt back in 2011 during my vacation. A poor guy had lost his right foot in a freak accident, and was bleeding to death just outside my hotel. The belt tourniquet didn't work very well, and I had to apply additional preassure using my hands to stop the bleeding. My thumbs cramped up like hell before the ambulance came and took over. Overall a very unpleasant experience. I have a solid medical training from the army (Not US), and knew what I needed to do, and it still sucked to use a belt. It would have been impossible to apply the improviced tourniquet on myself. Now I carry a SWAT tourniquet (The compact rubber band style)in my EDC.
+ksmolsen When Pete Kohler had his accident up on his mountain, he tried his belt too. Almost didn't make it. A shemagh/carabiner/stick is a better improvised tourniquet, but it's still no SOFTT.
+ksmolsen Belts are meant to be comfortable to wear, so are generally too broad to really bite down without a lot of pressure, boot or shoe laces are better, (And yes you can suffer nerve damage but it's better than being dead)
The belt was all I had. Another negative of using it is that the ambulance will drive off with it when they evacuate the patient, leaving you without a belt. Not a big deal in most situations, especially compared to the situation of the guy that just got injured, but still something that I would like to avoid in the future.
+ksmolsen You could have used a boot lace, (anyone's) or even electrical cable etc, Anything that's thin and strong enough. And why are you complaining about the lose of a belt?,
Emt for over 15 years and still going. The first thing you should have in any type of bag that you use to help you to get by day to day should have a first aide kit in it, even if it's first aide supplies in a freezer ziplock bag. Many may feel they can tough it out and only use a handkerchief but are they willing to bet the lives of loved ones on it? No one will do any surviving once they bleed out. First AIDE FIRST!
Chris I think you should (IMO) take a first aid course. I have to take one annually for work and they DO NOT advocate tourniquets anymore. Why? Because it increases the threat of losing the limb you applied it to. I can think of 2 scenarios where I would try to apply one. A: I'm stuck in the woods miles away and messed myself up bad and need the bleeding to stop. I'm probably gonna lose the limb in this situation, but I guess I would rather live without it than die. lol B: I lost a limb. Otherwise, put bandages on the bleeding and keep layering until the bleeding stops, you can also apply pressure to the artery to slow the bleeding until trained medical can respond.
+GuitarGodgt I'll have to agree with you comment about taking a first aid course. However, I'll add a course from a company that know what they are saying. Sir, I'll highly encourage you complaint to your HR because whoever is saying or "NOT ADVOCATING" the use of tourniquets from arterial bleeding is a MORON. I've seen and treat traumatic bleeding that some ER nurses and Dr. would only read while in MED or Nurse school. And I'm not saying this as bragging rights but to highlight facts, not internet stories, or youtube tooth fairy shit that someone has been repeating over and over. Lets just start correcting some information and establishing facts: 1. While the use of Tourniquets does increase the possibility of tissue damage, compartment syndrome, and lost limb it has also proven effectively in place for up to 5-6 hrs without the patient loosing his/her extremity and being able to walk or hold again. I could it offer you the stats but I want you to do some homework and don't trust me find the facts for yourself. 2. Your scenarios are very possible. However, the chances of you getting hurt under those circumstances are almost none you know why? Because your senses are under extreme alert and you are more cautious about your decision making process. As part of my job, I spent years studying the physiological and psychological factors of surviving. And stunningly, most of traumatic injuries occur on places where we feel "most secure" our brain translate that and we become complacent and careless increasing the chance of injuries. 3. Remember the Boston Marathon bombing? 2 of he victims involved, are now alive for TQ used by bystander civilians. Not EMTs, Civilians. 4. If TQ are so bad, why more and more Law Enforcement Agencies are issuing TQ standard as part of the Patrol Officer gear? You know why? Because a 24.99$ piece of equipment has been proven to WORK and very well over and over. Lastly, Most hospitals or medical professional will discourage the use of TQ not because the dont work, but because they are covering their asses and afraid of potential lawsuits because the TQ left a mark on the leg or the arm. Sir, Information, science and technology evolves. And part of being prepared is to be ready and open minded about those changes in order to stay alive. I encourage you to become educated about this and challenge that so call "trainer" about the use of TQ for traumatic or hemorrhagic bleeding.
+GuitarGodgt While it is true they don't "advocate the use of tourniquets" anymore, It is more due to the fear of legal repercussions should you get sued via their training, If you have someone with an arterial bleeding limb a pressure pad may not be enough to stem blood lose, by the time you realize this you may not have time to try something else, Use a tourniquet they work,
+Hector Rivera Do whatever you want man. Keep in mind you can get sued into oblivion if you perform medical services outside of your scope of training. Good Samaritan doesn't cover your butt in those situations. Cops roll out with them because they are trained to use them. They roll out with defibrillators as well and you won't find the average joe with those either (although they are pretty much idiot prooof). Your average prepper who buys one and didn't bother to get trained to use one? Yeah please don't help me if you don't know what you are doing. Besides you are just opening yourself up to lawsuit if you mess up. And who knows, Chris with his BR might have been trained on one so he might know what he is doing with it. But the average guy with no training? No thank you, just try to control the bleeding and call 911 unless you are out in the middle of nowhere. Anyhow my adult/infant first aid and cpr is administered by the AHA, so I have no plans in challenging them.
Chris, I know we haven't seen the whole "Elephant" yet but I did think this was a great video. RE: the whole series - I especially love love the methodology discussion and thought process that goes into each and every item - I literally have 4 base EDC level 1 configurations because some days require suit and tie, other days I am on clinical rotation or in areas where certain items are not permitted, etc.
On to the topic at hand - MEDICAL LOADOUT aka the "Bleed Kit" - What should you prepare for? My answer - Self preservation! You are spot on talking about it's importance. In my 27 plus years of public safety / healthcare / disaster response - I cannot tell you the number of times I've needed encountered a medical/traumatic emergency while "off-duty." Anything from car accidents to kids sticking flaming marshmallow's in another kids eye backpacking/camping "20 miles from nowhere." These events are occurring every day - everywhere. Heed Chris's advice - always be prepared.
Hey Chris. This EDC series has been a real eye opener for me. I'm gonna start tweaking my setup. Thank you for refocusing the channel,
Being a licensed EMT and a career firefighter, I spent the most time and a little more money making my first aid and bleeding control kit. You have to take care of yourself first, then family/close friends and then strangers. If you get into a situation where you have to stop a hemorrhage, everything else you're carrying doesn't mean a thing. Good video Chris, this series is a good eye opener, makes me reevaluate my EDC.
Chris, your EDC videos may be some of your smartest work and ideologies to date. Your bleed kit is fantastic and I completely agree that the antiquated approach of "just using a bandana", won't cut it with an arterial bleed. I've been a paramedic for over 13 years and have dealt with my share of arterial bleeds and the SWAT-T tourniquet is one of the best tools I've had at my disposal. My thoughts are that anyone that is living life with an approach to preparedness could really benefit from taking a Certified First Responder course or better yet an EMT-Basic course. It will give you a higher level knowledge for medical and trauma preparedness. I'd love to see more of our prepper brothers and sisters taking this approach. Heck, volunteer for a ride-a-long with your local squad and expose yourself to what happens in real emergencies. Put your knowledge and skills to use and God forbid you need your skills for yourself, a loved one or a stranger, you will have your skills and experience.
Nice job. Absolutely bleeding should be everyone's main concern to have to deal with everyday. To date those vids you did with Hector were the most informative and valuable videos I have seen on TH-cam. I have gone back and watched them several times to keep it fresh in my mind
Thanks
Chris, just an idea for you. As a knife nut, you are going to be at a higher risk of "puncture" wounds. Now assuming you don't hit an artery during such an accident, something I found really helpful when I slipped whilst stripping copper cable (I worked in a breakers yard at the time) with a very sharp knife and ended up stabbing my thigh, is the simple tampon. They are practically purpose built for the job of dealing with deep puncture type wounds and not only plug the hole efficiently until you can get to hospital to have it stitched up but they also aid greatly with your blood clotting in the wound. Thus reducing bleeding.
Yes, I know you have the super glue but when you have something like a 3"+ deep hole in yourself that you weren't born with, it may not always be prudent to favour the glue over plugging and bandaging the wound. Also, what weight / bulk are 2 or 3 tampons going to add to your kit??
Anyways, just an idea for your bleed kit part of your EDC bag. Great video again thanks!!
They actually are purpose made for that use. Tampons were a military blood stopper for gunshot wounds. They were adapted into their current roll by military nurses, no joke.
If you are out in the bush, needing to know how to properly stop both arterial and venous bloodloss (venous bloodloss is by far the most common and luckily easiest to control) is one of the most important skills you can add to your arsenal. It's not one of those things you can bluff your way through. Good job Chris.
This is your back up. I'm glad that you are talking about bleeding control and medical emergency . One of the equipment that is under estimate in most of the vids that I watch is the first aid kit. Honestly, I laugh because everything is resolved with few band aids. As a foot & ankle surgeon, I carried a complete and concise first aid kid... Trust me... Great series...
Im an LVN working on my bsn. Trauma kit is a must to any preper! maslow's hierarchy of needs! Look it up prepers! What good is a fancy knife when u have an arterial wound! Watching your trama kit videos is what got me in to this channel! PM101!!! Good stuff bro!
I am an EMT and volunteer firefighter and that is a great tourniquet! I like this video a lot. What is crazy to me is the fact that when people prepare for disasters, the first aid kits people have are not sufficient. Most of these first aid kits that people buy only have band-aids. During a natural disaster, you need significant blood stopping capabilities. The average person does not have what is needed to treat the type of wounds that occur during a natural disaster.
When you talk about infection and germs you are right in what you are saying that your priority is stopping bleeding. It is better to survive with an infection than not at all. It is, however, better to survive without infection than with one.
Infection can have serious and potentially fatal consequences further down the line so it is always best practice to be as 'clean' as possible. This is especially true of people who have weak or compromised immune systems. EMS and first responders often downplay the importance of infection control because we never get involved with the continuing care of the patient and never have to deal with the infection.
You are also right in what you are saying that you should be familiar with your kit so you know what it looks like and how it works when you come to pull it out. But: why give your patient anything less than your very best? If it is possible, leave the dressings in their packaging. If it isn't possible, do your best anyway.
Also, here's a top tip: if you do roll up your bandage, have the dressing pad end at the of the roll (not in the middle). If you are using that kind of dressing on anger it needs to be on quickly so having the dressing pad at the outside end means that a) you get to it first and can apply pressure without unrolling the whole bandage and b) when you come to wrap the bandage it is much easier rolling the roll around the patient than trying to wrap 10ft of loose bandage!
Medical Professional here, I totally agree with what you are saying. But please remember that having something like a bandana is better than not having anything.
I absolutely love this new series. Thank you. Additionally you can use the front facing camera on your smartphone to look at your face, eye, etc.
Derp. You got me there. Should have thought of that. Don't need the mirror, huh?
If you are out stuck somewhere, your phone needs to immediately be treated as a resource. Samsung has extreme power saving modes. Or just turn it off until you need it my first you do that and have an Anker, your phone should out last you.
Totally agree about the Blood stopping kit! Everything else is pointless if you bleed out!. EMT for 5 years so always have various medical bits near by but everyone should have some form of Bleed control at hand whether it be for yourself or someone near by. More so in the current active shooter craze.
Thanks for the video buddy, always new stuff to consider :D
Hey Chris, NC EMT and a Wilderness EMT helpful tip change your ace bandage to a coban wrap bandage. It doesn't have the metal clip and is very universal, if your arm is injured you can apply this single handed.
LOL I like my 25 pound bag!!!! I got a cool backpack for XMas as well as a new Maxpedition. So I'll be sliming down! Thanks for the video.
Rob ricks in the house!!
These videos are nice and gets me thinking. The EDC bag I use is a camelbak that's a small backpack. It has enough space for a lot of essentials but also has 3 liters of water. So I always have a drink on the go but also just in case of a shitty situation I have "3 liters of water" which can get you going long enough till you can acquire more water.
Agreement that bleeding is one of top things, after airway/ breathing. However I believe what you called Swat T is SofT. The Swat T is basically a wide rubber strap without a windlass. Add quickclot sponge or celox. Switch out one of you knives for paramedic shears or Leatherman Raptor!
You have given me a lot of things to think about in regards to what I carry in my satchel, especially a med kit.
This is as great video. Thanks very much. I edc a small first aid kit, and realize that with a little effort I can have a much better kit. And, for the record, my bag has my Mora Companion tucked in the front pocket.
Chris, I've been keeping a personal First Aid/Trauma kit in my EDC bag for Two years now. The only difference between yours and mine is that I also keep an Israeli Bandage in mine. In addition, I'm also certified with the Red Cross for First Aid/CPR/AED.
I recently started building my 1st edc bag and am having to self teach and learn everything on my own. I found the medical section very helpful and just wanted to say thanks for posting this video. 🤙🏼
Talking about germs. An EMT training us first aid strongly pushed that once the package is open, it's not sterile. Yes, if you are seriously bleeding, one of the last things to worry about are germs. Don't go out of your way to rub dirt into the would, but don't sweat touch contamination.
+jmtnvalley
True, you could even use a dirty t shirt if needed,
The priority is to stop bleeding first,
Most people will be within reach of a hospital within an hour,
Harper
One hopes.
Nice video Mr Chris. for weight saving, the small Thrunite charger is enough and can replace Anker power bank. front camera can replace mirror.
your videos are the main reason why i started carrying an edc bag over a year ago.
Thanks
I'm not a prepper, but I am a medical professional. You are not wrong about bleeding, sir. Thanks for the vid.
What kind of medical professional has a username like that?
+CircaSriYak lmao!
+CircaSriYak Tim Whatley.
+CircaSriYak don't judge. Everyone faps,
I'm just going to check out of this comment chain
I have the same phone as you, and just so you know, if you go into the S Health app on your phone that's pre-loaded, it has a heart rate monitor and an SpO2 meter. They use the sensors right under the flash next to the camera.
I might suggest that you replace that compact with something that would take up just as much space, be a ton more durable, and provide extra functionality as well. Personally, I would go with something like the Suunto MC-2 compass. Mirror, compass, and magnifying glass all rolled into one durable bit of kit. JMHO. Thanks for all of the great videos!
Chris, I must say I am enjoying the videos lately, it has become a reminder of why I subscribed in the first place. That little tip on the heart monitor was genius! Thanks for bringing that out of the box thinking to all of us. Looking forward to more great things to come. Keep up the good work.
+PREPAREDMIND101 Jeezus fucking Christ!
To what are you responding to? Or you just trying to give some random Christian a stroke?
+PREPAREDMIND101 The folks saying you need one of those for an EDC.
And I never stroke Christians.
No requirement for sky daddy here.
+Dougie They were saying that THAT was what I was telling people. Go get one and put it in your kit for medical use. RMEs
Fantastic video. Loving the new format and especially the emphasis on trauma kits👍as a community first responder in the UK I advise everyone to carry a kit and at least take a basic first aid course. Even off duty I have helped numerous people with my edc first aid kit.
Great video Chris, the only thing I might add to the medical kit is a Sam splint they don't take up much room and are light. I've been an EMT for 20 years and have found out there are many uses for one. Keep the awesome videos coming. Jim from Maine.
Yeah, but this isn't meant to cover everything. It's easy to let your bag become some monster kit. I got the bleeding stuff because that's much more likely and it can kill you in minutes.
Nice video Chris. Your cell phone can also be used as a backup mirror as well, using the reverse camera
I'm disappointed I can only hit the like button once. This is an amazing video, it really gave me a new sight on prepping. thank you so much for the video!
RZ mask is a dust mask reviewed by reality survival and is now part of my EDC check it out it should be in all EDC bags
Awesome. Ive reduced mine down to four areas. Catch all, electronics, FAK, and USK. The biggest area I removed was clothing. I moved that to its own luggage bag.
Really was surprised the medical videos didn't draw attention. Not only is it important, it was a FREE tutorial ! I imagine a training course would cost you. In my mind this new series is what prepared minds is all about.......PAPA DUKES
Working my way thru your 2016 Q1 stuff still, got most of them watched and notes made. I remember when I first "met" you - you said the same thing, hardly any hits on the medical / critical care stuff vs everything else and I never forgot that, it made sense. You had said in here you were posting a couple of those links and my notes were to go find them...... before you said that, but I think you forgot to post the links to those 2 (Hector the EMT and the Is. Bandage, etc) bc I know I need to watch that stuff and learn.
Another quality video by you, keep up the good work man. Oh and the last while you make GREAT points a few times about outside the box uses for things like your heart rate monitor in an emergency, I saw it a week or so ago in something else you did, I thought it was genius, it lines up with your PM philosophy nicely and using one's mind critically. Thank you for what you do and how you do it.
+PreparedMind101 - sorry, I just clicked See More, you have the links there, not in the video, thanks. (:
"My eyelashes were extra luxuriant that day" lol!!!!
It's not easy looking this good.
Great Series Chris! Now we're True "PreparedMind" content, not just "Too Much Stuff" content! Thanks Much!
Thank you
Its a really great practice to have your tourniquet set up for your thigh, that when if you have to apply it all you have to do is tighten it and then cinch it down.
Thank You very much for pointing out to medical videos. I try to watch all your videos, but I indeed missed those!
At 26:00 "now you prepared" that's it that should be your signature when you end videos
I second that idea for your tag phrase, "now you're prepared" 26:00
Motorcityman99
Amen on the essentiality of trauma kits! Great video Chris!
I certainly think you're on-target with the arterial bleed kit. That is something that you should ALWAYS have nearby. However, there are a few things I think need to be added to your kit. First & foremost is clotting agent of some kind, Celox or Quikclot. I keep a Quikclot Z-fold Combat Gauze and a couple of their 50 gram clotting sponges in mine. Since the bombing of the Boston Marathon a few years ago, I also have multiple tourniquets on hand -- a C.A.T., a R.A.T.S. & a SWAT-T -- and I keep a small pack of baby wipes in there too. Those things come in handy all the time!
For anyone bellyaching about the IBD not being sterile anymore, they cost $9. Get one to practice with and a new one to keep in your kit. Problem solved. BTW, if you do need an extra tourniquet and don't have one, an IBD makes a handy improvised tourniquet. They're one of the few things that you can actually make an effective improvised tourniquet out of.
I would like to start off buy saying thank you for ALL of the info you give to me. I am a Harvey storm victim. I got caught with my pants down. ever since Harvey I have ben putting together a bug out bag and I am 85% finished. I am also working on a e.d.c. bagthat I just started. there is so much to know and to do. thanks to people like yourself and other's I am slowly getting it together. I hope one day to meet you at one of our hunting and fishing shows in Houston. THANKS AGAIN and keep up the great wk. O THANK FOR YOUR SERVICE.
Great video Chris. I need to add a shemagh and gauze, would suggest one or two heavy duty trash bags. They are light and take up zero room and like the shemagh, have a bunch of uses.
dude. That bag looks gorgeously crafted. I need to get me on... or make myself one
Hey, Paramedic chiming in here. the idea of carrying first aid/ trauma gear is good advice, when talking about gloves, it's not a matter of "if you have time to put them on" if it's not your self or close familey, you want to make that your number one priority
Full time paramedic for a living cat tourniquet and such items you mentioned WILL save your life for sure belts and bandanas and such will not do much spend the money
I don't know if you have something planned for this already but a container would be a good idea to add.
Nice video Chris. It's given me some great ideas for my own future EDC bag. I'm not the biggest fan of messenger/sling bags though, so that would be something I changed.
Great loadout, thanks for sharing.
11:55 Tear open a couple alchohol wipe, or in my case Zeiss wipes, unfold them and wrap the IB before you stick it in the ziplock
Canadian paramedic --- what you carry is FAR less important than knowing what to do with it. A belt and a bandana are perfectly acceptable ways to stop bleeding if that's what you have. You need to add a few blood sponges (maxi pads) to that bleed kit at a minimum. Trust me on this one, once you start into a good bleed you'll thank me.
Great series going here, And I'm wanting one of those haversacks more and more.
The med kit stuff is fantastic, Thanks for the ideas.
I am really enjoying this series, Chris! Best wishes for 2016.
Good to know. Sometimes seems repetitive to me
+PREPAREDMIND101 For me, all the knife reviews get repetitive, but I certainly understand that a lot of people love knives and maybe that is what they want to see. I will never tire of seeing your approach to kits and edc. What I liked (and still do) about your channel and what attracted me to it to begin with is your creative approach to everyday preparedness and your think outside the box approach to utilizing products in different and unique ways as well as your entertaining and humble way of presenting your ideas. I think this series is a return to where you started to begin with and it is refreshing and welcome as far as I am concerned. I sincerely appreciate all of your efforts and hard work in getting this content out to us to enjoy and for that I simply say "thank you." I wish you continued success in the growth of your channel. Best of luck to you.
Some other items I carry in my EDC include (2) 48" tie wraps from Home Depot. Good for restraining something or someone. Also, my power pack includes a car adapter for my S6
as an EMT I would recommend taking a C.P.R. course minimum and a BASIC LIFE SUPPORT course and add a pocket C.P.R. mask.
EMT here: yep it's important to to have something to stop bleeding. Maybe throw in some gauze to stop smaller arterial bleedings without having to use a Israeli bandage. Also remember, that completely stopping the blood flow should be the last mean of stopping a bleeding and that you'll need to write down the time. As a EMT I strongly recommend to allways put on gloves when dealing with blood or other body fluids of strangers, because you can get really nasty stuff from contact with blood of others.
Oh guys and don't even think about replacing the Ibuprofen with ASS (Aspirin), since you'll have a bad time when you happen to have severe bleedings
I presume a multitool is on your person. Maybe I looked awy but I don't recall seeing a pen for the notebook. Also would love to have seen a shot of the bag being worn on you for a sense of size other than just hearing the dimensions. Thanks for another thoughtful video.
I'm really learning a lot! Thank you for all the great content Chris!
Thanks
I appreciate you encouraging us to think for ourselves. My needs where I live are different from other viewers. BTW, you can do a ton of good with a tourniquet and an Israeli bandage. Just be sure to practice application techniques, so you're good to go when seconds really count.
Awesome video. Nice bag. It's not often that someone considers weight when choosing their edc. I'm looking to buy a similar size EDC bag from Deuter (because I live in Europe). Love the videos!
Like everyone else, I love the new direction of your vids. Thank you. I too have had to redirect my prepping energies. I love the bushcraft vids and spend far too much of my time watching 'Survival Lily'. But at 62 with arthritic knees, I will not be Bugging Out. Learning to Shelter in Place is more my speed. PS - A while back I asked if you have a cheat sheet for steel types. How about that?
What kind of cheat sheet?
A brief description of the properties of the many types of steel commonly used for knives. I know that you give that info in your vids, but I am still learning and could use a written copy for reference. Thanks.
I am liking your prioritising of first aid/self aid I carry a Petzl Elite in my first aid kit as the chance are it'll be dark and I'll want to use both hands! also a set of clear lenses for my Julbo Dust as eye protection is a Number 1. Finally N95 respirator?? Very useful stuff for under 200 gramms
Fire fighter emt here and while watching this in the middle I had to stop and agree with you, control bleeding is a key, if your not healthy you're no good to yourself or anyone else.
I'm liking the new videos for 2016. Keep it up.
May I make a suggestion?
You can replace your mirror with compass with mirror. That is multi purpose.
Great video. Disappointed to see that the price has gone up and that there aren't as many options on the Haversack. Waited three months for the store to reopen. Missed my chance. Guess I'll just have to find another bag.
I'd look at adding some HemCon Bandages to my trauma kit. We relied heavily on the CAT tourniquet, Israeli bandage, and HemCon bandages to stop bleeding quickly...
PEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY!,IF THERE'S EVER A IMPORTANT VIDEO THAT YOU, AND THIS CHANNEL PM101,HAS EVER DONE, ARE THOUSE "HOW TO",PLEASE EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO HECTOR,AND TO YOU FOR HAVING THE COURAGE, TO PUBLISH THEM, "IM SURE THAT IN SOME REMOTE CORNER OF THE WORLD, "LIVES HAVE BEEN SAVED", I FOR ONE KEEP ON GOING BACK TO THEM AS A REFRESHER, "WHAT EVER YOU DO, DO NOT TAKE THEM DOWN"!!!, BY THE WAY, LOVE YOUR CHANNEL/VIDS. THANKS ,FROM CARACAS, VENEZUELA. KNOW YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!!!
great job on the vid chris. that bag looks awesome I'm going to have to get one of those. the videos are great and I can understand all your videos now you are doing a great job chris
Thanks
You really explain what the video is about keep doing a great job Chris
Back to the right direction! Good video!
Dang it. Just ordered a Tom Bihn Cafe bag to use for edc last night, wish I'd seen this video sooner because I'm liking that Haversack a little bit more. (Though I'd have to wait until march because Malcolm won't be taking orders til then.)
If thats made by TAC MED SOLUTIONS thats the SOF-T Tourniquet. It comes in a wide version as well. The SWAT Tourniquet is basically a wide piece of rubber that can be used as a tourniquet or pressure bandage
Ah Shit, You're right. Major brain fart. Annotation time.
5K views and you are the only one to catch that major f*** up.
+PREPAREDMIND101
No, he's the only one who knew And mentioned it,
Not a major ---- up,
Screw up something important then watch what happens,
No problem. I actually use both in my bag. I treat the SWAT-T like a compression bandage in most situations and then just in case it;s a back up tornaquit if the SOF-T Wide is in use
You should put your tourniquet in the place of the leather strop on the outside for quick access. And put some ducktape tabs on your medical bag to facilitate one hand opening. When It's cold/you're wounded/you have blood on you (...) these Ziploc bags can be difficult to open.
Your backup light should be a headlamp, keep your hands free for something else.
No water? If you carry a trauma kit, you should have some (in a squeeze bottle to rinse a wound and see what you're doing). Water is also drinkable! Multi-purpose stuff!
Mr. Tanner,
Reguarding your comment about tourniquets, it is an absolute must to have a kit to control bleeding. Tourniquets are a proven way to save lives. Average joe with his bandana will normally fail unless you have a solid windlass rod to back it up. Go ahead and try to tie a bandana as tight as you can get a tourniquet. You can't. Plus a tourniquet is roughly 3x as faster than a bandana set up. To go further in depth on why a tourniquet is better than a bandana you have the possibility of an incorrect placement, incorrect knot that could make the tourniquet fall off, or the bandana being to short in width, the set up is most likely to fail. I highly reccomend the SOF-T tourniquet that Chris has in his video. The windlass rod is steel with a coating. CAT-T tourniquets are great and work just as well, however, I have seen multiple fail due to the plastic windlass rod that they slap on them. There is a reason they issue us SOF guys certain tourniquets. Take it from a guy who has been deployed twice.
-Aaron
Great video ! My light weight urban EDC bag is the Maxpedition Textudo Laptop Backpack bag set up to be TSA, school, work and VA Hospital friendly. The bag fits a 17" or smaller laptop and the large inside pocket fits the AR500 Backpack soft Level IIIA Armor. Tethered to the outside of the bag is a Fox40 rape whistle (per Nutnfancy) by an I.D. retractable tether. And a couple of low key moral patches; an American Flag and a TNP Owl patch. Thank you for the video ! tjl
thanks so much for doing this, its so hard to get a good grasp on this stuff.
it gets so stressfull
Chris you should add some first aid for your stomach. Laxative, immodium, antacids. Personal comfort.
I have that stuff elsewhere. Dont need it in that bag. Not a survival kit. If I was in the woods, it might be in that medical kit. I don't generally suffer stomach problems.
Hey chris thanks for the video. Just wondering what kind of blades do you have in that husky utility knife??
Some Titanium coated ones
If it's not too late, can you get Hector to say what he thinks of the Swat-T tourniquet? TheMountainRN has said he likes them because they're easy for laymen to use, but I'd like to hear Hector's opinion.
thanks for the edc update I'm working on getting rid of stuff I don't ever use in my edc found a lot of stuff I didn't need
I think they're called "flaps" Chris.
I have a larger first aid kit, but it has a repair kit and hygiene stuff. Would it make sense to break it down smaller for EDC? It's currently in a maxpedition fatty.
I would. I was using my smaller Condor med pouch but it was a lot of bulk, weight, and too comprehensive for lugging around.
where did you get the grip and the thing that holds your note 5 what is the address for UC web thing for the whole thing thank you Chris Steven
I dig that bag, looks like he makes quality stuff...
***** I have seen more of his work than just this bag which looks well built to me... It's quite possible I don't know what I am talking about...
+5000btu then go buy your Chinese made Maxpedition bag.
That must make you feel special.
LOL Germs ! in almost a quarter century of bandaging other people's boo boos I can count on one hand the times I used a sterile dressing in the field. 4x4's and kling solve most problems.
+SurvivalComms this guy knows whats up!
Love your comment, I spent my EMT days in an urban area where 90% of our calls were stabbings, bottling or shootings. I just jammed my pockets with 4X4's, kling and gloves. Rarely had to go into the trauma bag except for airways or more 4X4s.
Thanks ! I know what you mean. We would build the basketball - add 4x4s until you had a semi-circular wad of 4x4's to keep the box clean (go absorbent or go home) We got hemostatic dressings, Israeli bandages, and cat tourniquets a few years before I retired. When I started we still had MAST trousers.- which worked great before the everything is disposable craze.
I totally back you up on the medical section of the Vidio your life is priceless and I does not hurt to spend 100 or more dollars on medical gear
I am buying a tourniquet off of your site as soon as I hear back from you. I just want to know what tourniquet you suggest. The SOFT W Tourniquet or the R.A.T.S. Rapid Application Tourniquet System.
I know both are well rated but they are significantly different.
I get that the S.O.F.T.-W is probably better for use on other people but the R.A.T.S. looks like it Might be easier to use on yourself. If you have handled both, maybe you could shed some light on what would be better for personal use in a deep woods situation. (hiking and backpack camping)
PREPAREDMIND101 LOL, I should have kept watching the video . I was watching "How to use a CAT of SOFT Tourniquet" when I was writing this. The subject was addressed. However, The suggestion is still applicable. The RATS is small and lightweight but the SOFT looks high quality.
I am getting the Ever Ready Israeli bandage. Is 4 inch or 6 inch bandage a better choice for size/weight/ cost constraints? The 2 buck isn't a factor but hands on is the you have is a good way to know what seems best.
+Michael Reed Get a couple of both ! Then decide which kit to put them in. Had basic First Aid in the Army and was taught to put the tourniquet between the heart and the wound and if your drill sargent had a head wound put the tourniquet on very soon before the line forms to do it !. tjl
+Tim Lipinski That is a good idea but since funds are limited, I thought I would ask what to start out with as a main tourniquet brand
Thanks for again stressing the importance of first aid preparedness. For me personally the ability to save a life takes 100% preference to taking a life in my edc bag. I refuse to carry a gun, I just don't believe in its utility, but you better damned believe I can stop trauma bleeding from my edc bag, and more depending on what else I have on my person or proximity to my car. A knife is a more multi use tool, so that's the weapon of choice too, if I need one. I practice my CPR skills, and thanks to those videos you did, I've gotten far less concerned about the tourniquet cleanliness and started practicing more, and I'm teaching my kids as well. Good citizens take care of each other.
Hmm. You only see a gun as "taking life"?? What about YOUR life? Doesn't that count for something? What about the lives of the persons being stabbed by someone or shot at by some crazy jihadi you run into? Or your family? What about a giant ass dog foaming at the mouth bearing down on you? You going to punch it? I would suggest shifting your perspective slightly. Don't value the life of a killer more than their victim. A gun is to PROTECT life, IMO.
I'm not interested in starting a thing on your video: contrary to popular belief, not everyone does that. Let's leave this with "I like options that aren't final." I'm not against guns when my goal is killing something, but personally, I don't equate that with justice. Like you're proposed scenarios, if I'm up against a rabid dog, sure, acceptable scenario for a gun. I don't come up on rabid dogs everyday, hence, no gun in my edc. If you're talking about human perps, I believe in the penitentiary system as a means of social correction for unacceptable behavior. I don't think I get to shoot someone to protect one life over another. I'm a firm believer in situational awareness, and subduing someone so they face justice. The "shoot this perp" mentality is just way out of hand in this country. I understand your points, and appreciate that you're taking the time to help me consider other points of view. From my seat though, I wish you'd come to a new perspective. The life I take in the street today could be a cousin who's been caught in an impossible situation, or a sister misled by a dangerous cult, or just a stupid kids who didn't consider the ramifications of a rash action. For me, if those were my people, I'd want a second chance for them. Hence, I extend second chances to everyone. Thirds too in most cases.
+Lipzig Schweitzer - He's right Cris. It takes more than one philosophy to cover the entire world. You kinda jumped on him there.
I improvised a tourniquet using my belt back in 2011 during my vacation. A poor guy had lost his right foot in a freak accident, and was bleeding to death just outside my hotel. The belt tourniquet didn't work very well, and I had to apply additional preassure using my hands to stop the bleeding. My thumbs cramped up like hell before the ambulance came and took over. Overall a very unpleasant experience. I have a solid medical training from the army (Not US), and knew what I needed to do, and it still sucked to use a belt. It would have been impossible to apply the improviced tourniquet on myself. Now I carry a SWAT tourniquet (The compact rubber band style)in my EDC.
+ksmolsen When Pete Kohler had his accident up on his mountain, he tried his belt too. Almost didn't make it. A shemagh/carabiner/stick is a better improvised tourniquet, but it's still no SOFTT.
+ksmolsen
Belts are meant to be comfortable to wear, so are generally too broad to really bite down without a lot of pressure, boot or shoe laces are better,
(And yes you can suffer nerve damage but it's better than being dead)
The belt was all I had. Another negative of using it is that the ambulance will drive off with it when they evacuate the patient, leaving you without a belt. Not a big deal in most situations, especially compared to the situation of the guy that just got injured, but still something that I would like to avoid in the future.
+ksmolsen
You could have used a boot lace, (anyone's) or even electrical cable etc,
Anything that's thin and strong enough.
And why are you complaining about the lose of a belt?,
im a combat medic in the army and you are 100 percent correct.
Emt for over 15 years and still going. The first thing you should have in any type of bag that you use to help you to get by day to day should have a first aide kit in it, even if it's first aide supplies in a freezer ziplock bag. Many may feel they can tough it out and only use a handkerchief but are they willing to bet the lives of loved ones on it? No one will do any surviving once they bleed out. First AIDE FIRST!
Again, thank you! Truly enjoyed and learned from this video. Great ideas.
Chris I think you should (IMO) take a first aid course. I have to take one annually for work and they DO NOT advocate tourniquets anymore. Why? Because it increases the threat of losing the limb you applied it to.
I can think of 2 scenarios where I would try to apply one.
A: I'm stuck in the woods miles away and messed myself up bad and need the bleeding to stop. I'm probably gonna lose the limb in this situation, but I guess I would rather live without it than die. lol
B: I lost a limb.
Otherwise, put bandages on the bleeding and keep layering until the bleeding stops, you can also apply pressure to the artery to slow the bleeding until trained medical can respond.
Who is "they" that told you that? "They" are going to get you killed.
+GuitarGodgt I'll have to agree with you comment about taking a first aid course. However, I'll add a course from a company that know what they are saying. Sir, I'll highly encourage you complaint to your HR because whoever is saying or "NOT ADVOCATING" the use of tourniquets from arterial bleeding is a MORON.
I've seen and treat traumatic bleeding that some ER nurses and Dr. would only read while in MED or Nurse school. And I'm not saying this as bragging rights but to highlight facts, not internet stories, or youtube tooth fairy shit that someone has been repeating over and over.
Lets just start correcting some information and establishing facts:
1. While the use of Tourniquets does increase the possibility of tissue damage, compartment syndrome, and lost limb it has also proven effectively in place for up to 5-6 hrs without the patient loosing his/her extremity and being able to walk or hold again. I could it offer you the stats but I want you to do some homework and don't trust me find the facts for yourself.
2. Your scenarios are very possible. However, the chances of you getting hurt under those circumstances are almost none you know why? Because your senses are under extreme alert and you are more cautious about your decision making process. As part of my job, I spent years studying the physiological and psychological factors of surviving. And stunningly, most of traumatic injuries occur on places where we feel "most secure" our brain translate that and we become complacent and careless increasing the chance of injuries.
3. Remember the Boston Marathon bombing? 2 of he victims involved, are now alive for TQ used by bystander civilians. Not EMTs, Civilians.
4. If TQ are so bad, why more and more Law Enforcement Agencies are issuing TQ standard as part of the Patrol Officer gear? You know why? Because a 24.99$ piece of equipment has been proven to WORK and very well over and over.
Lastly, Most hospitals or medical professional will discourage the use of TQ not because the dont work, but because they are covering their asses and afraid of potential lawsuits because the TQ left a mark on the leg or the arm.
Sir, Information, science and technology evolves. And part of being prepared is to be ready and open minded about those changes in order to stay alive.
I encourage you to become educated about this and challenge that so call "trainer" about the use of TQ for traumatic or hemorrhagic bleeding.
+GuitarGodgt
While it is true they don't "advocate the use of tourniquets" anymore,
It is more due to the fear of legal repercussions should you get sued via their training,
If you have someone with an arterial bleeding limb a pressure pad may not be enough to stem blood lose, by the time you realize this you may not have time to try something else,
Use a tourniquet they work,
+Hector Rivera Do whatever you want man. Keep in mind you can get sued into oblivion if you perform medical services outside of your scope of training. Good Samaritan doesn't cover your butt in those situations.
Cops roll out with them because they are trained to use them. They roll out with defibrillators as well and you won't find the average joe with those either (although they are pretty much idiot prooof). Your average prepper who buys one and didn't bother to get trained to use one? Yeah please don't help me if you don't know what you are doing. Besides you are just opening yourself up to lawsuit if you mess up.
And who knows, Chris with his BR might have been trained on one so he might know what he is doing with it. But the average guy with no training? No thank you, just try to control the bleeding and call 911 unless you are out in the middle of nowhere.
Anyhow my adult/infant first aid and cpr is administered by the AHA, so I have no plans in challenging them.
+PREPAREDMIND101 American heart association.
Is ThruNite U1 Charger & Portable Mobile Power Bank in your amazon store. I can't find it, would rather buy from your Amazon store
That's a great looking bag love the color.