Self-Rescue Kits

Predominant clotting agents on the market today are QuikClot, Trauma-dex, Celox and ActCel. QuikClot has been reformulated so that it is no longer thermogenic (heat producing), and its newest version is QuickClot Combat Gauze: essentially a roll of gauze impregnated with the new inorganic QuickClot formulation that can be used as regular gauze (with hemostatic qualities), or the entire roll can be inserted into a large wound to stem the blood loss. ActCel, the newcomer (distributed by Royal Arms), is made entirely from cellulose and is non-thermogenic and hypo-allergenic (people with fish allergies should not use shellfish-based hemostatic clotting agents.) When it comes in contact with blood, ActCel expands to 3-4 times its original size, promoting clotting, and then converts to a gel that dissolves into glucose and saline over a 1-2 week period. Because of its purity and the fact that it simply degrades to these end products, ActCel does not cause delayed healing. The life-saving value of all of these clotting agents has been proved many times over in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Today, no matter what your budget, you can afford to have a self-rescue kit, and you definitely can't afford to be without one!