As is the case with most things in the military, they trickle their way down to the civilian market and in to our daily lives. This is the case with what has been dubbed the “Blow Out Kit” (BOK) or “Individual First Aid Kit” (IFAK).
The military has been carrying first aid kits ever since I can remember and they have only gotten better as the equipment, products, and ability to be able to sustain human life have gotten better. Well,USlaw enforcement has taken note and you are beginning to see more and more IFAK’s. For the most part you’ll see them being worn by tactical teams or other high risk units but, you’re seeing them on active shooter rigs on a more frequent basis. This trend directly coincides with the trend toward tactical type medical care training being provided to more first responders than ever before.
I was in the market for a good IFAK pouch I could attach to the MOLLE on my plate carrier. In my case, it would be on my left side under my arm mounted to the MOLLE on the cummerbund of my plate carrier. It did not take me long to realize that I needed some kind of tear away IFAK pouch. After looking at several IFAK pouches, I decided on the Blue Force Gear (BFG) Trauma Kit NOW pouch. The Trauma Kit NOW uses MOLLE straps with hook and loop on the end to secure them in place or you can use MALICE or Speed Clips. Blue Force Gear says this is the fastest deploying IFAK on the planet and offers this as a stocked pouch or as the pouch only so that the end user may load it with their preferred first aid supplies.
The pre-packaged supplies from BFG for the Trauma Kit NOW includes:
(1) Cinch-Tight Combat Dressing
(1) PriMed Compressed Gauze
(1) TK4 Combat Tourniquet
(1) Combat Medic Reinforced Tape
(1) Petrolatum Gauze Pad 3"x9"
(4) Nitrile Surgical Gloves
This pouch is made from 500D Cordura Nylon. It contains a folded panel insert that has numerous large and small elastic loops for securing supplies. The top flap which is attached to the insert has a loop panel for ID or medical markers. The loop panel is color matched to the camo pattern or color you purchase the pouch in. There are three rows of MOLLE on top. The BFG Tourniquet Strap NOW fits nicely through that MOLLE to hold an easily accessible tourniquet. The Tourniquet Strap NOW can actually be placed on any MOLLE platform that works best for you. Having the Tourniquet Strap NOW saves interior space in the Trauma Kit NOW which is limited to keep this a compact package. Don’t misunderstand me; this kit can carry a lot of supplies. The Trauma Kit NOW measures 7”x7”x2” and is tapered from the top to the bottom. The taper helps with putting the insert back in to the pouch. The insert and the pouch both have a grommet that allows you to tether to two pieces together with a lanyard. You could also use the grommet on the insert to attach a small light if you prefer. With some creative knot tying, you could probably use the grommet on the insert with a lanyard and a light. Outside the pouch on each side is an elastic band that helps compress the pouch and insert to keep the package tight and low profile.
For my mission, the BFG Trauma Kit NOW fills its role very well. It’s compact, lightweight, durable, and holds a good amount of medical supplies. I would recommend this kit to anyone needing a one hand deployable, detachable, IFAK regardless of whether they are conducting tactical operations on a daily basis or using it on an active shooter call.
The MSRP for the Trauma Kit NOW depends on the camouflage pattern you prefer but, you can find it for as little as $19.95 on the BFG website.
BFG offers their Trauma Kit Now in numerous colors to include: Black, Coyote Brown, Ranger Green, ACU, ABU, and MultiCam.
Visit the Blue Force Gear web site at: http://www.blueforcegear.com/
