IFAK for diving??? FF's, Medics, and DR's

[FF-EMT Diver]

I have a question for you guys on here.

I am a FF-Medic and I shoot a lot and all that so I have IFAK's in all my vehicles and on my shooting rig in case of any emergency but I was recently thinking of putting one in my dive bag, so what I am asking is.

Does anyone else do this?
What did you put in yours?
and what would you do as far as helping a stranger in a foreign country or even if you were just out of state? ( how much would you do)
I'm trying to be clear, I mean we would all do CPR but say somehow they lost a limb, would you put a tourniquet on?....If they collapsed a lung would you decompress?

I don't want to come across as a newbie whacker because that I am not, I'm simply asking to learn and see what others do/think.

 

[fdog]

It all kinda depends on how far away a competent EMS system is, and what's the probabilities of needing it.

For typical Tech 1 diving in the good ol' US of A, all I carry for diving is O2 with a BVM and a couple of airways. Everything else, I can pretty much cobble up from ordinary items at hand. Knowledge is the most powerful tool you have, IMHO.


...If I was heading off on an high-risk expedition that would be days and days away from any kind of medical support, I'd go with a backpack full of ALS. It all depends of how far you have to go to get higher (quality) care.



All the best, James

 

[fdog]

Ooops! Sorry, I didn't read the second half of your question.

Anywhere in the USA or Canada, I'd do everything within the purview of my cert.

Elsewhere in the world, I'd make a balanced judgement considering the local customs, the local medical system, the graveness of the injury, and the composition of the group of people I was traveling with.

...I'd probably consider the chances of being thrown in jail, too.

As a generalization, in highly developed countries, I would act as if I was at home, but, stop short of anything invasive or involving drugs.

In very poorly developed countries, I would limit myself to the equivalent of a Red Cross First Aid cert.

This would very much be a judgement on the fly. The arbiter here is the potential for bad consequences to me as the rescuer.


Hope this helps!



All the best, James

 

[pwr2al4]

I have a question for you guys on here.

I am a FF-Medic and I shoot a lot and all that so I have IFAK's in all my vehicles and on my shooting rig in case of any emergency but I was recently thinking of putting one in my dive bag, so what I am asking is.

Does anyone else do this?
What did you put in yours?
and what would you do as far as helping a stranger in a foreign country or even if you were just out of state? ( how much would you do)
I'm trying to be clear, I mean we would all do CPR but say somehow they lost a limb, would you put a tourniquet on?....If they collapsed a lung would you decompress?

I don't want to come across as a newbie whacker because that I am not, I'm simply asking to learn and see what others do/think.

I keep a kit in the trunk of my POV and a very small kit in my gun bag. Your questions do seem sorta odd, are you a medic or an EMT? Im an EMT-I in GA and EMT in NY but also have ACLS which is why I ask. I strongly strongly disagree with any type of tq use outside of a combat environment. Even in the case of traumatic amputation I would use an izzy/combat bandage in the tourniquet mode as thats what I carry.

Are your NR? some states like Vermont you have a duty to act and if they see you are a first resonder they will come after your to try to pull your creds. Plus the level of care that you or I would be allowed to handle varies greatly from state to state. Would I do cpr with a bvm yes, handle trauma with as long as I had BSI, probably. Do I carry a handful of ACLS goodies around in my go bag, ya I do, woud I ever use them on anyone other than my family or loved ones, not a chance.

Am I gonna treat a tension pnumo with a needle... not a chance.


This all goes for treatment in the states. places like Mexico etc. i'd have no problem stuffing a crash cart in my bag just for my own peace of mind, and a lot less hesitant of any serious consequences of getting involved.

I totally agree with fdog... I also agree with "
...I'd probably consider the chances of being thrown in jail, too.

 

[StreetDoctor]

Tech 1 diving I carry O2 and a NRM in my car in case symptoms were to occur while I was on my way home. Other than that my Xterra has a first aid kit that I've added some gauze/peroxide to for scrapes and cuts while rock climbing. As for diving the majority of boats I dive on have a first aid kit/O2/AED. I try to leave work at work as much as possible. I've pulled someone out of a turned over car before that was leaking gas before emergency responders got there but I definitely do not carry a full ALS bag with me like a lot of people seem to do. Luckily Illinois is not a "duty to act" state.

 

[FF-EMT Diver]

Thanks for all the repiles as it is good for thought.

I am a Paramedic as well as a FF and also a Tactical medic.

I do carry izzy bandages but the reason I say TQ is all of my tactical training was on TQ.

 

[pwr2al4]

Thanks for all the repiles as it is good for thought.

I am a Paramedic as well as a FF and also a Tactical medic.

I do carry izzy bandages but the reason I say TQ is all of my tactical training was on TQ.

understood, didn't mean to come off as a jerk with the tq comment, as a medic your ability and level of care is lightyears ahead of mine. I just get very frustrated as an instructor to see my students who are at or below my level think tq application is a safe procedure, its just not. even in a hospital OR There are numerous cases of sever complications resulting after only short term supervised tq application applied by an MD.

the major exception to this of course is anyone trained in or pracicing combat med (or tac med) as opposed to trauma med, then it obvioulsy makes sense.

 

[stimpy4242]

I strongly strongly disagree with any type of tq use outside of a combat environment. Even in the case of traumatic amputation I would use an izzy/combat bandage in the tourniquet mode as thats what I carry.

I would love to hear your justification as to why you disagree with a TQ outside of combat? Its because of combat that we have learned the HUGE benefit to fast application of a TQ and loss of limb and life. Not only the national registry, but the majority of progressive states have changed their BLS protocols to first apply direct pressure and if that does not manage the bleed than immediately place a TQ. This is modern thinking and has proven to save far more lives than the old school method of, direct pressure, direct pressure again, elevate, pressure point and last resort TQ.

So please provide modern research that justifies your response. I guarantee you will not make that statement after reading the research.

The old thinking of a TQ means loss of limb is bogus. When you take a TQ patient into the local ED they aren't going to sit and wait to have them triaged and be placed into a wheel chair in the waiting room, they are being moved to vascular surgery to have the bleed controlled.

 

[pwr2al4]

I would love to hear your justification as to why you disagree with a TQ outside of combat? Its because of combat that we have learned the HUGE benefit to fast application of a TQ and loss of limb and life. Not only the national registry, but the majority of progressive states have changed their BLS protocols to first apply direct pressure and if that does not manage the bleed than immediately place a TQ. This is modern thinking and has proven to save far more lives than the old school method of, direct pressure, direct pressure again, elevate, pressure point and last resort TQ.

So please provide modern research that justifies your response. I guarantee you will not make that statement after reading the research.

The old thinking of a TQ means loss of limb is bogus. When you take a TQ patient into the local ED they aren't going to sit and wait to have them triaged and be placed into a wheel chair in the waiting room, they are being moved to vascular surgery to have the bleed controlled.

standby. let me dig up my data, don't worry no apology is ever necessary among friends, but how bout you just agree to retract your last couple statements which are all patently false and ill be happy to cite sources in reference to your nonsense.

 

[stimpy4242]

Boy now you're an expert on my protocols? Here we go:
http://www.emsresponder.com/print/EMS-Magazine/Literature-Review--Tourniquet-Use/1$9168
Tourniquets: a review of current use with proposal... [Prehosp Emerg Care. 2008 Apr-Jun] - PubMed result
http://www.naemt.org/Education/Tourniquets 2010.doc
NC adds tourniquets to EMS treatment protocols
Associated Content Mobile
http://ems-ed.photoemsdoc.com/pdf/ANewMainSqueeze-handout2009.pdf

Just curious how many more articles do you want me to post?