
How to Pick the Best Bleeding Control Kit
- Healthcare
- January 5, 2025
Discover the best bleeding control kit on the market, essential components to look for in a reliable kit, and why trauma kits aren’t one-size-fits-all equipment.
Having a complete, up-to-date bleeding control kit on hand can mean the difference between life and death in a bleeding emergency. The best bleeding control kit to carry will depend on whether you’re a first responder, outdoor enthusiast, parent, teacher, or simply a prepared individual.
There are many options on the market and inexperienced individuals may find it challenging to narrow down their options. The good news is that choosing the best kit to control bleeding is easy when you know what to look for and how to select the kit that best fits your lifestyle.
1. Understand the Essential Components
The best bleeding control kits will contain the essential tools to stop life-threatening bleeding in situations like vehicle or work accidents, gunshot wounds, or unexpected incidents at home. These tools empower bystanders to staunch bleeding and help to stabilize the casualty until emergency services arrive at the scene.
Families, workplaces, and vehicles should look for a trauma kit that contains the following equipment:
- Tourniquet: A tourniquet stops blood flow from severe injuries to the extremities. Consider a windlass-style tourniquet like the Combat Application Tourniquet (C-A-T®) or SAM XT for ease of use. True Rescue’s standard, intermediate, and premium bleeding control kits, for example, come with a choice of a C-A-T Gen 7, SAM XT, or SWAT-T tourniquet. Having the ability to choose which tourniquet you want in your bleeding control kit is ideal for individuals who have knowledge or experience with a specific brand.
- Gauze, dressings, and bandages: Every bleeding control kit should contain different types of dressings, bandages, and gauze. Emergency trauma dressings are used to apply direct pressure to a wound while wound packing gauze is useful for stemming blood flow in deep wounds.
- Gloves: Nitrile gloves protect both the responder and the injured person from infection. Ideally, your trauma kit should provide more than one pair as they can easily break.
- Trauma shears: For quickly cutting away clothing to expose the wound.
- Rescue blanket: Keeping the patient warm is key to preventing shock.
- Permanent marker: Tourniquets left on for more than two hours can cause significant ischemic injury to the casualty. The first responder must write the time of the tourniquet application on the patient’s skin or on the tourniquet itself so emergency services know how long it has been in place.
- Instruction card: The vast majority of bystanders who respond to a bleeding emergency don’t have any formal medical training. It’s critical that you familiarize yourself with the contents of your bleeding control kit and understand how to use its equipment to respond effectively in a bleeding emergency.
Other Equipment to Look Out For
Some bleeding control kits also come with the following items:
- Chest seal: Chest seals are important tools for treating penetrating wounds to the chest with an entry and exit wound. This is typical of gunshot wounds.
- Hemostatic dressing: Some more advanced bleeding kits include hemostatic gauze. This gauze is impregnated with clotting agents to accelerate blood clotting at the site of the wound. This is a great addition to premium kits for people who wish to prepare for the most serious situations. The NuStat 4×4 or the QuikClot Bleeding Control Dressing are both ideal choices.
Some bleeding control kits like individual first aid kits (IFAKs) contain more advanced medical equipment like nasal airways. These items are highly effective in some emergencies. However, they require some medical knowledge to use and likely won’t be required in a typical bleeding emergency.
2. Consider Your Needs
Different people will invariably look for different features in a bleeding control kit. For example, an individual looking for a trauma kit to pack into a small backpack for trekking may need a different kit from a small workshop or factory with several employees.
Consider the following when choosing a bleeding control kit:
- Training level: If you have minimal medical training, prioritize kits with easy-to-use components and clear instructions.
- Likely scenarios: Consider the types of injuries you might encounter (e.g., at home, in a car, during outdoor activities) and choose a kit with appropriate supplies.
- Portability: If you need to carry the kit with you, choose a compact and lightweight option.
- Budget: Be sure to balance the cost with the quality and components of the kit.
- Number of people: Individuals only need a small, compact kit while families, couples, or workplaces may prefer to carry a more robust kit with more equipment.
Being over-prepared is better than falling short in an emergency. However, only choose a kit with advanced medical equipment if you’re prepared to commit to learning how to use them effectively.
3. Evaluate Each Kit’s Components
Having top-quality materials is always beneficial when treating seriously wounded casualties. Just a little research goes a long way when purchasing equipment.
When comparing different kits, check especially for the following elements:
- Tourniquet quality: Ensure the tourniquet is from a reputable brand and has been tested for effectiveness. Combat tourniquets like the C-A-T Gen 7 or SAM XT are great options.
- Chest seal: Chest seals are important tools for treating penetrating wounds to the chest with an entry and exit wound. This is typical of gunshot wounds.
- Hemostatic gauze: Different hemostatic gauze options have different application techniques and require varying levels of expertise to use effectively. Using gauze that you’re not properly trained on can reduce its effectiveness or even cause harm. Choose a hemostatic dressing that is appropriate for your training level and the types of injuries you might encounter.
- Packaging and organization: Look for a kit with durable packaging and organized compartments for easy access to supplies. Some kits also feature special packaging features, for example, some can be attached to a vest or worn around your ankle.
4. Understand the Difference Between Bleeding Control Kit Types
If you’re a newcomer to the world of medical equipment, you may come across terms like “IFAK” or “JFAK” apart from standard bleeding control kits. The main difference is that IFAKs and JFAKs are designed with combat use in mind.
This doesn’t mean that civilians can’t benefit from their contents. However, specialized medical knowledge will be needed to use some of their contents. In most cases, a regular bleeding control kit will be enough to treat emergencies that occur due to unexpected events in your everyday life.
5. Choose Reputable Brands and Vendors
Make sure you buy your kit from a reputable and experienced vendor that offers the best brands. A licensed Stop the Bleed® distributor is always a good place to start for guaranteed quality and expertise.
A reliable vendor will have a proven track record in treating life-threatening wounds, will offer tutorials on how to use their equipment, and will be happy to clarify any questions you have about your bleeding control kit contents.
Remember to Get Trained
Having the right tools on hand is only the first step in saving lives. Even basic first aid training goes a long way toward understanding how to respond in an emergency situation.
Taking a bleeding-specific course like Stop the Bleed® will provide you with invaluable training on how to use bleeding control techniques. You’ll also learn how to use the equipment in your trauma kit effectively.
Remember that even seconds can make all the difference when treating a bleeding emergency. Consider some initial training and familiarize yourself with the working of your bleeding control kit’s contents to be fully equipped to respond to the most serious incidents.
Regularly inspecting your bleeding control kit to ensure that the contents are not expired or damaged is also a vital step in keeping you and your equipment ready to offer effective treatment.
Be Prepared to Save a Life
Choosing the right bleeding control kit is a critical step in preparing for emergencies where severe bleeding may occur. However, the “best” kit isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution but rather one that aligns with your individual needs, training, and potential scenarios.
Understanding the essential components and considering factors like portability, budget, and reputable brands empowers you to make an informed decision. Remember, simply owning a kit isn’t enough; proper training is also paramount to effectively utilize its contents.