Duty Ready: 11 Lifesaving First-Aid Kits

Chinook Medical Gear LEMM-Patrol Kit: Specifically designed for patrol officers, the Law Enforcement Medical Module (LEMM) Patrol kit contains basic medical gear to help an officer provide self-aid or buddy-aid until medics can arrive. The LEMM-Patrol kit includes a SWAT-T tourniquet, QuikClot, a Thin-H bandage and more. At 3.5 by 5 by 2 inches, the LEMM-Patrol Kit is small enough to be carried in a cargo pocket or small pouch.

Eleven 10 Rigid TQ Case: Carrying a full kit on your person may be a bit much to ask for many uniformed officers. However, carrying a lifesaving tourniquet should be mandatory. Eleven 10 offers an injection molded pouch that allows an officer to carry a tourniquet right on his or her duty belt. The cases can also attach to the PALS webbing on a plate carrier or on a drop-leg holster. Made in the U.S.A., the case is lightweight and durable.

Elite First Aid Military IFAK: Although called the Military IFAK, the Elite First Aid kit is a very good choice for law enforcement as well. The kit includes an Israeli dressing, QuikClot, a tourniquet and more. The contents are carried in a Cordura nylon pouch that is available in both black and tan colors. Larger than what might typically be carried on your person during normal patrol duties, officers can attach this to their go-bag or plate carrier.

High Speed Gear M3T: The High Speed Gear M3T (Multi-Mission Medical TACO), inspired by NOLATAC. Available in a variety of colors and camo patterns, the M3T protects your medical supplies while still keeping them accessible by one hand only. These medical pouches mount to patrol officers duty belt, response vest, SWAT officer’s tactical vest, or leg rig. The M3T is made in the USA with domestic components.

ITS EDC Trauma Kit Imminent Threat: Solutions (ITS) offers a compact medical package called the EDC Trauma Kit. Designed to treat extremity hemorrhaging, the wallet-sized kit is flat and easily slips into a back pocket. A SWAT-T tourniquet and QuikClot combat gauze are included in the kit. ITS also offers a pouch to carry the kit on a duty belt or a SWAT vest.

Old Grouch’s Military Surplus IFAK: Modeled after the kits used by the U.S. Army, the Old Grouch’s Military Surplus IndividualFirst-Aid Kit (IFAK) is equipped to help officers provide treatment for gunshot wounds and other trauma on scene. Among the items included are QuikClot, an Israeli bandage, H&H compression gauze and a tourniquet. The kit comes in a nylon pouch that can be attached to a plate carrier.

Phokus Sons Shield Trauma Kit: Phokus Research Group offers top-notch trauma kits for patrol and tactical officers. The Shield kit comes with an improvised tourniquet, hemostatic gauze and additional supplies. The contents are pressure sealed—not vacuumed—which allows the package to remain soft and flexible for carrying in a cargo pocket or other location. The heavy-duty packaging lasts for a long time and can serve as an excellent occlusive dressing.

Rescue Essentials Patrol Officer’s Pocket Trauma Kit: For many departments, the cost of equipping officers with medical gear seems prohibitively expensive. However, the Patrol Officer’s Pocket Trauma Kit from Rescue Essentials is affordable to even the most cash-strapped departments. It comes with the absolute essentials to care for traumatic injuries, including a SWAT-T tourniquet and Z-Pack dressing.

S.O.Tech Viper Flat Individual First-Aid Kit: The Viper Flat Individual First-Aid Kit is a low-profile IFAK pouch created for ease of moving through confined spaces and getting in and out of vehicles. The Viper is designed to be worn on the lower part of the rear of your plate carrier or tactical vest. This keeps it out of the way, yet the contents can immediately be accessed with one hand via a pull-tab on both sides of the pouch. The Viper is available in a variety of colors.

TacProGear Individual Trauma Bag: Fully customizable, the Individual Trauma Bags from Tacprogear are made to order for departments who need a kit outfitted to their specifications. The bags use YKK zippers and are double stitched with reinforced edging for incredible durability. Interior elastic holds components in place while the MOLLE-compatible attachments allow the kit to securely mount to a plate carrier. Departments can choose from a variety of colors, including Black, MultiCam, OD Green and Coyote Tan.

Tactical Medical Solutions Uniformed Medical Kit: Finding a place to carry medical gear can be a challenge for the uniformed patrol officer. The Uniformed Medical Kit from Tactical Medical Solutions is a panel that attaches the hook-and-loop cummerbund portion on concealable body armor. The panel securely holds an included SOF-T tourniquet plus has additional pockets for other gear. The tourniquet is easily accessible for self-care yet maintains a professional appearance.

“SWAT unit, we have an officer down. Victory west of Laurel Canyon. He needs help, code three. He is passing out—the officer needs help immediately.”

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On one fateful February morning in 1997, two armed men exited a Bank of America branch in North Hollywood, California, and engaged in a shootout with LAPD officers.

“Any unit available to respond to 9L89, he’s losing consciousness. Officer has been hit.”

Ten officers and six citizens were wounded that morning. Although injured and pinned down, Detective Tracey Angeles applied a tourniquet on a fellow officer who had been shot. Nearby, an armored car driver applied a tourniquet to a citizen with a gunshot wound. Withering gunfire prevented medical personnel from reaching them.

“There’s definitely another device! I need officers! There’s definitely another device!”

An explosion ripped through the crowd near the finish line of the Boston Marathon in April of 2013. A second explosion followed moments later. More than 250 were killed or injured. Officers on scene had to deal with a massive number of injured people, including those with amputations and massive blood loss.

From the Bank of America shootout to the Boston terrorist attack, police officers have been using tourniquets and other lightweight trauma gear to save lives. While these events are extraordinary, even normal patrol calls can require trauma gear. In December 2014, a Hickory, North Carolina, man’s life was saved after his femoral artery was cut because the responding officer carried a tourniquet in an Eleven 10 Rigid TQ case on his duty belt.

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It is imperative that police officers carry an individual first-aid kit, or IFAK, on patrol with them. A basic IFAK will have the tools needed to temporarily treat trauma from gunshot wounds, stabbings and other injuries until EMS can arrive. Depending on your need, an IFAK can contain a tourniquet, a hemostatic agent like QuikClot, an Israeli bandage, folded or rolled gauze and chest seals. At the very least, officers should carry a commercial tourniquet on their body at all times. Here are some medical tools and carry options you should consider. These might save your life some day.

For more information on the first-aid kits in the gallery above, please visit the following websites:

Chinook Medical Gear LEMM-Patrol Kit: chinookmed.com; 800-766-1365
Eleven 10 Rigid TQ Case: 1110gear.com; 888-216-4049
Elite First Aid Military IFAK: elite1staid.com; 800-556-2537
High Speed Gear M3T: highspeedgear.com; 877-301-2116
ITS EDC Trauma Kit Imminent Threat: itstactical.com
Old Grouch’s Military Surplus IFAK: oldgrouch.biz; 828-627-0361
Phokus Sons Shield Trauma Kit: phokusresearch.com; 858-901-3091
Rescue Essentials Patrol Officer’s Pocket Trauma Kit: rescue-essentials.com; 866-711-4843
S.O.Tech Viper Flat Individual First-Aid Kit: sotechtactical.com; 800-615-9007
TacProGear Individual Trauma Bag: tacprogear.com; 561-865-7279
Tactical Medical Solutions Uniformed Medical Kit: tacmedsolutions.com; 888-822-6331