An IFAK is the small kit that keeps someone alive until help arrives. Here's what goes in one, in the order you'd use it, from a former 75th Ranger Regiment combat medic.
The military built the IFAK around the things that kill people fastest after an injury: massive bleeding first, then the airway, then the chest. A civilian kit for your car, range bag, or backpack follows the same order. Gear is only half of it; take a hands-on bleeding control class so your hands know what to do.
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Massive bleeding from an arm or leg kills in minutes. A tourniquet is the first thing you reach for. The C-A-T is what the military carries and most EMS systems stock.
Buy from the official North American Rescue listing. Counterfeit tourniquets are common and can break under load. Carry it where you can reach it with either hand.
For bleeding where a tourniquet won't go: the groin, armpit, or neck. You pack it tightly into the wound and hold hard, direct pressure.
Check the expiration date and replace it when it lapses.
Holds pressure over a packed wound and frees up your hands. The built-in pressure bar does the work of a second set of hands.
A 6-inch bandage covers most wounds. Carry at least one.
After bleeding comes the airway. An NPA is a soft rubber tube that keeps the airway open in someone who is unconscious but still breathing. It's the airway adjunct in the military IFAK because it's small, cheap, and usually tolerated even if the casualty starts to wake up.
A 28 Fr is the standard IFAK size and fits most adults. Get one that comes with a lubricant packet, and get trained before you rely on it.
A hole in the chest can let air in around the lung. A vented seal covers the wound and lets air escape. A twin pack covers an entry and an exit wound.
Wipe the skin dry before applying. Cold and sweaty skin is where seals fail.
Protect yourself first. Keep two pairs on top of the kit so they're the first thing you grab.
Pick a bright color so you can see blood on them.
You can't treat what you can't see. Shears cut clothing fast so you can find every wound.
Not a life-saver, but the most useful extra. It rolls flat, molds to almost any limb, and is reusable.
A rip-away pouch lets you pull the whole kit off a bag or belt in one motion. Pack it so the tourniquet and gloves come out first.
Individual first aid kit. It's the small trauma kit each service member carries for themselves or a buddy. Civilians use the same idea for cars, range bags, and backpacks.
Massive bleeding, airway, respiration, circulation, and hypothermia. It's the order tactical medicine uses to treat the injuries that kill fastest first, and it's why the tourniquet sits on top of the kit.
Building your own lets you choose a real tourniquet and know what's inside. Many cheap pre-made kits come with counterfeit tourniquets. Whichever you choose, get trained to use it.
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Educational content only, not medical advice. Always follow your facility's protocols and your local medical direction. Get hands-on training before relying on any trauma equipment.