Tactical First Response Kit - Basic by Rescue Essentials

The Tactical First Response Kit Basic by Rescue Essentials is designed and advertised to treat severe bleeding yet fails to provide quality products that may not be capable of effectively stopping severe hemorrhaging. If you are in a situation where you or another individual is faced with a life threatening severe arterial bleed I am not convinced that this kit will be effective in stopping the bleed until a higher level of care arrives or until you get to an appropriate medical facility.

The contents of this kit include the following:

1 Pair of Black Talon Nitrile Gloves

1 Laerdal CPR Face Mask

1 SWAT Tourniquet

1 Emergency Pressure Dressing

1 Trauma 5x9 Pad

1 Compressed Gauze

1 Triangular Bandage

1 Petroleum Dressing

1 Combat Medic Reinforcement Tape

The package is vacuum sealed, easy to open, and can be carried in a BDU pocket. Rescue Essentials has this "Basic" kit and an "Advanced" kit. The "Advanced" kit costs more than double the price of the "Basic" kit. Yet, if you or someone you know is in the midst of a medical emergency involving a severe hemorrhage do you want a kit that is completely capable of stopping the bleeding or a "Basic" kit that may be lacking in quality products and is less effective? Remember, minutes count when it comes to life threatening severe bleeding.

Following are my issues with this kit:

It does not include a hemostatic agent which is included in the "Advanced" kit but not this "Basic" kit.

The SWAT Tourniquet, in my opinion, is woefully inadequate for severe life threatening hemorrhaging. I recommend using a C-A-T Combat Application Tourniquet Black by North American Rescue Brand which has proven its effectiveness time and time again in actual combat.

A 5x9 trauma dressing is inadequate for severe bleeding.

The emergency pressure dressing is too small.

Positives of this kit include:

+ Quality Nitrile gloves are excellent gloves that are strong and durable to protect against Bloodborne pathogens such as hepatitis or HIV/AIDS. I do recommend having a minimum of two pairs of gloves in case one of the gloves tears or you need to treat multiple individuals. These gloves are strong but still capable of becoming damaged. Carry an extra set of gloves.

+ The Combat Medic Reinforcement Tape is effective and holds well.

+ The Petroleum Dressing will work for a sucking chest would although I prefer using a Hfyin Chest Seal which again is included in the "Advanced" version.

If you buy this kit I highly recommend adding the following components:

C-A-T Combat Application Tourniquet Black by North American Rescue Brand

Blood clotting agent such as Celox V12090-35 Blood Clotting Solution, 35g Pouch

An occlusive dressing such as the HyFin® Chest Seal for an open chest wound

Minimum of 1-2 extra sets of Nitrile gloves

If you were to only use this "Basic" kit then I would NOT recommend purchasing this product as you will be lacking necessary equipment to effectively stop severe hemorrhaging. The deal breaker with this set up is lack of an effective tourniquet and lack of a hemostatic agent.