A Blowout Bag or Individual Medical (Med) Kit is a very specialized piece of gear. Not exactly a First Aid Kit in the normal sense of the word but more a tactical piece of equipment meant to stabilize and keep a grievously injured person alive until advanced medical care can be applied. The stuff in a Blowout Bag isn’t typically used to patch up small cuts, scrapes or blisters, like a First Aid Kit, but to stop massive hemorrhage, maintain respiration or circulation. A MedKit is the first line of care for a person suffering from large wounds or amputation caused by injuries such as gunshots and/or shrapnel. Severe bleeding from severed arteries can cause critical life threatening complications in just seconds and become fatal in a matter of minutes. Penetration to the upper torso can cause the lungs and heart to fail and get your ticket punched. For these types of injuries, the ability to stabilize the damage within seconds is critical for survival. A Blowout Bag, when used by the properly trained, gives someone a fighting chance to save a life.
For this article, we consulted with a few medics, putting together a kit based on their advice. However, we will not cover the use of its contents since having such items doesn’t necessarily make you’re qualified to use them. Many of the things we will mention may require specialized, advanced, tactical first aid knowledge to use safely and correctly. We strongly urge that you first seek proper training before you build or purchase your own kit, you never know when it may come in handy!