*Drop-Leg Medical Pouch*
By: Witchdoc
08 December 2007

One of the most useful tools to have come out of the tactical medicine world has been the drop leg medical pouch. There are dozens of different varieties out there, to suit all sorts of different missions. I use two, myself, one that is small enough to fit on my leg (which this article will focus on), and a larger one that we simply converted to attach onto our body armor (it’s way too bulky to be able to run with easily).

Even though this is primarily intended for a tactical medic, it would also make an ideal trauma kit for most single rubies, and is indeed in most ways simply an expansion of the Army’s Improved First Aid Kit, or IFAK, which is now issued to every soldier deploying downrange. Note however that I did say TRAUMA KIT, not FIRST AID KIT. This pouch is intended to deal with the effects of metal going through the human body, and not much else, so be advised



I threw in the cell phone so that you might get a feel for the size; the side view is so you can get a feel for how far it sticks off of the leg. Disregard the curious cat poking his nose in in the top picture, he was being nosy

As you can see from the picture, I keep a CAT (Combat Applications Tourniquet) attached to the leg securing strap for quick and easy access, as well as my trauma shears. Sometimes my trauma shears live there, and sometimes they live on my body armor, secured down with a velket tourniquet, just depends on how much I am going to be running around. I thought I would include it so that you could see it, however.

As you can see from the picture, I keep a CAT (Combat Applications Tourniquet) attached to the leg securing strap for quick and easy access, as well as my trauma shears. Sometimes my trauma shears live there, and sometimes they live on my body armor, secured down with a velket tourniquet, just depends on how much I am going to be running around. I thought I would include it so that you could see it, however.

The only other thing in the outer pouch is normally 2 Combat Pill Packs, a supplement if I don’t have the time or supplies to give IV antibiotics.

The pill packs each have:
    2 500mg Acetaminophen/Tylenol
    1 15mg Meloxicam/Mobic
    1 400mg Moxifloxacin/Avelox

When you open the pouch, it looks like this:


Inside:
1 Large Israeli Dressing, stripped of outer plastic
1 Pr Gloves
2 Kerlix, tabbed with tape on corners for easy opening
1 3 in ACE wrap
1 Roll 2 in tape
1 Nasopharyngeal airway
1 Ashermans Seal, tabbed
2 Hemcon dressings
2 Compressed Gauze
1 Cravat
2 14g 3.5 in IV Cath

Like I said, nothing real complicated. If you have any questions about the pouch, or how/why it was packed, feel free to hit me on email
Witchdoc



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