Smart addition to any FAK

[admin]

When many people think about FAK’s and their contents they are often thinking about bandages, tape, antiseptics and other actual first aid items. People may also consider such items as shears and other medical tools. But, there’s one item (well two but they kind of go together) which people seldom think of to carry in a FAK…a pen/pencil and something to write on.

There are very few real-life situations where you have a moderate to severe trauma situation where you don’t need to write something down. This could be as simple as heart rate and breathing, temp or other vitals, times, locations and all manner of other things. You might even need to leave a note for others, or a location (i.e. coordinates, compass bearings, etc.).

Now, most everyone probably carries a writing tool and something to write on somewhere in what they carry, but having a pen and paper handy, in a FAK, helps you to remember to write important details down (which you might forget to do in a high-stress situation). It also keeps you from having to dig through a pack to locate a pen and paper (forcing you to also remember to stow it again after use). If you have something to write with and something to write on right there inside your FAK you have easy access to it, easy access to re-stow it after use, and an encouragement to write items down you, or someone else, may very well need later.

You’re not going to write a novel, so you don’t need wads of paper and several writing instruments (but more than one is advisable). I generally recommend 2-3 folded sheets of Write-in-the-Rain paper and pens and/or pencils which will write on this kind of paper. It’s weatherproof, so if you need to leave a note somewhere the paper will survive and without the ink running (never bring ‘Gel’ ink for outdoor situations for this reason; it runs at the mere sight of water).

Hopefully this helps someone. A writing tool and something to write on in a FAK is such an easy and inexpensive thing to add, and the value of doing this can sometimes even mean the difference between life and death.

[admin]

Great point! Also I EDC a pen an 1 small piece of paper, I’ll add them to my IFAK.

BTW: As my IFAK includes also trauma stuff (medical shears, tourniquet, folded gauze, chest seal, etc.) it already includes a small sharpie. Also this has a fine tip it may be too thick to write more than the time on the TQ …

[admin]

Great point indeed! We all probably do have some pens in our pouches en on our person, but what if someone else is attending you because you’re the injured one and you were only able to point out that you have a first aid kit in your bag and then pass out (dramatic, yes, but you never know).

I’m going to add a pen and paper. 🙂

[admin]

Good idea! I believe in redundancy so a pen and paper in any kit is always a good addition!

[admin]

I have a small Rite in the Rain notepad in a drawer which would be much better in a FAK. (…’cos you know it’s going to be raining. And dark. And cold, etc.! ;))

I recall another thread on here about odd items in FAKs. The ones I took away from that were an unbreakable mirror (for self-treating things like scalp wounds), an OTC dental anaesthetic called Oragel, and children’s plasters (bandaids) (‘cos Spiderman or a Disney princess makes everything better when you’re 4!)

[admin]

Back in my camping days, I always carried a pencil and pad. With a pencil, you didn’t have to worry about it running dry or jamming up with grit. Besides you can use a pencil as a fire starter.

[admin]

Pad pencil pen and marker ride in my EDC bag which carries the first aid kit

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