Smart addition to any FAK

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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.

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