Why Do I Carry a Med Kit?

Why do I carry a med kit? Everywhere we look these days, it seems that people are always in such a hurry to get from one place to another. We want our orders shipped to us as quickly as possible. We place our lunch orders online so that the food will be ready when we get to the restaurant. Heck, even dating seems to be “speed-oriented”.

Now, let’s think for a minute about these people, maybe even yourself. If they witnessed an incident which involved life-threatening injuries, would they react with the same manner of urgency in which they do with every other aspect of their lives? The honest answer is, “Probably not.” Why? Because they lack the training, the equipment and the mindset. The logic that is used is, since they’ve never been exposed to anything like that, it won’t happen to them, so therefore they don’t “need” it.

Some of the biggest “reasons” I’ve heard for not getting the training and equipment are as follows:

1. “I don’t need it”
2. “It’s too expensive”
3. “I don’t have time for the training”

I don’t care who you are, you need it. Believe you me, if you need anything, you need this stuff more than you need anything else. Look at all of the pictures of the EDC pocket dumps and it proves that theory as the majority of them have absolutely ZERO medical equipment. Some do, and for that, I’m very thankful. I can’t carry my gun and knife everywhere but I have yet to find a place that won’t allow me to carry my medical kit and, statistically speaking, I’m a lot more likely to use my med kit than I will my concealed firearm.

It’s not expensive. So many times this is voiced by the same individuals who will kit out a rifle or pistol with the latest, greatest, whiz-bang gizmos and balk at the piece of equipment that is most likely to save their life or the life of another. It may not be cheap but, then, I’m not going to be “bargain basement” shopping for gear which will potentially save my life or the life of someone I care about. I want the best stuff there is. There are so many cost-effective options out there now, there is absolutely no reason not to have a kit of some sort on your person at all times. I will say this one thing, be careful of what you buy and from whom you buy it. Don’t buy into the latest “cool guy” gear and fads. Research your medical equipment just like you do when you’re looking for the best performing hollowpoint ammunition. Get solid, proven gear with scientific foundations.

Make the time for training. There are many one and 2 day classes out there. You don’t have to go to Paramedic school to get the training necessary to help save a life. The more training you have, the more confident you’ll feel in a bad situation. You’ll also have the knowledge of when you can’t do anything more than you already have and that is a true gift. Sixteen hours, in the grand scheme of things is minimal. How many hours a month do you spend scrolling through cute animal videos and political rants on social media? How has that enriched your life or made you more prepared for the uncertainty of life? Sixteen hours. That’s it. A life-threatening bleed can’t be stopped with ignorance.

So, why do I carry a med kit? Self-defense against dying. Protection for those I love. Aid for an injured stranger. The quiet confidence of knowing that I can make a difference if something happens. And….because an ambulance is too heavy.