Home / First aid and protection

IFAK: a small kit for severe bleeding, plus the training to use it

By the Plain Prepper editors. Updated 2026-10-15.

We research products from makers' specs, manuals and safety agencies; we do not run hands-on tests. Links to Amazon may earn us a commission at no cost to you. How this works.

Quick answer

IFAK stands for individual first aid kit: a small, personal kit built around severe bleeding control, usually a tourniquet, a pressure dressing, gauze and gloves. MedlinePlus says direct pressure is the most important step for external bleeding, and that a tourniquet is used when pressure has not stopped life-threatening bleeding from a limb. The kit only helps if you know how to use it, so pair it with a bleeding control course such as the American College of Surgeons' Stop the Bleed, and call 911 first.

What goes in an IFAK

Item	Why it is there
Gloves	MedlinePlus says latex gloves belong in every first aid kit; nonlatex for people with latex allergy
Tourniquet	For life-threatening limb bleeding that direct pressure does not stop
Pressure dressing	Holds firm pressure on a wound
Gauze	For pressure and wound packing as taught in training
Marker	To write the time a tourniquet goes on
Optional: chest seal, hemostatic dressing	North American Rescue adds these in its Intermediate and Advanced kits

North American Rescue's Basic public access kit holds a tourniquet, pressure dressings and gauze; its Intermediate kit adds a HyFin Vent Compact Chest Seal twin pack, and Advanced kits add a hemostatic dressing.

First aid for severe bleeding, in order

1. Call 911 or have someone call; MedlinePlus says to get emergency help for severe bleeding.
2. Gloves on if you have them.
3. Direct pressure: press on the wound with a dressing, clean cloth or your hand, and keep pressing; do not peek.
4. Soaked through? MedlinePlus says to leave the first dressing in place and add another on top.
5. Tourniquet if continuous pressure has not stopped life-threatening limb bleeding: MedlinePlus says 2 to 3 inches above the wound, not on a joint, over clothing or padding if possible.
6. Note the time it was applied and tell responders; MedlinePlus says leaving one on too long can injure nerves and tissues.
7. Do not remove embedded objects; pad around them.

This is a summary of MedlinePlus first aid guidance, not a substitute for an in-person course.

Training comes first

• Stop the Bleed: the American College of Surgeons program teaches three basic actions to control severe bleeding and says more than 5 million people have been trained.
• Find a course: ACS lists classes on its course search.
• Practice with trainers: North American Rescue sells blue trainer versions so practice devices are not confused with the real ones in your kit.
• Refresh: practice applying a tourniquet to yourself and to a partner regularly so the steps stay familiar.

IFAK vs an everyday first aid kit

• Different jobs: an IFAK is built for the rare, severe bleed; an everyday kit handles scrapes, small cuts and blisters.
• Minor wounds: MedlinePlus says a superficial wound can be washed with soap and warm water and patted dry, which an everyday kit supports with bandages and wipes.
• Warning signs: MedlinePlus lists confusion, clammy skin, dizziness, paleness, a rapid pulse and shortness of breath as possible signs of shock after bleeding; get emergency help.
• Serious areas: it says abdominal, pelvic, groin, neck and chest wounds need medical care right away even if they do not look severe.

A household can keep both: a stocked everyday kit and an IFAK where serious injuries could happen.

Counterfeit tourniquets: buy genuine

• The warning: North American Rescue warns buyers not to be fooled by fakes or look-alikes of its C-A-T tourniquet, and reports a federal exclusion order blocking importation of counterfeit tourniquets.
• What to check: buy from the maker's own brand store listing on Amazon and confirm the listing says North American Rescue and Gen 7.
• Recognized device: North American Rescue says the C-A-T is recommended by the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care.
• Inspect it: unpack it, read the instructions and keep it ready to deploy, not sealed in a way you cannot open quickly.

Where to keep an IFAK

Keep one where injuries happen: in the car, the go-bag and the workshop. A belt or pack pouch keeps it on you. Check gloves and dressings for expiration dates and replace anything opened. For a broader kit with everyday supplies, see our bug out bag list and car emergency kit guides.

What to look for when you buy

Questions people ask

What does IFAK stand for?

Individual first aid kit: a small personal kit focused on severe bleeding control.

What is in an IFAK kit?

Typically gloves, a tourniquet, a pressure dressing, gauze and a marker; some add a chest seal or hemostatic dressing.

When should a tourniquet be used?

MedlinePlus says when continuous pressure has not stopped life-threatening limb bleeding, placed 2 to 3 inches above the wound.

Do I need training to use an IFAK?

Yes; take a bleeding control course such as the American College of Surgeons' Stop the Bleed.

Sources

• Bleeding, MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
• ACS Stop the Bleed, American College of Surgeons
• C-A-T Tourniquet, North American Rescue
• Combat Application Tourniquet (C-A-T), North American Rescue
• Public Access Individual Bleeding Control Kit, North American Rescue
• General Exclusion Order Blocks Importation of Counterfeit Tourniquets, North American Rescue
• Combat Application Tourniquet (C-A-T) Trainer Blue, North American Rescue

Sources checked 2026-10-15.