# need some help with bags



## ki4mus (Jan 13, 2010)

I'm the Lieutenant of my agency incharge of trucks and supplies, and have a small issue I can use some help in. A few agencies that suround us have been getting burned becouse they keep sliming down their jumpkits and dont have the proper supplies to run the call when they go in. We haven't done this, but we really haven't done anything to make our kits better. The fact of surounding agencies getting burned, and a general push in our area to treat more on scene is making me look for a new first-in bag. 

normally I would look at the bags myself to see what I think would work best myself, but there really aint an shop or anything near here that has enough diferant types in stock to really do this...

so what I need from ya'll is to tell me what model's or tpes of bags you think would fit the bill for what I need (listed below)...or what seems to work for you. I know of an agency that uses LA Rescue O2 to go Plus bags that fit all this inside but would prefer not to use a duffle (but all input is appreciated!!!!)

I want a combination 02 trauma bag. It needs to be able to hold (and orginize) the following things:

BP cuffs, adult and adult Large 
stethascope
sam splint
trauma shears
penlight
glucometer
pulse ox
themometer with covers
tourinquit
ez-IO
CricKit
IV kit
ET kit
King airway kit
OPA kit
NPA kit
O2 tank (D)
adult nassal cannuals and NRB (2-ish of each)
adult, child, infant, neonate BVM
2 cold packs and 1 heat pack (these get reversed in cold months)
large trauma dressing, 2 abd pads
4 cravats
"sufficant amounts of" 4x4, 2x2 and tape

the kit does not have to hold any pediatric supplies as we have a sepreate kit...


any sugestions?


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## redcrossemt (Jan 13, 2010)

My first choice for an ALS first-in bag: 
http://www.pacsafety.com/products/ems_a300dx.htm

My second choice is what we carry now:
http://www.ironduck.com/Templates/Products/XTREME/34018 ultra breathsaver.html

Here are another couple options... Have used other bags from both Meret and StatPacks and been impressed.

http://www.meretusa.com/product.php?product_id=38

http://www.statpacks.com/products.php?grid=25&id=111


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## Dominion (Jan 13, 2010)

I'm not a fan of the Pacific bags, some people love em.  I got a meret bag from my wife for christmas and I love mine.  Great options in it and it has the ability to carry O2 as well if you want to do that.


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## ki4mus (Jan 13, 2010)

THANKS! 

oh edit ****scratch the pedi and neonate BVM, those are in the pedi-kit.....
(sorry, I was tired)


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## ki4mus (Jan 13, 2010)

Dominion said:


> I'm not a fan of the Pacific bags, some people love em.  I got a meret bag from my wife for christmas and I love mine.  Great options in it and it has the ability to carry O2 as well if you want to do that.



I love the look of the Mert bag that the link from "redcrossemt" is your's the same?


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## Dominion (Jan 13, 2010)

ki4mus said:


> I love the look of the Mert bag that the link from "redcrossemt" is your's the same?



It is the same.  I can fit all of our BLS kit into my bag or take some of the BLS out and make it an ALS kit.  Plus it has all the same modules the rest do (they attach to the outside).  It is a nice kit, my only complaint is that it says meret on it about 400 times.


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## ki4mus (Jan 13, 2010)

Dominion said:


> It is the same.  I can fit all of our BLS kit into my bag or take some of the BLS out and make it an ALS kit.  Plus it has all the same modules the rest do (they attach to the outside).  It is a nice kit, my only complaint is that it says meret on it about 400 times.




I can get over it having the name on it so much if it helps us out....

I e-mailed the company, but is their anyway you could e-mail me pics of it if I PM you my e-mail address....(you don't have to dump it unless you fill like it), but I just need a better idea about how it looks, and how things fit.... as none of the agencies around here carry them.


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## Dominion (Jan 14, 2010)

ki4mus said:


> I can get over it having the name on it so much if it helps us out....
> 
> I e-mailed the company, but is their anyway you could e-mail me pics of it if I PM you my e-mail address....(you don't have to dump it unless you fill like it), but I just need a better idea about how it looks, and how things fit.... as none of the agencies around here carry them.



Sure I'll snap some shots tomorrow with my phone when I get to work.  Any specific shots you'd like to see?  I'll try and get several for ya.


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## ki4mus (Jan 14, 2010)

Dominion said:


> Sure I'll snap some shots tomorrow with my phone when I get to work.  Any specific shots you'd like to see?  I'll try and get several for ya.



um, just with the pockets open, and how the O2 tank fits in....how the main compartment is divided, and what fits in the other pockets (expecally the ones on the to flap....if they ain't full try to shove something in so I can see what would fit.... anything else you could think of to help me justify buying these to my Chief and board of directors...... I'll PM you with my e-mail

THANKS!


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## WolfmanHarris (Jan 14, 2010)

Worth mentioning that apparently Pacific Emergency Products is getting out of making bags. So while I was a fan of their bags, you might find it hard to get them and then to replace them in the future.

While their website isn't great and their customer service is spotty, www.Sands.ca has Angus bags. They're comparable to the Pacific bags, but cheaper and I haven't had any complaints with the two I've used. I would caution that I use them 95% of the time for teaching and only the odd time for event coverage so they don't take the same abuse a working set would.


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## Akulahawk (Jan 15, 2010)

PEP's bags are nice, but given what you want to carry, that Iron Duck might fit the bill. Where I used to work as an EMT-B (many winters ago), we used the PEP A300 for the supplies and a separate O2 bag with some basic supplies for that. The PEP bag could hold all our first-in stuff and then some... it's a pretty big bag.


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## reaper (Jan 15, 2010)

We use the Pacific bags and they are nice. But as mentioned, they are no longer making them. You may find a few in stock somewhere.

I would look at a jump bag that will fit and a separate O2 caddy. Putting the O2 in the jump bag adds weight. Plus, you have to pull the tank out when moving a pt around on oxygen. A caddy will hold all your O2 supplies and easy to move with the pt.


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## ki4mus (Jan 15, 2010)

reaper said:


> We use the Pacific bags and they are nice. But as mentioned, they are no longer making them. You may find a few in stock somewhere.
> 
> I would look at a jump bag that will fit and a separate O2 caddy. Putting the O2 in the jump bag adds weight. Plus, you have to pull the tank out when moving a pt around on oxygen. A caddy will hold all your O2 supplies and easy to move with the pt.



I want to get away from multiple bags, and an area near here tried the separate O2 caddy with a side pouch that they threw a bp cuff, stethoscope, gluecometer and some of the other little things they used on every call....prob;em was they got in the habit of only taking this in instead of the stuff they needed. as far as difficulty in getting to it, the internal tank would be a back-up to the portable attached to the back of the cot. And weight really aint an issue (we use specitly packs for search and rescue, event standby's ect.... that have mission specific gear (and stairs arent really any issue becouse the tallest building in our area is 3 stories.


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## Kendall (Jan 15, 2010)

I would recommend the Ferno Trauma/Air Management III bag, it has ample room and storage options and can be ordered with Intubation and IV mini bags. They're nice bags, well made and durable.


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## reaper (Jan 15, 2010)

ki4mus said:


> I want to get away from multiple bags, and an area near here tried the separate O2 caddy with a side pouch that they threw a bp cuff, stethoscope, gluecometer and some of the other little things they used on every call....prob;em was they got in the habit of only taking this in instead of the stuff they needed. as far as difficulty in getting to it, the internal tank would be a back-up to the portable attached to the back of the cot. And weight really aint an issue (we use specitly packs for search and rescue, event standby's ect.... that have mission specific gear (and stairs arent really any issue becouse the tallest building in our area is 3 stories.



No offense, but why are you making it easier for your crews to be lazy? We are a very busy system and never have a problem with equipment or running out of supplies on a call.

Make it mandatory for them to take all equipment in on all calls. We carry jump bag, O2 caddy and monitor in on all calls. If you don't need it, carry it back out.

There are a lot of bag systems that are great for EMS. The Thomas Paks are great. Will carry everything you need. I would still have a seperate O2 caddy. You learn over time that it is much easier in the long run.

You need to decide if you want a jump bag like Pac or Ferno, or a back pack like the Thomas or stat paks.


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## ki4mus (Jan 16, 2010)

reaper said:


> No offense, but why are you making it easier for your crews to be lazy? We are a very busy system and never have a problem with equipment or running out of supplies on a call.
> 
> Make it mandatory for them to take all equipment in on all calls. We carry jump bag, O2 caddy and monitor in on all calls. If you don't need it, carry it back out.
> 
> ...



I'm not trying to make it easier to make them lazy, as much as making it easier....one of the people in charge before me (i just took over) was primarily a private transport medic and was more infavor of doing everything on the truck reguradless....for this reason the ET kit is being kept in one place, the portable O2 in another, the jump bag is it's own issue....I want to make it to where we need to grab only 3 things no matter the call (the bag, monitor, and suction).........of course the cot, splinting and packaging equpment as needed...

I would prefer a backpack, but the only one that really fits the bill for my "dream bag" so far is the Merek bag...I have an Eagle A-III that I have set up but it has no room for an O2 tank....


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