You carry a gun for self-defense because you know that deadly force threats exist.

Uh, since you know deadly force threats exist, shouldn’t you be prepared for the kind of harm that deadly force threats can cause?

It seems self-evident when it is pointed out, but a surprisingly small percentage of people who carry firearms for self defense also carry the kind of small trauma kits that could prove vital to keeping you alive after a life or death encounter with a violent criminal, or even the much more likely possibility of a home or vehicle accident.

After an eye-opening medical brief that was part of my Defense Against Street Crimes class at Gunsite, I’ve slowly begun adding medical gear to my home, family vehicles, range bag, and on my person as part of my everyday carry.

After all, I carry a gun because someone may try to harm me or someone near me. It only makes sense to be able to provide care for the sort of traumatic injuries an attacker may inflict, or that may be caused during a common car crash.

Skinny Medic’s Trauma Kit is an option that works for him and may work for you. I personally don’t trust the SWAT-T beyond being a pressure dressing, and strongly carry either a CAT or a SOFTT-W in a PHLster Flat Pack in addition or instead of a SWAT-T.

At the moment, I’ve carrying a TMS Outdoors kit as my “do everything” range kit as I can handle both the normal training boo-boos and more serious injuries with it, and I’m planning on adding their much more affordable Pocket Medical Kit (PMK) to my laptop case, wife and older daughter’s purses, as well as putting one in the garage and kitchen.

We spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on guns, magazines training and carry ammunition, holsters, gun belts, tactical lights, back-up knives, etc, and so spending just $50-$200 on life-saving medical gear that you’re more likely to actually need in a wider range of emergencies makes a lot more sense.