A trauma bag is an equipment bag designed for first responders like paramedics and firefighters who may be treating patients with traumatic injuries. Trauma bags hold a variety of equipment and supplies that may be useful and are extremely rugged so they can withstand sometimes harsh conditions in the field. Medical supply catalogs and emergency service catalogs are a good source for trauma bags, as well as other supplies for first responders. They can also be custom made and ordered directly from a manufacturer for special needs.
First responders preparing to go to an emergency do not know what to expect, although the dispatcher may have provided a general idea based on reports made at the scene. They must rely on the gear they carry in ambulances, fire trucks, police cars, trauma vans, and other emergency vehicles. This equipment is commonly stocked in trauma bags so first responders can carry it in the field and have ready access to the supplies they need to evaluate, treat, and stabilize patients.
The contents of a trauma bag can include gloves, bandages, medications, ventilation equipment like tubing and bag valve masks, stethoscopes, portable defibrillators, heart rate monitors, bags of fluids, intravenous solutions, and a variety of other supplies. The trauma bag is typically organized into compartments to allow people to divide up supplies and quickly access what they need. It is made from washable materials to facilitate cleaning in the event the bag is exposed to mud, dust, body fluids, and other materials present at the scene of an emergency.
Color coded bags are available to help people grab bags with the right kinds of supplies quickly. Trauma bags for special purposes like responding to radiological, biological, and chemical emergencies are also available. A trauma bag may be configurable with changeable compartments, adjustable and movable straps, and other design features to allow emergency services personnel to organize their bags as needed.
Personnel on an ambulance are usually required to prepare the ambulance for the next crew at the end of the shift. This includes replacing used and missing items, swapping out a trauma bag if it is damaged or contaminated, and cleaning the ambulance so it will be ready for use. The incoming crew will check the supplies in the ambulance to confirm they have what they need and add any additional items. Since the crew may need to deal with a wide variety of situations, it is important to have as much equipment as possible, ideally multi-purpose equipment to save space, in order to enable responders to work confidently in the field.