Pouch, Medical, IRR (First Aider Trauma Pack)

History

The First Aid/Trauma Pouch replaced the earlier Pack, Medical Equipment, issued from the early 1990s, and was designed to be used in one of two roles: as a Team Medic pouch carrying an array of medical equipment for the immediate treatment of casualties, or to carry a Trauma/Mass-Casualty Triage kit together with a limited amount of additional medical equipment.

Although not part of the standard infantry PLCE pouch scale, the First Aid/Trauma Pouch formed part of the wider PLCE family of specialist equipment and was designed to interface with the PLCE belt and yoke.

Following the adoption of the VIRTUS system, the First Aid/Trauma Pouch was progressively superseded by newer medical carrying equipment. The Team Medic role itself remained in use until 2025, when it was replaced by the enhanced Combat Life Saver role.

Description

The First Aid/Trauma Pouch is fabricated from textured nylon with a printed Multi-Terrain Pattern (MTP) on the exterior and a triple polyurethane (PU) laminated interior. The pouch is of box construction with a lid secured by a webbing strap and side-release buckle. Sewn to the top of the lid is a subdued black-on-green Red Cross symbol to aid identification as a medical pouch. The lid extends over the front and sides when closed, and the underside incorporates a transparent vinyl sleeve, open on the left side, for the carriage of contents lists or casualty paperwork.

The pouch is divided into four principal compartments, consisting of a large open-top rear compartment with a full-length flat internal sleeve sewn to the front wall for quick-reference medical aide-mémoire cards and casualty documentation. A large hook and loop panel is sewn to the upper exterior of the main compartment. Sewn to either side of the main compartment are semi-full-length tubular pockets secured by hook and loop fastening and metal press studs.

The front of the pouch incorporates two compartments, each approximately half the depth of the main compartment. The lower compartment is permanently sewn to the lower front section of the pouch body and is closed by a Cordura cover sewn on the left side and secured on the right by hook and loop fastening, with a green nylon finger loop to assist opening.

The upper compartment is sewn to the forward edge of the lower compartment and is designed to fold up or down. A large hook and loop panel is sewn to its front face, allowing it to be secured in the raised position to a corresponding panel on the main compartment. This enables access to the main compartment without the upper compartment falling forward. The lid of the upper compartment is rear-hinged and secured by hook and loop fastening, with a nylon webbing finger loop fitted to the front edge.

The rear of the pouch is fitted at the top with two metal universal attachment points (A-clips), with the female component of a side-release buckle sewn between them. Below this is a padded belt loop secured at the base by two unidirectional press studs, with a metal grommet positioned between them to allow the fitting of a paracord pull tab. The underside of the belt loop incorporates two T-bars designed to engage with the channels of the 90 Pattern web belt.

Beneath the belt loop is a webbing retention strap with corresponding unidirectional press studs. The strap is stitched at both ends and centrally to facilitate closure. Nylon webbing loops are sewn to both sides of the pouch to allow the attachment of bungee cord or paracord.

Examples

Example One