IFAK Essentials Series: The Sam Splint
If you’ve been keeping up with my past IFAK Essential, you’ll know that Kerlix gauze is vital for any serious Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK). In keeping with the trend I present you the SAM Splint, another IFAK Essential.
The purpose of these posts is to help you hash out a solid IFAK you and yours can rely upon in the event of a zombie outbreak.
This topic was originally handled by Doc Simon on Zombie Squad’s forum Original Thread . I’d like to delve into a bit more detail in this ZSS Feed Article hosted by Zombie Squad Without further delay, lets dive into the What, Why and How of a SAM Splint, and why you need one for your First Aid Kit.
What: The SAM Splint (SAM (Structural Aluminum Malleable) splint) isn’t magic, but it does make the act of splinting a broken/damaged appendage much easier than searching for wood/binding material. The SAM is basically a long, thin piece of aluminum that is lightly padded on two sides with a malleable foam. That’s it, pretty simple right? So why do you need one?
Why: The SAM Splint is very lightweight (their largest size, 36 inches at the time of this article, weighs only 4.5oz) re-usable and can splint a variety of broken/damaged appendages. Take a look at the picture below which will begin to show the SAM Splint’s versatility.
Continuing on, in a PAW (Post Apocalyptic World) the likelihood of broken bones multiplies significantly. Rubble will line the streets, people will be forced to keep mobile and in truth, the simple act of staying alive in an infested world will be enough to raise the risk of damage to life and limb significantly. Humans are fragile at best and brittle at worst, carrying a small piece of inexpensive equipment that can help treat life’s speed bumps will make surviving any natural disaster much simpler.
How: The SAM splint seems very flimsy until doubled over. This IFAK Essential’s strength comes from adding multiple layers of thin material atop each other to form a rigid yet easily malleable splint material. The SAM splint really sets itself apart from all other splinting methods in that it can be adapted to a wide variety of situations. Need a little bit of splint? Just trim off a small piece with your sheers or a sharp knife and presto, you’ve a finger or toe splint. Need a wrist splint? Double the splint over twice, roll the end over and you’re good to go.
Take a look below to see a few ways you can utilize the SAM splint.
Arm
Ankle and foot
Impromptu Neck Brace
Where to buy?
SAMs are sold at just about any medical retailer, or any sporting goods/outdoors store. Below are a few places where you can buy a SAM splint (36″ roll should run you about $10 delivered if you shop around)
Thanks for reading everyone.
