Beacon Chest Seal - Vented - Beacon Medical

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SKU: BCSK-VENT

Type: Chest Seal

Vendor: Beacon Medical

Beacon™ Chest Seal — Vented, Kit Size

Name: Beacon™ Chest Seal — Vented, Kit Size
Brand: Beacon Medical
SKU: BCSK-VENT
Price: 16.99 USD
Availability: InStock

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PRODUCT INFORMATION

Beacon™ by Beacon Medical · Vented Chest Seal

Beacon™ Chest Seal — Vented, Kit Size

A 6 in. round vented chest seal in Beacon's compact kit-size configuration. Four vents let air out of the chest as the casualty breathes out and close as they breathe in; a medical-grade hydrogel is made to hold on skin exposed to blood, sweat, hair, sand or water. Transparent backing, large release tab, vacuum-sealed in a puncture-resistant pouch with four tear notches. Latex-free, under 1 oz.

Vented — four vents6 in. roundHydrogel adhesiveKit size · 0.8 ozLatex-free

A vent buys margin, not freedom from watching. Seal the hole, check for the exit, and keep your eyes on the breathing.

The short answer

What it is

One 6 in. round vented occlusive chest seal with four vents, hydrogel adhesive, transparent backing and a large release tab, vacuum-sealed in a kit-size pouch.

Use it for

An open or sucking chest wound — front, back or side. The TCCC Guidelines call for a vented chest seal first.¹

How it's used

Wipe the skin, peel, center the seal over the hole and press it on. Then watch the casualty's breathing; if it gets worse, burp the seal.¹

Who carries it

Law enforcement, military, EMS and trained civilians who want a compact vented seal in an IFAK, pocket kit or duty-belt kit.

At a glance

Type

Vented — four vents

Shape and size

6 in. round

Configuration

Kit Size — one seal

Adhesive

Medical-grade hydrogel

Backing

Transparent, large release tab

Packaging

Vacuum-sealed pouch, 4 tear notches

Weight

0.8 oz

Latex

Latex-free

Manufacturer item

BCSK-VENT

FDA

Class I, 510(k)-exempt

10 things to know about the Beacon vented seal

Why the TCCC Guidelines put vented seals first, how Beacon's four-vent design works, and what the research does and does not show.

01

Vented first is the TCCC position

The TCCC Guidelines dated 1 May 2026 direct that every open or sucking chest wound be treated by immediately applying a vented chest seal; a non-vented seal is used when no vented one is available, and the casualty is monitored either way.¹ What is carried is what goes on: most seals placed on U.S. casualties with chest wounds in Afghanistan were non-vented.¹⁴
02

Why the vent matters

Sealing the hole stops air being drawn in through the chest wall, but an injured lung can keep leaking air inside. In pigs with an ongoing air leak, a non-vented seal led to tension pneumothorax in all 8 animals after about 1.4 L of air while a vented seal held through 2 L⁹ — the finding behind TCCC's 2013 move to vented-first.⁸
03

How the Beacon vents

Beacon's design uses four vents that let air flow out of the chest during exhalation and block air flowing in during inhalation; four vents keep it working if one is obstructed.^4,6 Beacon Medical's patents describe an adhesive-free chamber over the wound with vent channels: breathing out lifts the thin backing so air escapes, breathing in pulls it flat to seal.⁷
04

Vent designs perform differently

With a bleeding chest wound in pigs, success ranged from 6 of 6 to 0 of 4 across five vented brands; pooled blood lifted seals off or clogged one-way valves.¹⁰ In a communicating-pneumothorax model, three vented brands all evacuated air and blood.¹¹ The Beacon was not among the brands tested, so keep watching breathing whatever the vent.
05

Six-inch round, transparent, big tab

A large 6 in. round seal conforms to the body, the clear backing lets you see the wound while placing it, and the large release tab makes it easy to apply and to lift an edge later.³
06

Hydrogel made for dirty skin

Beacon designs its medical-grade hydrogel to adhere to skin exposed to blood, sweat, hair, sand or water, and rates the seal effective in extreme cold and heat.³ In swine-skin testing, adhesion after hot and cold storage held for four vented brands and dropped for a fifth¹² — brands differ, so wipe the skin first regardless.
07

Built for a pocket

The kit-size seal is vacuum-sealed in a lightweight, puncture-resistant pouch with a tear notch at each of four corners; Beacon states its function and integrity survive being folded or rolled. It weighs 0.8 oz.³
08

One seal — carry two

The kit size holds one seal, and a penetrating chest wound often has an exit. Carry a second seal, and check the back, sides and armpits before you call the chest done. Beacon also makes two-pack and combo configurations.^3,4
09

A non-vented sibling on the same platform

Beacon makes the same 6 in. hydrogel seal without vents — the kit-size non-vented seal, item BCSK.³ The TCCC Guidelines use a non-vented seal when no vented one is available.¹
10

Not on the evidence-based device list — and no chest seal is

The Evidence-Based Standard Devices & Adjuncts list dated 15 December 2021 names no chest seal, so the Beacon is not evidence-based standard; absence from the list does not by itself mean a product was tested and failed.² It is an FDA-registered, Class I (510(k)-exempt) occlusive wound dressing from Beacon Medical, LLC of Bloomington, Illinois.⁵

How to apply the Beacon vented seal

The sequence taught for chest seals under the TCCC Guidelines, with the exit-wound check built in.

1

Expose and find every hole. Cut clothing away and look and feel front, back, sides and armpits. Life-threatening bleeding is controlled first — tourniquet, packing, pressure dressing.
2

Cover it now. Put a gloved hand over the hole — or have the casualty do it — while you tear the pouch at a notch.
3

Wipe it. Wipe blood, sweat and debris from the skin around the wound so the hydrogel lands on skin, not on fluid.
4

Peel and place. Peel the backing using the release tab and place the seal centered over the wound, adhesive side down.³
5

Smooth it down. Press from the center out so the edges seal all the way around.
6

Seal the exit. Put a second seal on any other chest wound you found.
7

Position and watch. Unconscious and breathing: recovery position. Conscious: let them sit up or take whatever position helps them breathe.¹ Watch for increasing shortness of breath, falling oxygen and signs of shock.¹
8

Worse? Burp it. Lift an edge with the release tab to let trapped air escape, then press it back down — or remove the seal. Trained providers follow the Guidelines' decompression direction.¹

Train before you need it. Practice placing and burping on a chest seal trainer. Chest seals are single use — one opened for practice does not go back into a kit.

Where it fits

Use it for

Open or sucking chest wounds — the device type the TCCC Guidelines call for first¹
A compact vented seal in an IFAK, pocket kit or duty-belt kit³
Skin exposed to blood, sweat, hair, sand or water, once wiped³
Agencies standardizing on one platform in vented and non-vented versions

Not for

Packing — never pack gauze into a chest or abdominal wound
Over a protruding or impaled object — stabilize the object instead
Limb bleeding — that is the tourniquet, packing gauze and pressure dressing
Leaving unwatched — vented seals still need someone monitoring breathing¹
Practice — train on a chest seal trainer

The evidence

Every study cited above, what it tested, and how strong it is.

Study	Evidence type	What was studied	What it found
*Kheirabadi et al., J Trauma Acute Care Surg* 2013**	Animal · crossover	Unvented (HALO) vs vented (Bolin) seal on an open chest wound with an ongoing air leak, 8 swine	Both restored breathing within 5 min; the unvented seal led to tension pneumothorax in all 8 after ~1.4 L of air, the vented seal held through 2 L
*Kheirabadi et al., J Trauma Acute Care Surg* 2017**	Animal · comparative	Five vented seals on a bleeding open chest wound, 26 swine	Success: Russell 6/6, Sentinel 6/6, HyFin Vent 4/6, SAM 1/4, Bolin 0/4; one-way valves clotted or detached
*Kotora et al., J Emerg Med* 2013**	Animal · comparative	HyFin, Sentinel and SAM vented seals, communicating pneumothorax, 24 swine	All three evacuated air and blood; no tension physiology developed with a seal in place
*Arnaud et al., Injury* 2016**	Animal · adhesion	Vented seals on soiled live swine skin, at room temperature and after extreme cold and heat storage	Russell, FastBreathe, HyFin and SAM adhered similarly; Bolin adhesion fell after temperature extremes
*Schachner et al., Ann Thorac Surg* 2022**	Bench · ex vivo	Improvised seals on a pig chest wall with a simulated open pneumothorax	Wet rescue-blanket squares sealed 5 of 5; plastic foil from a gauze wrapper sealed 0 of 5
*Schauer et al., J Spec Oper Med* 2017**	Human · combat registry	62 U.S. casualties with gunshot or puncture wounds to the chest, Afghanistan	74.2% received a chest seal; most seals placed were not vented
*Butler et al., J Spec Oper Med* 2013**	Expert review · TCCC change 13-02	evidence-based review of open pneumothorax care after the 2013 swine data	Vented chest seal first; non-vented if no vented seal; monitor, burp or remove, decompress
*Margolis et al., J Spec Oper Med* 2014**	Expert consensus · C-TECC	Committee for Tactical Emergency Casualty Care review of vented vs non-vented seals	Vented seals likely add benefit; non-vented users reassess, burp and decompress; no clear outcome superiority proven
*Paquette et al., J Spec Oper Med* 2021**	Systematic review	Six quantitative chest seal studies, 1990–2020	HyFin Vent and Russell best supported; evidence on individual devices is limited
*Lyng et al. (NAEMSP), Prehosp Emerg Care* 2024**	Expert review · position statement	Structured review of EMS traumatic pneumothorax care	EMS may consider a vented seal in a spontaneously breathing patient; seals may be harmful during positive-pressure ventilation

Strongest to weakest: human data, then animal studies, then bench work. Every brand-to-brand comparison is in pigs or on pig skin, and the Beacon was not among the brands compared; a 2021 systematic review judged the evidence on individual brands limited.¹³

How it compares

The vented and non-vented seals a buyer most often weighs against the Beacon vented seal.

	Beacon vented (BCSK-VENT)	Beacon non-vented (BCSK)	HALO Vent (2-pack)	HyFin Vent (twin pack)
Maker	Beacon Medical	Beacon Medical	Medical Devices, Inc.	North American Rescue
Vented	Yes — four one-way vents	No — fully occlusive	Yes — four vents	Yes — channel vent
Seals per pack	1	1	2	2
When the Guidelines use it	First choice¹	When no vented seal is available — then monitor¹	First choice¹	First choice¹
Published swine data	Not among the brands compared	Not among the brands compared	Not among the brands compared	Held in 4 of 6 with a bleeding chest wound;¹⁰ no tension pneumothorax in a communicating model¹¹
evidence-based standard	No	No	No	No

Both Beacon seals are 6 in. round.^3,4 The Evidence-Based Standard Devices & Adjuncts list (15 December 2021) names no chest seal of any brand;² absence from the list does not by itself mean a product was tested and failed.

Build the system

The non-vented Beacon, the vented alternatives, a trainer, and the other three jobs in the kit.

Beacon™ Chest Seal — Non-Vented

Same 6 in. seal, fully occlusive

HALO™ Vent IFAK Two Pack

Two vented seals in one pouch

HyFin® Vent Twin Pack

North American Rescue vented seal

Chest Seal Trainer (CSAT)

Practice placement and burping

C-A-T® Gen 7 Tourniquet

evidence-based standard limb tourniquet

CELOX™ Rapid

evidence-based standard packing gauze

OLAES® Modular Bandage

Pressure dressing over the packing

READY WRAP™

Compression wrap that frees your hands

Free from MED-TAC

The Trauma Brief

MED-TAC's free trauma field guide, written by a physician and medical educator — what to do in the first minutes of a severe bleed, step by step.

Get the Brief ›

Questions buyers ask

▾Is the Beacon vented seal evidence-based standard?

No. The Evidence-Based Standard Devices & Adjuncts list dated 15 December 2021 names no chest seal of any brand.² Absence from the list does not by itself mean a product was tested and failed. What the TCCC Guidelines specify is the type: a vented chest seal first.¹

▾Vented or non-vented — which should I carry?

Vented, when you have the choice: the TCCC Guidelines call for a vented seal first and a non-vented seal when no vented seal is available.¹ The civilian-focused C-TECC reached a similar view in 2014 — vented seals likely add benefit — while noting that a non-vented seal used with reassessment, burping and decompression has not been shown to do worse in people.¹⁶

▾Does a vent prevent tension pneumothorax?

It is designed to let air out, which makes pressure less likely to build — but no vent is a guarantee. In testing, blood clogged some vents and lifted some seals off the skin.¹⁰ Every casualty with a chest seal is watched for worsening breathing, and the seal is burped or removed if breathing gets worse.¹

▾How do I burp it?

Lift one edge with the release tab so trapped air and blood can escape, then press the edge back down — or remove the seal. If breathing does not improve, trained providers follow the TCCC Guidelines' decompression direction.¹

▾Will it stick to a sweaty, hairy or bloody chest?

Beacon designs its hydrogel to adhere to skin exposed to blood, sweat, hair, sand or water.³ Seals lifting off the skin is still a documented failure in testing,^10,12 so wipe the skin and press the edges down firmly.

▾Why carry two?

A bullet or blade that goes in often comes out. The kit size holds one seal; the second wound — usually on the back — needs its own.

▾What if I don't have a chest seal?

Most bystanders won't. Have the casualty press their own hand over the hole, or cover it the best way you can, and keep watching their breathing. Improvising a seal is hard unless you have tape and something airtight: in a pig chest-wall model, wet rescue-blanket squares sealed every test wound while foil from a gauze wrapper sealed none.¹⁷ Unconscious and breathing: recovery position. Conscious: let them sit up or find the position that eases their breathing.¹

▾Should EMS use a chest seal on a patient being bagged?

The NAEMSP 2024 position statement advises that EMS clinicians may consider a vented seal for a spontaneously breathing patient with an open pneumothorax, but that chest seals may be harmful and are not recommended during positive-pressure ventilation.¹⁵ Follow your agency's protocol.

▾Can I pack a chest wound?

No. Never pack gauze into the chest or the abdomen. A chest wound gets a seal; bleeding from it is controlled with direct pressure over and around the wound while the seal goes on.

Package & specifications

▾In the package — one vented seal

1× Beacon™ Chest Seal, vented, 6 in. round, kit size — four vents, medical-grade hydrogel adhesive, transparent backing, large release tab
Vacuum-sealed, lightweight, puncture-resistant pouch with a tear notch at each of four corners
Latex-free, single use. A second seal for an exit wound is sold separately.

▾Full specifications

Specification	Detail
Manufacturer	Beacon Medical, LLC — Bloomington, Illinois, USA
Product	Beacon™ Chest Seal, vented, Kit Size
Manufacturer item	BCSK-VENT
Type	Vented — four one-way vents
Vent	Air flows out during exhalation and is blocked during inhalation; four vents keep the seal working if one is obstructed
Shape and size	6 in. round
Adhesive	Medical-grade hydrogel, made to adhere to skin exposed to blood, sweat, hair, sand or water
Backing	Transparent, with a large release tab
Packaging	Vacuum-sealed, lightweight, puncture-resistant pouch; 4 tear notches
Durability (manufacturer)	Function and integrity preserved when folded or rolled; effective in extreme cold and heat
Weight	0.8 oz
Latex	Latex-free
Other Beacon configurations	Single, Kit Size, 2 Pack and combo pack; non-vented version BCSK
Patents (Beacon Medical)	U.S. 10,383,988 · 10,583,230 · 11,623,031
FDA	Occlusive wound dressing, product code NAD, 21 CFR 878.4020 — FDA-registered, Class I (510(k)-exempt)
TCCC status	Vented chest seal — the device type the TCCC Guidelines call for first; not evidence-based standard (the evidence-based list names no chest seal)

▾References — 17 sources

Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care. Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) Guidelines, 1 May 2026.
Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care. Evidence-Based Standard Devices & Adjuncts, 15 December 2021.
Tactical Medical Solutions. Beacon™ Chest Seals — Vented & Nonvented: features and configurations (Kit Size Vented BCSK-VENT, 0.8 oz; Kit Size Non-Vented BCSK, 1.0 oz). tacmedsolutions.com.
Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium. Member profile — Beacon Medical, Bloomington, IL: 6-inch round non-vented and vented (4-vent) occlusive chest seals, combo packs and kit-size configurations. mtec-sc.org.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Establishment Registration & Device Listing — Beacon Medical LLC, Bloomington, IL: Beacon Chest Seal; product code NAD (Dressing, Wound, Occlusive), 21 CFR 878.4020, Class I, 510(k)-exempt.
Rescue Essentials. Beacon Pocket Vented Chest Seal 6 in. — product information (four-vent one-way design). rescue-essentials.com.
Bussett GR, Bussett KH, Lissner C; Beacon Medical LLC. Occlusive chest wound seal with a one-way vent for preventing and treating tension pneumothorax. U.S. Patent 10,383,988 B2, 20 August 2019; continuations U.S. 10,583,230 and 11,623,031.
Butler FK Jr, DuBose JJ, Otten EJ, et al. Management of open pneumothorax in Tactical Combat Casualty Care: TCCC Guidelines Change 13-02. J Spec Oper Med. 2013;13(3):81–86.
Kheirabadi BS, Terrazas IB, Koller A, et al. Vented versus unvented chest seals for treatment of pneumothorax and prevention of tension pneumothorax in a swine model. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2013;75(1):150–156.
Kheirabadi BS, Terrazas IB, Miranda N, et al. Do vented chest seals differ in efficacy? An experimental evaluation using a swine hemopneumothorax model. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2017;83(1):182–189.
Kotora JG Jr, Henao J, Littlejohn LF, Kircher S. Vented chest seals for prevention of tension pneumothorax in a communicating pneumothorax. J Emerg Med. 2013;45(5):686–694.
Arnaud F, Maudlin-Jeronimo E, Higgins A, et al. Adherence evaluation of vented chest seals in a swine skin model. Injury. 2016;47(10):2097–2104.
Paquette R, Quinene M, Blackbourne LH, Allen PB. Efficacy of commercial chest seal adherence and tension pneumothorax prevention: a systematic review of quantitative studies. J Spec Oper Med. 2021;21(3):78–85.
Schauer SG, April MD, Naylor JF, et al. Chest seal placement for penetrating chest wounds by prehospital ground forces in Afghanistan. J Spec Oper Med. 2017;17(3):85–89.
Lyng JW, Ward C, Angelidis M, et al. Prehospital Trauma Compendium: traumatic pneumothorax care — position statement and resource document of NAEMSP. Prehosp Emerg Care. Published online 4 December 2024.
Margolis AM, Tang N, Levy MJ, Callaway DW. Management of open chest wounds in tactical emergency casualty care: application of vented versus nonvented chest seals. J Spec Oper Med. 2014;14(4):136–138.
Schachner T, Isser M, Haselbacher M, et al. Rescue blanket as a provisional seal for penetrating chest wounds in a new ex vivo porcine model. Ann Thorac Surg. 2022;114(1):280–285.

Genuine Beacon™ — Beacon Medical, LLC

Sourced direct from the manufacturer or an authorized master distributor. Ships from MED-TAC International, South Florida, US of A — clinician-founded, veteran-led, SDVOSB-certified.

Built around MARCH. Every kit we sell maps to the MARCH protocol — Massive hemorrhage, Airway, Respiration, Circulation, Hypothermia. Learn the sequence in our complete MARCH guide.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Available Options:

Single Pack - Kit Size

SPECS & MEASUREMENTS

Specifications coming soon. Contact us for detailed product information.

CLINICAL RATIONALE

Chest Seals in Thoracic Trauma

Chest seals are critical life-saving tools for treating open chest wounds (sucking chest wounds) that disrupt the negative pressure needed for normal breathing.
When air enters the pleural space through a penetrating injury, it prevents the lung from fully expanding and may lead to a tension pneumothorax — a life-threatening condition if not addressed promptly.
Properly applied chest seals restore intrathoracic pressure balance and allow the injured lung to re-expand, buying vital time until definitive care or decompression is available.

1. Vented Chest Seals

Clinical Rationale (Vented):

Vented chest seals feature one-way valves or channels that allow trapped air and fluids to escape from the chest cavity while preventing further air entry.
This controlled venting mechanism reduces the risk of developing a tension pneumothorax and is recommended by the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care (CoTCCC) for most open thoracic injuries when the vent remains unobstructed.
In tactical and emergency medical settings, vented seals maintain proper intrathoracic pressure dynamics and help stabilize respiration during evacuation.

Allows air and blood to escape while blocking additional air entry
Recommended by CoTCCC for most penetrating chest wounds
Prevents progression to tension pneumothorax
Effective during movement and transport phases

2. Non-Vented Chest Seals

Clinical Rationale (Non-Vented):

Non-vented chest seals provide a fully occlusive barrier that prevents any external air from entering the pleural cavity.
These are preferred when environmental factors — such as dust, debris, heavy clothing, or complex wound locations — could obstruct a vent or prevent it from functioning properly.
Non-vented models are especially effective when there are multiple wounds or when both sides of the chest are compromised.

Creates an airtight seal to stop further air intrusion
Ideal for contaminated or complex wound environments
Preferred for posterior or multiple thoracic injuries
Simple and reliable under stress conditions

3. Twin Pack / Dual Application

Clinical Rationale (Twin Pack):

Twin chest seal packs are designed for simultaneous coverage of entry and exit wounds or multiple penetrating thoracic injuries.
Applying seals to both anterior and posterior wounds prevents air intrusion from either side and ensures consistent intrathoracic pressure stabilization.
This configuration allows medics and responders to treat through-and-through injuries quickly and efficiently without improvisation.

Enables rapid treatment of entry and exit wounds
Maintains consistent chest pressure across both sides
Optimized for tactical and prehospital trauma management
Reduces need for multiple packages or improvised seals

4. Training Chest Seals

Clinical Rationale (Training):

Training chest seals replicate the adhesive strength and venting design of operational models using non-sterile materials.
They are intended for classroom, simulation, and scenario-based instruction, allowing responders to practice correct placement, adhesion, and vent inspection without wasting live medical gear.
Consistent repetition with realistic trainers develops muscle memory and speed during actual trauma incidents.

Simulates vented or occlusive seal behavior for realistic training
Promotes correct placement and adhesion technique
Preserves sterile operational supplies
Ideal for EMT, tactical, and civilian responder courses

Clinical Summary

Chest seals play a pivotal role in preventing death from tension pneumothorax, one of the leading causes of preventable trauma mortality.
Both vented and non-vented designs serve distinct operational needs, while twin and training packs ensure preparedness across all care phases — from education to battlefield or civilian emergencies.

Vented: Allows controlled egress of trapped air; standard CoTCCC-recommended choice.
Non-Vented: Fully occlusive; best for debris-rich or posterior wound sites.
Twin Pack: Provides coverage for through-and-through injuries.
Training: Non-sterile practice tool for skill retention and readiness.

By re-establishing chest wall integrity and controlling air movement, chest seals restore lung expansion and stabilize respiratory mechanics until advanced medical care is available.

SHIPPING & RETURNS

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Returns: Unused, unopened equipment in original manufacturer packaging is eligible for return within 30 days of delivery.

Bio-Safety Notice: To ensure sterility and patient safety, medical consumables with opened or broken tamper-evident seals cannot be returned.

Return Facility: MED-TAC International Corp., 15757 Pines Blvd, Suite 154, Pembroke Pines, FL 33027.

Export Compliance

North American Rescue (NAR) products and rifle hard armor plates are strictly restricted to US and APO/FPO addresses and cannot be exported internationally.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is the Beacon Chest Seal Vented (BCSK-Vent) different from the Beacon Chest Seal Non-Vented (BCSK)?

The Beacon Vented (BCSK-Vent) and Beacon Non-Vented (BCSK) share the same 6" round platform, medical-grade hydrogel adhesive, transparent backing, release tab, vacuum-sealed packaging with 4 tear notches, and folded/rolled durability. The difference is the vent: the BCSK-Vent has an integrated vent mechanism that allows air and blood to drain from the pleural space during exhalation while preventing re-entry during inhalation. The BCSK (non-vented) creates a fully occlusive seal with no drainage pathway. The 2024 CoTCCC TCCC Guidelines prefer vented seals as the first-line choice.

When should I use the Beacon Vented versus the Beacon Non-Vented?

Use the Beacon Vented (BCSK-Vent) for anterior (front) chest wounds where the vent can function in its normal position — this is the CoTCCC-preferred choice for most penetrating chest wounds. Use the Beacon Non-Vented (BCSK) for posterior (back) wounds where the vent would face the ground and cannot drain properly, or as a backup when only non-vented seals are available. Many protocols pair one of each type for through-and-through injury management — applying the vented seal to the entry wound (anterior) and the non-vented seal to the exit wound (posterior).

How does the Beacon Vented maintain adhesion during long evacuations?

The Beacon Chest Seal Vented uses a medical-grade hydrogel adhesive that is specifically formulated for adhesion in conditions involving blood, perspiration, hair, sand, and water — the environmental factors common to extended tactical evacuations. The conformable 6" round design allows the seal to maintain peripheral contact over the curved anatomy of the chest wall, including bony prominences, throughout the breathing cycle and body movement. The vacuum-sealed packaging protects the adhesive from environmental exposure until the moment of use.

Can the Beacon Chest Seal Vented be used together with the Beacon Non-Vented in the same kit?

Yes — and this is a common kit configuration for organizations using the Beacon Medical platform. Carrying one Beacon Vented and one Beacon Non-Vented in the same IFAK provides the complete capability for bilateral wound treatment: the vented seal for the anterior entry wound and the non-vented seal for the posterior exit wound. Both seals share identical dimensions and packaging, simplifying storage and logistics. Alternatively, two Beacon Vented seals can be carried for all-vented bilateral wound treatment per the TCCC preferred vented seal protocol.

Does the Beacon Chest Seal Vented work after being folded or compressed in an IFAK?

Yes. The Beacon Chest Seal Vented is specifically designed so that its function and integrity are preserved even after being folded or rolled during carry in an IFAK. The vacuum-sealed packaging is lightweight and puncture-resistant, protecting both the adhesive surface and the vent mechanism from compression damage. This performance characteristic is important because IFAK pouches are routinely compressed under body weight, plate carrier pressure, or vehicle storage. Seals that lose vent function or adhesive integrity after compression cannot be relied upon in the field.

Beacon™ Chest Seal — Vented, Kit Size

At a glance

10 things to know about the Beacon vented seal

Vented first is the TCCC position

Why the vent matters

How the Beacon vents

Vent designs perform differently

Six-inch round, transparent, big tab

Hydrogel made for dirty skin

Built for a pocket

One seal — carry two

A non-vented sibling on the same platform

Not on the evidence-based device list — and no chest seal is

How to apply the Beacon vented seal

Where it fits

The evidence

How it compares

Build the system

Questions buyers ask