Are Trauma Kits Missing From Your Range Bag?

By Doug Gilmer

Trauma Kits Suggestions

USA -(Ammoland.com)- Most of us carry the essentials. We have ammo for the guns we intend to shoot, the guns themselves, eye and ear protection, maybe some cleaning supplies, and some basic range tools for sight adjustments, tightening grip screws, and making minor repairs.

Depending on where we shoot, we might also have our own targets, a stapler, a rangefinder and either binoculars or spotting scope. With all of the above items we have the beginnings of a great time at the range whether by ourselves or with others.

The shooting sports are undoubtedly fun and statistically very safe. Still sometimes accidents happen. : Trauma Kits

Maybe the slide of your pistol comes back across the web of a hand held too high leaving nasty tracks. Maybe your Glock Armorers Tool slips during magazine disassembly and punctures your hand. Unfortunately sometimes bigger issues arise. A ricochet, an unintentional discharge or someone else’s carelessness can result in serious, life threatening injury.

When injuries occur at the range, especially critical injuries, they need to be treated quickly and effectively.

Saving room in your range bag for first-aid and trauma care supplies could make the difference between a bad situation and worse situation. According to the National Safety Council, about 25% of emergency room visits could be avoided if people had basic first-aid training and were properly equipped to handle emergencies.

Obtaining some basic first-aid training is important if you spend time around firearms, whether on the range or in the woods. If you have been in the military, law enforcement, or even a summer pool lifeguard chances are you have received at least some basic first-aid and wound care education. If not, a basic first-aid class is easily obtainable through local fire stations, community colleges, hospitals, or even online through the American Red Cross of the National Safety Council.

Lets face it, the most basic first-aid and wound care is largely intuitive. Whenever a person cuts themselves, their first response is to tightly cover the wound to prevent blood from leaking out. While we do it instinctively there is more we can learn to do and more we should know to best address an emergency situation.

To help put your first-aid care into practice there are a number of pre-packaged kits and accessories you can throw in our range bags or hunting without taking up too much space. Adventure Medical Kits has been making first-aid kits for outdoorsman for years and have kits to cover almost any situation or circumstance for which you would need a kit. Safariland, the maker of holsters and other law enforcement gear, have a number of kits specifically designed for trauma care at basic through advanced levels.

Tactical Medical Solutions

Another great resource is Tactical Medical Solutions (TMS). Tactical trauma care is what TMS specializes in and has developed their reputation on. Lives have been saved on the battlefield and American streets by the products TMS supplies to our nation’s warfighters and first responders. They have now taken this same expertise and developed a line of trauma kits specifically for the recreational shooter and hunter. These kits feature the same quality products found in the packs of our nation’s finest but packaged specifically for the outdoorsman and recreational shooter. TMS is my choice for the trauma gear I carry at work and into the field. Some of these kits are small enough to be included in your everyday carry ensemble, easily fitting in a jacket pocket or briefcase.

One of the most important tasks you can learn is how to properly apply a tourniquet. Once considered to be a treatment of last resort for traumatic wounds to the arms or legs, the tourniquet is now often one of the first methods use to control heavy bleeding. It was once believed if a tourniquet were applied to a limb, the limb would likely be lost, at least from the point below the wound. Not anymore. We can thank our military for advancing trauma care based on their experiences in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other hot spots around the world. Tourniquets are life-saving devices and at least one should be included in every trauma kit as you head to the range or to the field. Today, tourniquets come pre-packaged and are easy to use though one can still be made from easily accessible items.

You can order Tactical Medical Solutions Trauma Gear online at Amazon

While injuries from firearms in recreational settings are rare there is no disputing the fact these injuries can be life threatening. Be prepared next time you head out.

Your life or the life of a friend or family member could depend on your preparedness and ability to respond effectively in an emergency situation. Trauma Kits are part of that preparedness.

Trauma Kits Resources:

• Tactical Medical Solutions has great training page with detailed Trauma Kits instructions for download: https://www.tacmedsolutions.com/training-resources/

About Doug Gilmer:

Doug Gilmer is a law enforcement and military veteran with over 25 years of experience and assignments operating throughout the United States and around the world in a variety of investigative, protective, tactical and direct action roles. He is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys fly-fishing, hunting with a handgun, backcountry adventures, and volunteering with various outdoor themed wounded warrior events. He has been a frequent contributor to outdoor media for for several years with numerous articles and photos published in a number of media channels. He is a member of the Professional Outdoor Media Association as well as a former board member and executive officer.