USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Tourniquets are a simple but very import tool and skill that you need to have in your range bag, be able to understand their correct use and practice how to apply them effectively as they can save lives including your own.
Here is a selection of great videos that give you a range of instructions on applying and using a Tourniquets. Then visit our friends at My Medic providers of some of the best Tourniquets on the market.
When I was in, the basic first aid protocol was “ABCD”; Airway open, Bleeding stopped, Control shock, Dress wound. If you’re spilling all your blood rapidly into the dirt then “B” goes to the top of the triage. Being able to breathe means nothing if there’s no blood to oxygenate. THINKING goes a long way towards casualty survival. SURVIVAL IS THE NAME OF THE GAME.
There’s a LOT of medical training resources online and especially youtube so seize the day!!
Oh, there’s one other training mnemonic for students of the gun. You need to be able to:
-Make holes (your firearm)
-Prevent holes (your armor and the use of hard cover), and
-Plug holes (your medical kit).
All your training, equipment, and practice needs to revolve around these three basics.
Having saved a few lives myself, how about this? Put some type of padding on the wound; shirt sleeve, sox, or real deal sterile padding. Them apply the tourniquet over it all. This will stop the bleeding and yet prevent the tight area shown in the image because that can/will be too sharp of a pressure area and you may well lose the limb (if still attached). Then every 10-15 minutes you could loosen the tourniquet a really small amount (small) few seconds little to allow a bit of blood flow (to avoid blood starvation to the limb–IF THE LIMB… Read more »
Jim again…I should have added that any padding I use may not be the cleanest. The idea is to get the bleeding stopped and yet to protect the wound and the limb (if possible). The medical professionals can/will deal with any reasonable contamination via the sox, shirt or whatever.
Folks interested in bleeding control might want to check out Until Help Arrives (https://community.fema.gov/until-help-arrives) and Stop the Bleed (https://www.dhs.gov/stopthebleed) they offer free training and practice on how to stop death from bleeding using tools like tourniquets, wound packing and more.
I have sharpies in all my T kits to write the time the T was applied, in bold letters on the forehead of patient
A sobering fact that was related to me by an EMT is that you can expect to lose the limb when you apply a tourniquet.
We already had a tourniquet in our kit but still added one of these, both to be prepared and to support patriot businesses
Quick links to purchase
https://www.readyman.com/collections/types?q=First%20Aid
https://www.readyman.com/products/rats-tourniquet-edc-sleeve-combo
https://www.amazon.com/RATS-Tourniquet-READYMAN-Sleeve-holder/dp/B074KP53SM