Tactical First-aid

[jackburton9807]

Loads of good stuff there. The entire site looks like a good resource.

[mercop]

In this interview I spoke a little about what you can do in the worst case scenarios with little to no gear. When things are bad you may not have time to go to your car to get your FAK out of the trunk. One of my most popular courses is Traumatic Injury Management where I cover what you can do prior to the arrival of EMS with minimalist gear.- George

[jackburton9807]

That brings up a good point regarding hypothermia in presence of severe hemorrhage.

In addition to the need to stop bleeding care must be taken to prevent hypothermia in this group. When you become hypothermic it decreases your ability to clot.

[jackburton9807]

Figures, a topic I actually feel qualified to comment on and it's trying to die on the vine.

Anyway, I've been looking at a few products w this thread in mind.

H&H PriMed compressed gauze:
This stuff seems pretty cool. It's basically a roll of kerlix that has been vacuum sealed by someone on coke. If space is
an issue this is the way to go.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orXb-...e_gdata_player

SOF TT wide:
This rendition is a vast improvement over the last one. Not only is it wider providing better occlusion, it lends itself to
much easier self application to your own arm.

SWAT tourniquet:
I can't really sort this one out. It can work as a TQ applied to a casualty or as self aid to a leg wound, but self
application to an arm is really difficult for me. It's even more difficult if the arm is completely immobilized. It works well
as a compression wrap, but as a TQ it's pretty far down on my list. Though it may be useful as a TQ for the K9 officer
since there's no real limitation as far as the diameter of the limb it's applied to.

[Peak_Oil]

To date there have been many lives saved in Iraq/Afghanistan secondary to TQ use and no limbs lost due to their use.

Not true. I'm not saying that TQ's don't have their uses, but TQ's cause limb loss. I'd rather lose a limb than my life, so go ahead and use one on me, I will figure out how to tie my shoes with one arm.

[jackburton9807]

That's old thinking.
Kragh - Journal of Trauma 2008
232 patients w TQs on 309 limbs
No amputations caused by TQ use

232 lives saved in in one hospital over a one year period. They work.