We strongly recommend medical training in all of our classes. While holding up a medical kit, I always tell our students:
“Leaving here today you will have many more opportunities to save someones life with this medical kit and medical training than with your firearm.”
I felt it was long over due to make a post about medical gear and training:
Training
- BCON
- CPR
- First AID & other medical training
BCON – One of the most preventable deaths is from someone bleeding out from an extremity (arms & legs). BCON, or bleeding control, training is likely the most important training you can get. In our area, for the most part, Central EMS can be on scene in 10 minutes or less. If you come upon an accident with someone who has a major (arterial) bleeding injury they can bleed out in as little as 90 seconds. For that reason we think BCON is the #1 priority for training. Most other injuries will either be too serious for anyone to save them or minor enough that they can wait on the ambulance.
CPR – “Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency procedure that combines chest compressions often with artificial ventilation in an effort to manually preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person who is in cardiac arrest. It is recommended in those who are unresponsive with no breathing or abnormal breathing, for example, agonal respirations.”
First AID & other medical training “First aid is the assistance given to any person suffering a sudden illness or injury” Lastly, we recommend more medical training. This can be just as simple as a “First Aid” class or you can seek out other training. Depending on your area you can often find first responder training. If you budget allows there are companies that provide very good medical classes and if you are wanting the best, look for a live tissue class.
Gear
The current standard for BCON is The Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care, typically refereed to as TCCC.
They currently recommend 3 tourniquets:
They currently recommend 4 Hemostatic Dressings or Gauze:
There are MANY other devices, but they have not met the standards of TCCC. There are many cheap tourniquets that may work as a pressure dressing or on an arm, but will not apply enough pressure to stop the bleeding from a major leg wound. Some of these devices are still better than carrying nothing, but buyer beware.
What have I been carrying?
I have been using an medical kit by Dark Angel Medical. There are a few different options for these types of kits, I just have the most time with their Ankle Trauma Kit .
It’s an easy to carry kit and would be well suited to put it in your car and have the option to put in on your ankle of you when you are going to be far away from your vehicle.
The kit comes with (and carries):
- 1 package of Hemostatic Gauze
- 1 Pair of Nitrile Gloves
- 1 H&H Mini Compression Bandage
- 1 Pair of Hyfin Vent Compact Chest Seals
- 1 Tourniquet