Massive hemoraging is a serious risk

[misfitecho]

hey everyone. I know I'm new here but I'm not new yo the world of gruesome accidents. I've been a combat medic for years and I keep seeing so many people in this line of work dying from bleeding out. So just some quick stats a little PSA and hopefully a plan for everyone.

Types of bleeds (we care about)
Arterial- this blood is bright red and pumping out with the heart beat
Venous- darker red and a steady flow

Both of these bleeds need to be stopped immediately. In sever cases such as a arterial bleed you have .5-1min before you start to loose conciseness. At 2 min your chance of survival is well below 50%. 6min and you're dead. For venous bleeds you might have a little longer.

So what I'm about to propose next may seem a bit crazy. But... Carry a tourniquet on your person and let others know where it is and how to use it. We wear chaps, helmets hearing protection buy nothing if we get hurt. I'm many situations you might have a first aid in the truck but its going to be 2min before someone gets to you. That's to much.

I carry a "RATS" tourniquet around me waist everyday all the time. Please do the same. Cat-t or rats takes up little to no room. Can be applied by the user in under 5seconds with training and will save your life or a friends.

To be honest I have one on my person at all times, one in the pocket of each door in my car and one in my school bag.

Carry a tourniquet.
How I carry mine

Rats https://www.amazon.com/R-A-T-S-Rapid-Application-Tourniquet-System/dp/B074XFXLG6

CAT-T https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003...tourniquet&dpPl=1&dpID=51iKvKdC-UL&ref=plSrch

 

[misfitecho]

Also sent from my busted iPhone with missing pieces. Excuse the errors.

 

[benjo75]

Good idea. Thanks for the vid. There was a guy on the news a few months ago who's gun accidentally went off. He carried it like you. I bet he wished he had a tourniquet. Probably wouldn't need one that long though. I carry blot stopper kits on my saddles. Might be a good idea to have a tourniquet or two around too.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Can just cut the start cord off the saw and use that.
If I carried along stuff for nearly every "what if" I'd need a semi truck tagging alonf.

 

[treesmith]

Blood stopper bandage and granules on the back of my harness in a big yellow first aid pouch, wasn't too expensive

 

[jomoco]

Neither were my bandanas......

Used to soak up sweat, blood, filter out dust n stuff etc etc.

Jomoco

 

[ropensaddle]

You can't scratch steel

 

[Huskybill]

I tried to buy that foam looking stuff that melts into to wound when it hits the heat and wetness of the blood. The drug store guy wouldn’t sell it to me, I did buy extra large gause pads with tape. I had a sealed first aid kit in the truck. If we don’t carry a good first aid kit the what if’s can turn into reality.

 

[Enrique Smith]

Very true. It is important to carry a first aid!

 

[CLASSIIILVR]

TAMPON AND SOME DUCT TAPE WILL STOP MOST BLEEDS VERY QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY. M SMALL UNIT ALWAYS HAD THEM ON OUR PERSON WHEN OUT IN THE FIELD AND WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE ARMY I CONTINUED TO HAVE A COUPLE TAMPONS AND DUCT TAPE IN MY PACKS AND IN MY FIRST AID KIT IN MY TRUCK AS WELL. ALWAYS HAVE THAT STUFF IN MY MINI FIRST AID PACK THAT I HUNT WITH AND USED TO PACK FALLING TIMBER AS WELL. SUPER SOLID AND CLEAN WAY TO STOP A MAJOR BLEED FROM A DEEP SAW CUT OR ANY KIND OF CUT. THEY SWELL UP TO 5 TIMES THEIR SIZE AND STOP BLEEDING WITH QUICKNESS.

 

[Sukpad]

Can just cut the start cord off the saw and use that.
If I carried along stuff for nearly every "what if" I'd need a semi truck tagging alonf.

I don't think the point is that you should carry something for every what if. Just the ones that cause death so easily when when seconds count. I don't need Eye wash and chapstick on my person but a swat-t and clotting sponges I do have on me. After you watch someone bleed to death it gets real. Just like watching a deer hit with an arrow stumble about untill it finally falls and kicks a bit... Quickly expires. Real similar and infact people do the same thing kinda crazy. I didn't like it so I decided to carry the necessary supplies to hopefully prevent it from happening again.

 

[Huskybill]

I try to do all my felling when I have helpers with me. I can buck alone if need be. My picture is life before prostate cancer I had arms like popeye. Running that 25lb husky 2100 was like hitting the gym.

Duct tape is a good idea.

 

[misfitecho]

Also since this is still a relevant topic...

PLEASE DO NOT USE TAMPONS!! they do not work!!!

Also The CAT TQ has a nifty belt holster that you can clip it in and not worry about the logistics. Im not asking you carry stuff to pack a wound, sutures, wraps, meds or bandaids. Just a TQ just something that keeps the blood where it needs to be until someone can get you.

Also just to reiterate for the love of god dont use tampons... or small cords from the starter of the saw you just dropped down the hill because you ran it into your leg... also using an improvised TQ is ill advised because its hard to create the pressure to completelty stop blood floow and that starter cable can cause damage to nerve tissue.

 

[Eskimo]

Also The CAT TQ has a nifty belt holster that you can clip it in and not worry about the logistics. Im not asking you carry stuff to pack a wound, sutures, wraps, meds or bandaids. Just a TQ just something that keeps the blood where it needs to be until someone can get you.

Another option along those lines is the case that Forest Safety Products has for their "Chainsaw Trauma Kit".

It's made specifically to fit the CAT tourniquet and provide quick access to it, but it has room for a little bit of other stuff, too. It doesn't try to go into "everything but the kitchen sink" territory, so it's fairly compact and light.

They sell a couple of different versions of the kit, but they also sell the case by itself if you'd prefer to outfit it yourself.

 

[misfitecho]

that Forest Safety is a well put together kit. Its got what you need for sure. But like most im poor.. But my life is worth a little bit. soo heres a kit Ive put together thats similar. Links are all to amazon.

I run a super slim pouch. As small as I can. On both my shooting belt and my cutting belt.
Tear away kind. Nice because I can just rip it off and have every item avaliableto me. Recommended if carrying in back.

Rip away This is what I carry the only downside is it doesn't Identify itself as a first aid kit... however my red sharpie said differently.

Tourniquet (TQ) Please dont get a ****** knockoff. they save like $5-10 but will fail you when you need it most. PROOF!!!

Gauze Two types. One helps stop bleeding and the other helps absorb. Ill explain how to use this down below.
Gauze #2 This one is for packing and wrapping after the bleeding gauze. Or for use on less serious cuts. (link if for the 3 pack... Carry at least 2)

3" Ace Wrap Obviously has MANY uses but here we are using it to tightly wrap a wound. Carry 2.

All this on Amazon comes to about $80 (at time of posting) but there is a good chance you have rolled gauze, Ace Wraps at home. Maybe even a small belt mounted pouch. The clotting gauze and the TQ may be all you need.

Now thats really all you need.. but.. some things you can add to this....
Steri Strips Perfect for closing small wounds. Carry 5-10
Skin glue I mainly use it for covering blisters, small cuts.
Non-latex gloves. Just grab a few next time your at the DR. wrap them up in a ziplock. I only use them in trauma if I dont know the person.

81mg CHEWABLE BABY ASPRIN dont use this for the bleeding. But rather for that person with crushing chest pain. Max dose is 4, keep in truck

Ok so Heres how this would go down... you buddy, or maybe you were being an idiot, tired, distracted just ran the saw into his leg. You have serious bleeding.
Step 1- Apply the TQ. Now really anywhere 4" above the wound would be fine. Tighten that thing down as hard as you can. Once its on IT STAYS ON!!
Step 2- Bleeding should be slowed/stopped. Take an end of clotting gauze and insert it as far into the wound as possible, Keep a finger on that end and push a section in. repeat pressure and insertion till max gauze is inserted. (like a sewing machine)
Step 3- Add rolled gauze behind in same fashion if needed
Step 4- Use a gauze roll to cover wound/ Hold mangled flesh together
Step 5- Wrap that **** down with ACE wrap
Step 6- Tell buddy what your favorite bottle is so he can compensate you.

Also think of how you will signal, Is it quiet enough to use a whistle? do you have a plan? do you and a partner stay within eyesight and keep visual contact periodicly? How far away is your house should you need to call the Wife (or husband)((or whatever these days)). Do we have a medical channel on the radio?