Survival and Emergency Preparedness

My wife and I just attended a 'Stop the Bleed' class through our city's senior's center. Yeah, we're old geezers. It was sponsored by a local hospital and the national 'Stop the Bleed' organization. It's a pretty basic class and teaches pressure and how to use a tourniquet.

I think the point is to teach as many average people how to stop bleeding long enough to get emergency services on the scene. I've had enough first aid classes that it wasn't anything new to me but it's always good to refresh and practice stuff. My wife hasn't had much training so it was interesting to her. The class was free. It was the first time we did a class at our senior center so there's that.

https://www.stopthebleed.org/

Don't stop there. Go get certified in CPR at your local American Red Cross. You get to learn more and get out and about.

fishingjeff wrote: ↑Mon Feb 17, 2020 8:13 pm Don't stop there. Go get certified in CPR at your local American Red Cross. You get to learn more and get out and about.

I've had CPR, Advanced FA training for first responders and a slew of FA classes numerous times in my career. I used to run the public safety dept at a large community college for 26 years and administered FA more times than I can count. We did a lot of cross training with the EMT/paramedic program as well. While it is always good to refresh and practice I'm not sure going through all that would really help me much. I would do it again if my wife was interested, I'll have to work on her as I am likely to be the beneficiary of any FA skills she would pick up.

I was trained on how to evaluate (within 10 seconds) combat wounds, stabilize and evacuate under live fire (with bullets whistling over us in training). Obviously I can not do it on myself. It would great for my survival if other people learned. If time permitted after shtf, I could train others - and it would probably be the first time anyone would have any interest in learning. Same applies to CPR and Heimlich - both of which I have used on other people.

I spend a lot of time in my woods cutting trees with a chainsaw, hatchet and axe. Even though I do wear protective clothing (gloves, chaps, boots, helmet w/face shield) It's just inevitable that I'm going to cut myself at some point. I do keep a trauma kit close by when I'm cutting (when I remember) consisting of a tourniquet, pressure bandage, dressings etc. I'm usually up there by myself so self rescue is going to be all I got.

Tourniquets are something we should probably be discussing more. What are good ones? What are ones to avoid? Training with one etc.

https://cms.bleedingcontrol.org/Class/Search Free classes.

If you are an old timer, the national organization called Oasis (classes for older people). We had a class on Tuesday for free on Zoom.

Two kinds tourniquets. I keep a couple in the car. Two inches above the bleed. Do not loosen - that was old school from 40 years ago.

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David wrote: ↑Wed Jun 17, 2020 11:30 am Tourniquets are something we should probably be discussing more. What are good ones? What are ones to avoid? Training with one etc.

I picked up 3 surplus military trauma kits at a surplus store a few years ago pretty cheap. They included a CAT, Israeli bandage, tape, gloves etc. I added chem lights, trauma shears and more gloves.

The came in a SAW mag pouch.





Originally it came supplied to the military with Quick Clot but it was taken out when surplussed. I haven't added it .

CATs are pretty easy to use. The Stop the Bleed program is free and can teach anybody in about 20 minutes.

I've got a pouch like the one on the right in the digital camo. Think I got it at a garage sale years ago. IFAK/trauma kit would be perfect for it.