What medical equipment do you have?

[jansman]

A few years ago I had a bad accident with a steak knife. Cut through all the tendons on my right hand. Now all the DIY First aid equipment was not putting that right. Went to casualty, straight to Triage, into theatre in minutes. They put a tourniquet on me when retrieving my tendons,and they were VERY STRICT about the time it was there. Point is do YOU know what you are doing?

Those surgeons were trained professionals. I think many home FAK (equipment) is a case of "all -the-gear-no-idea".

[essgee23]

tacticalprep - not sure i agree either to be honest.

trying to stop an artery emptying out isnt fun, there is a lot more to it than that, and in your scenarios - if you use a torniquet for that length of time, things are knackered anyway.

like psuedonym says - elevation and pressure...LOTS of pressure, if thats a thick artery, you may well be standing on it....

Poppypiesdad - nasty stuff, dont fancy having to do that, well played you sir!

[tacticalprepper]

Can I ask , have you had training in how to use a tourniquet?

Because its not just a matter of cutting the blood supply off .

Just for the record I'm a ex combat medic who's used a tourniquet for real.

J

As it happens, yes I have had training in them (although admittedly not in the last few years) and no luckily I have never had to use one. Your right in saying that its not just a case of chucking it on but when used correctly, a tourniquet can be safe for use up to 2 hours. Why do you think they mark peoples foreheads with markers? Its because in a situation, it is easy to loose track of time and also to tell any other medical personnel that they have a tourniquet on them somewhere.

I mean lets face it in the first scenario where the femoral artery has been sliced open, how long do you think you've got before 'your friend' has literally bled to death? Four minutes at best... and in those four minutes you could either mess around with pads and dressings or you could get that bleeding stopped before your friend dies, and it really is that simple.

I think many home FAK (equipment) is a case of "all -the-gear-no-idea".

I have to agree with you jansman. As I said a while ago, most people can't even use a triangular bandage properly let alone stopping someone from bleeding to death

[essgee23]

basic but you never know:

https://www.sja.org.uk/sja/support-us/t ... ledge.aspx

you can also request a free first aid guide leaflet, again may be worth it

[poppypiesdad]

Can I ask , have you had training in how to use a tourniquet?

Because its not just a matter of cutting the blood supply off .

Just for the record I'm a ex combat medic who's used a tourniquet for real.

J

a tourniquet can be safe for use up to 2 hours

For the full two hours ?

[tacticalprepper]

a tourniquet can be safe for use up to 2 hours

For the full two hours ?

Not necessarily, depends on individual circumstances. The dangerous part is removing the tourniquet, as there is a build up of toxins that when suddenly released can overwhelm the body. But hopefully the ambulance would have turned up way before then lol.
Still, you are right in what you where saying by using other means of stopping bleeding and only using it as a last resort. I guess if it came down to it, its a risk assessment, is potentially loosing a limb (worst case) justified? If you've tried everything else but the bleeding still has not been controlled then perhaps its needed. Still, hopefully I'll never have to use one

[poppypiesdad]

a tourniquet can be safe for use up to 2 hours

For the full two hours ?

Not necessarily, depends on individual circumstances. The dangerous part is removing the tourniquet, as there is a build up of toxins that when suddenly released can overwhelm the body. But hopefully the ambulance would have turned up way before then lol.
Still, you are right in what you where saying by using other means of stopping bleeding and only using it as a last resort. I guess if it came down to it, its a risk assessment, is potentially loosing a limb (worst case) justified? If you've tried everything else but the bleeding still has not been controlled then perhaps its needed. Still, hopefully I'll never have to use one

Sorry but there's no pleasant way to continue this thread , so I won't , your information /knowledge is flawed, pleased don't use or consider using a tourniquet, because you'll cause more harm than good .

Jamie

[tacticalprepper]

Sorry but there's no pleasant way to continue this thread , so I won't , your information /knowledge is flawed, pleased don't use or consider using a tourniquet, because you'll cause more harm than good .

Jamie

Please could you point out any info that is incorrect and PM me? I would be interested to know.



Back to topic, a good idea for the FAK is maybe one of these (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Braun-ThermoSca ... 5NJM74HMWX). Seen paramedics use them a lot, plus side is that you can use them on person(s) who are unconscious

[essgee23]

I look at it another way SG, many people take equipment when they go on holiday abroad, not because they know how to use it but because if something happens to them someone else might know how to use it.

.....

It would be nice to be able to use all of it personally, but hoping someone else might be able too is also good.[/quote]

hmmmm.....

ooh not sure what happened there with the quote....

[essgee23]

an addition to first aid kits as standard?

link not working as a youtube video, but informative about honey and its qualities...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fv ... f8erM&NR=1