In our last post we brought you a scenario in which an emergency occurred and a Tourniquet was used.  As promised, let’s go into more detail.

Tourniquets are devices that can restrict blood flow by compressing the blood vessels.  This is crucial in extremity wounds that involve trauma, and can severely halt, or even fully stop a bleed.  Your life could very well be saved by this small device.  I strongly recommend learning how to properly use it, as not only could it be used on yourself, but on a loved one or wounded bystander.  
 
In many TV shows, belts are used as tourniquets, as are clothing like sweatshirts and the like.  These methods are ineffective and do not stem (effectively stop) the blood flow; at most these methods may slow a bleed. 
 
Without a stiff and proper windlass (the name for to really crimp down on the limb, it will not work as well as a tourniquet.  As well, belts can not tighten as much as a tourniquet from the get go.

If However, if this is your only choice, then do it.  Pressure to a wound will slow the bleeding and can save your life. When considering what type of tourniquet to buy, you must consider how you will carry it, and what the purpose of it is.   A Special Forces Operator will carry a different one than a SWAT Medic, and the medic’s will likely carry a different one than the average Joe.  I’ll show the two most common and easiest to understand of the tourniquets that are likely to be found in the average civilians EDC kit.

The CAT or Combat Application Tourniquet is a great tourniquet, and will suffice to cover 99.99% of incidents that the average civilian will encounter.  As well, it is easy to use and straight-forward in its construction.  It comes fully apart to wrap around a limb, but only tightens 3 inches when using the windlass, so you have to ensure that it is wrapped tight around the limb prior to using the windlass.  Make sure you have the newest generation of CAT to ensure you have the most updated version that makes up for the deficiencies of the last generations

The SOF-T is an  open-loop tourniquet with a fully metal windlass. Early versions have a narrow strap and a metal “alligator” clip with a locking screw to hold down the strap. There are two plastic D-ring securing points for the windlass once it has been tightened. For these tourniquets, users should make sure the locking screw is engaged prior to tightening the windlass to avoid unintentional loosening of the tourniquet.

Do you have a personal experience of a Tourniquet saving your life? Will you share your story with us? Leave your comments here in the blog and we’ll respond to you personally.

Now that we shared this knowledge on being aware of medical emergencies and how to care for yourself or others if the unfortunate
occurs, check back with us for our final advice on this article

Not on our list? CLICK now and join us for more self-defense and situational awareness information.

The assailant goes down in front of his vehicle; you go down next to yours. 
You have a bullet wound in your leg and it’s bleeding badly.  
 
You’re able to dial 911, and EMS tells you help will arrive in 10 minutes, but with the rapid loss of blood, 10 minutes will be too long for you to still survive. What can you do to save your own life?
 
Now we admit in this scenario we’ve been a bit drastic, however there is a point we want to make with you.  How to provide medical care for yourself if you are injured during a self-defense incident.

The truth is, a wound to one of your extremities could cause a severe disability or even death if it is not dealt with immediately and in the appropriate way.  EMS might not always be in close proximity ...especially if you live in a rural area, where the closest medic service or fire station may be well over half an hour away.
 
It is for reason we want to raise awareness on the benefit of carrying a Tourniquet.

Over the next few articles, we’ll go into more detail about how to use and carry a Tourniquet for self-defense medical emergencies.
 
Here is a request: If you have a personal experience of a Tourniquets saving your life, will you share it with us? Leave your comments here in the blog and we’ll respond to you personally.
 
Not on our list? CLICK now and join us for more self-defense and situational awareness information.