Life saving First Aid in a mass casualty situation.

[rhino]

Thank you for posting the vids, FB. They're really good!

The improvised chest seal video above is excellent. A few things I would add:

• Another option is to cut a triangle shape from a plastic bag or the inner or outer package of an IBD. Then you just tape two side, leaving the third side to vent. (This is what Doc Gunn teaches - rhino didn't invent it!)
• The triangle would work well with Skinny Medic's method of taping across the corners, then you'd have three directions to vent.
• Getting tape to stick to a potentially bloody area on someone's skin can be a challenge, which is why the commercial chest seals are very, very sticky. Regular medical tapes might not adhere very well, so I carry Gorilla Tape instead. I also carry enough so that if I have to use longer strips of tape to anchor on dry areas around the wound, I can do so.

 

[2A_Tom]

I wonder if FlexTape[SUP]®[/SUP] would work. The commercials show it working under water.

 

[rhino]

I wonder if FlexTape[SUP]®[/SUP] would work. The commercials show it working under water.

We should do an experiment the next time I get cut. Haha!

 

[2A_Tom]

Another thing I have heard of is putting a piece of the wrapper from an IBD or chest seal on a non-vented chest seal to make a vent.

 

[Sylvain]

We should do an experiment the next time I get cut. Haha!

When will you get a new knife?

 

[Sylvain]

Thank you for posting the vids, FB. They're really good!

The improvised chest seal video above is excellent. A few things I would add:

• Another option is to cut a triangle shape from a plastic bag or the inner or outer package of an IBD. Then you just tape two side, leaving the third side to vent. (This is what Doc Gunn teaches - rhino didn't invent it!)
• The triangle would work well with Skinny Medic's method of taping across the corners, then you'd have three directions to vent.
• Getting tape to stick to a potentially bloody area on someone's skin can be a challenge, which is why the commercial chest seals are very, very sticky. Regular medical tapes might not adhere very well, so I carry Gorilla Tape instead. I also carry enough so that if I have to use longer strips of tape to anchor on dry areas around the wound, I can do so.

Even commercial chest seals suck on wet skin, just like any brand of tape.It's why they usually come with a piece of gauze to wipe away the sweat/blood.

I've seen a video of a guy testing different commercial chest seals from different brands (Sam, halo hyfin and others), while working out.He had them on his chest and back and they all fell off eventually.

But tape is a temporary solution, just like commercial chest seals.
It just needs to hold until you get your victim to the hospital.
If you only have duct tape it only needs to hold 8 minutes (average EMS response time in the US) till someone shows up with better tape/seal.

Even without tape a gloved hand will make a good seal until EMS gets here.
If you have a pair of gloves and a bystander you have a chest seal.

 

[2A_Tom]

Pressure bandages.

[video=youtube;-ZALnTiDr6c]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZALnTiDr6c[/video]

 

[rhino]

When will you get a new knife?

It will be a celebration when I get a new job!

 

[Sylvain]

I updated my EDC ankle trauma kit.
I finally got my hands on a CAT gen 7.

I replcaced the SWAT-T with the CAT.

The kit contains:

CAT Tourniquet
Trauma shears
H&H mini compression bandage
H&H flat gauze
2 pairs of nitrile gloves
Sharpie
Duct tape
Ziploc bag

 

[Sylvain]

I will probably add the SWAT-T to my car medic bag if there's still more room to add more crap.
I already have a SOFT Tourniquet in that bag.

That larger kit is always a work in progress.

It contains:

1 tourniquet
3 4" israeli pressure bandages
Leather gloves
Dozens of pairs of nitrile gloves
Masks
1 flashlight
1 headlamp
1 flashling light for signaling on the outside of the back
Splint, ACE wrap and instant cold packs
Pulse oxymeter
BP cuff and stethoscope
Thermometer
2 space blankets, 1 fleece blanket
Bunch of rolls of gauze
Duct tape and medical tape
Pen and notebook, sharpie
2 small first aid kits with wound care modules (bandages, cleaning wipes etc)
Some medication
Trauma shars, tweezers
Multi tool
Hand sanitizer
A bottle of mineral water with plastic cups
Mirror
Waste bags
Etc ...

 

[actaeon277]

Tuesday I was getting the steel mill doc to okay me for "return to work".
She asked why I had a trauma kit.
I asked her, "why don't you have one?"

 

[SmileDocHill]

Don't know how I missed this thread all this time? Tagging to watch the vids later.

 

[Sylvain]

I just found out a new way to carry a CAT tourniquet ... using it as a belt.

I often hear folks saying they could use their belt as their tourniquet (which they can't) but I don't know if folks use a tourniquet as a belt.

Turns out you can!

The windlass doesn't print munch under a shirt, and it's fast to deploy.

I might get a second CAT to carry it that way, it's very low profile and not more expensive than an actual belt.

I know that option is just for skinny folks (I think the CAT is 37 inches long) but it might be a good idea especially in the summer if you wear shorts and can't wear a ankle kit.

With the buckle on the front it's similar to some velcro belts.

Of course if you're using your belt to carry a gun it's not going to the solution for you.

 

[rhino]

If you have to use it, how will you keep your trousers from falling down afterward?!

 

[Sylvain]

If you have to use it, how will you keep your trousers from falling down afterward?!

They generally don't fall down even without a belt.

That being said it's not the best carry option since I can't use the tourniquet on myself, one handed (not rapidly anyway), if I have to deploy it like that.

While looking for some CATS online I found this obviously fake model ...

It's probably for folks who live days away from a trauma center or hospital, and the time of application is not enough.You also need the date!

Hopefully I didn't get a fake one.
I think they are not making gen 7 fakes.Not yet anyway.
All the $5 "CAT tourniquet" I've seen were gen 6.

Mine doesn't have the red time though.

 

[rhino]

Check all the stitching and make everything is sewn properly and it's sturdy. Getting a fake sucks, but even if it's a fake, it should still work okay as long that sample is made reasonably well.

 

[Sylvain]

Check all the stitching and make everything is sewn properly and it's sturdy. Getting a fake sucks, but even if it's a fake, it should still work okay as long that sample is made reasonably well.

The back of the plate looks just like it's shown on the picture from the manufacturer's website.

In the US the tourniquets distributed through North American Rescue all have the red tip.

If you go on the manufacturer's website there's no mention of the red tip.

Maybe the CATs sold outside of the US don't have the red tip.
NAR is not the manufacturer, only the distributor in the US, so maybe they get a special version with the red tip.

 

[actaeon277]

Now that I'm back to work, I think I'm gonna get a kit for the car.
In case of a mass casualty event, my ankle kit won't cut it.

 

[actaeon277]

I just bought the .50 Cal kit for my car.
I shoulda said something, but didn't think about it.
They had a 20 percent sale. So.. I HAD TO buy it.
"They" being Dark Angel.

 

[actaeon277]