Overland Safety: First-Aid Kits

[Ron Clark]

Some one earlier mentioned that you should not use a tourniquet or even to carry one. I could not DISAGREE more. TQs have gotten a bad name through the years and during that time TQs were extremely avoided and for good reason. However, in today's world with today's equipment, a TQ should to the first thing to grab in cases of extreme bleeding. According to TCCC a TQ can stay on untouched for two hours with no risk of tissue and nerve damage. A recient TCCC study found that TQ such as the CAT, have been left on much longer. If the rumor mill is correct, then they are talking about make a 8-12 hour use standard.

Why did TQs get bad names. Well, because they sucked. Not any simpler then that. Back in the ye olden days there really were almost no products factory made for the purpose. Remember being taught to use a belt, bandanna, scarf, electrical cord and many other make shift materials.

Now for a TQ to work it has to be extremely tight. They are also very painful is done properly. So they would take a belt or cordage and wrap it super tight proximal to the wound. The TQ damage is pretty well complete in a few minutes. What medical research found was that it was not the time that the TQ was on the body. It was however discovered that the damage was caused by the make shift TQ being too thin. It was actually causing crushing wounds to the arteries and nerve fibers. That is damage that can not be healed up with out taking off the whole limb. Because today's CATs TQs are very wide there do not pose that risk.

You still only want to put one on in the case of hemorrhage that is life threatening. So will tell you to try to stop the bleeding with pressure before switching to the TQ. The problem with that is when you have arterial spurting you will not be able to stop it with pressure before someone dies of blood loss. You do need the training to look at a wound and decide right then whether a TQ is going to be needed. For the best outcome it needs to be used without delay.

BTW. TCCC is the militry guidelines for combat trauma care. It is still widely used in the civilian world.

 

[The Klumps]

GWOT has taught us alot about the use of a TQ.
Hell we saw the benefits of the use during the Boston bombing.

Sent from my XT1254 using OB Talk mobile app

 

[Ron Clark]

Got word last night that TCCC did indeed extend the time you can keep a TQ on. They are now saying 8 hours without damage.

 

[Russell Peters]

I just know that we were trained to put one on immediately and it doesn't come off till the docs take it off.

Navy FMF Corpsman, OIF, OEF, OND


Sent from my iPhone using Overland Bound Talk

 

[leeandamy]

Training and a "Dark Angle Medical" trauma kit always close at hand in all my rigs or pack. Safety first!

 

[afootorafloatLJ]

There is a lot of great information here.
I can share my approach. I travel with friends and family often.
I work in the field as a Geologist and have seen many sprains, cuts and stings. But bigger trouble is always around the corner.
I was able to get work to cover the NOLS Wilderness First Responder training-80hours. Invaluable training. My first aid kit is tiered. Almost all the time I have a small kit in my cargo pants pocket. A larger package kit inside a first aid duffle I carry in the Jeep. I carry large trauma bandages designed for chainsaw injuries. I agree with many of the others in this thread that the kit and training go hand in hand. Learning how to assess a trauma situation in a calm cool manner helps everyone. Patient Assessment Triangle. As others have pointed out I mostly deal with cuts on the hands and forearms, sprained ankles. I have dealt with more severe injuries and I stabilize them for more advanced treatment. On the other end of the spectrum. I dealt with a stroke victim last week in an urban environment. Relatives were trying to wake up the individual...I called 911 and went about my assessment and communicated my findings to the dispatcher.
Something folks don't think about is ice. We use H-RICE or RICE when appropriate...Hydrate, Rest, Ice, Compress and Elevate. It's good to be the first aid person in a group. I seemed to be invited back often. :)

 

[Ron Clark]

There is a lot of great information here.
I can share my approach. I travel with friends and family often.
I work in the field as a Geologist and have seen many sprains, cuts and stings. But bigger trouble is always around the corner.
I was able to get work to cover the NOLS Wilderness First Responder training-80hours. Invaluable training. My first aid kit is tiered. Almost all the time I have a small kit in my cargo pants pocket. A larger package kit inside a first aid duffle I carry in the Jeep. I carry large trauma bandages designed for chainsaw injuries. I agree with many of the others in this thread that the kit and training go hand in hand. Learning how to assess a trauma situation in a calm cool manner helps everyone. Patient Assessment Triangle. As others have pointed out I mostly deal with cuts on the hands and forearms, sprained ankles. I have dealt with more severe injuries and I stabilize them for more advanced treatment. On the other end of the spectrum. I dealt with a stroke victim last week in an urban environment. Relatives were trying to wake up the individual...I called 911 and went about my assessment and communicated my findings to the dispatcher.
Something folks don't think about is ice. We use H-RICE or RICE when appropriate...Hydrate, Rest, Ice, Compress and Elevate. It's good to be the first aid person in a group. I seemed to be invited back often. :)

We have the exact same method. The way I carry gear is to decide how far from help I am.

On my person I carry a hemorrhage control kit. I figure that only a mass bleed would stop me from getting to my truck. In the truck I carry items to fix someone up so that they, or I, need to keep them alive till the hospital. If I am more then 5 minutes away from my truck I carry my man purse that has a rather large IFAK built in.

 

[Cort]

Some one earlier mentioned that you should not use a tourniquet or even to carry one. I could not DISAGREE more. TQs have gotten a bad name through the years and during that time TQs were extremely avoided and for good reason. However, in today's world with today's equipment, a TQ should to the first thing to grab in cases of extreme bleeding. According to TCCC a TQ can stay on untouched for two hours with no risk of tissue and nerve damage. A recient TCCC study found that TQ such as the CAT, have been left on much longer. If the rumor mill is correct, then they are talking about make a 8-12 hour use standard.

Why did TQs get bad names. Well, because they sucked. Not any simpler then that. Back in the ye olden days there really were almost no products factory made for the purpose. Remember being taught to use a belt, bandanna, scarf, electrical cord and many other make shift materials.

Now for a TQ to work it has to be extremely tight. They are also very painful is done properly. So they would take a belt or cordage and wrap it super tight proximal to the wound. The TQ damage is pretty well complete in a few minutes. What medical research found was that it was not the time that the TQ was on the body. It was however discovered that the damage was caused by the make shift TQ being too thin. It was actually causing crushing wounds to the arteries and nerve fibers. That is damage that can not be healed up with out taking off the whole limb. Because today's CATs TQs are very wide there do not pose that risk.

You still only want to put one on in the case of hemorrhage that is life threatening. So will tell you to try to stop the bleeding with pressure before switching to the TQ. The problem with that is when you have arterial spurting you will not be able to stop it with pressure before someone dies of blood loss. You do need the training to look at a wound and decide right then whether a TQ is going to be needed. For the best outcome it needs to be used without delay.

BTW. TCCC is the militry guidelines for combat trauma care. It is still widely used in the civilian world.

This is awesome and as you have updated, the time is 8hrs. Many have had them applied for longer and lived with full recovery.

Another major problem people have is placement. The TQ needs to be put on as close the the torso as possible.

GWOT has absolutely turned the tides on TQ SOPs which is a good thing. I have 2 in my truck, with additional units in various ifaks and kits. I also use a blue trainer(I exclusively use CATS) to practice as well as teach others. You should never practice with one you may use and if you do use one you should replace it.

 

[Ron Clark]

It is funny that they teach 4" proximal to injury site. Yeah Right! In the real world you throw them on as high as possible. No time to check for a wound site location. Get that thing on, get it tight, stop the blood loss, THEN look for the actual injury.

 

[Cort]

It is funny that they teach 4" proximal to injury site. Yeah Right! In the real world you throw them on as high as possible. No time to check for a wound site location. Get that thing on, get it tight, stop the blood loss, THEN look for the actual injury.

I agree, that's old thought for sure. You want blood to stay in the torso and you don't want blood flow to continue between bones. Get the TQ on high and tight then perform care. You're dialed in brother!

 

[Justin Forrest]

Since lots of us carry chainsaws, machetes and various other brush clearing tools, C A T tourniquets and isreali bandages are must. https://www.dhs.gov/stopthebleed

 

[Cort]

Since lots of us carry chainsaws, machetes and various other brush clearing tools, C A T tourniquets and isreali bandages are must. https://www.dhs.gov/stopthebleed

I would add a package of H&H compressed guaze. The Israeli bandage likely won’t be enough.

 

[J Tosh Reed]

Some amazing info here! I agree with most of what everyone has said.
I also would recommend never buying a stocked kit, you can save a ton of money to just stock your own bag from a medic supply store.

My tips I often say to people is have triple the gauze you think you need, you'll use it fast, and take a first aid course. Other than that, Id offer most of what everyone else is saying here.

#1- Training, and equip yourself to the level of your training.
#2- Basic meds (Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, Loperamide, ASA, Tums, Pepto or Almagel)
#3- Antiseptics (Iodine, Bottles of irrigation saline, Alcohol wipes)
#4- Bottle of Isopropyl Alcohol or Chlorhexadine, you can use it to help steralize instruments, tables, etc.
#5- Bag Valve Mask, Will entrain more air into the lungs than your breath or a pocket mask, a good fix if you don't wanna carry an O2 tank.
#6- An AED is extremely simple, and even fairly small children can easily be taught to use it. They are coming down in price too, you can pick one up for less than a thousand bucks now.
#7- Spine board/hard collar, great to have in the rig just in case.

Also, be careful in the region you live in, some places will make you liable depending on your skill level, and if you apply a tourniquet. If you put one on you could be liable. That being said, I always defer to what we would say in the Ambulance Service, "Policies and laws can say one thing, but at the end of the day, you're the one that has to live with it, so make your own call"
That has stuck with me for sure in my career and served me really well. Ten years as an ambulance paramedic, firs aider and wilderness medic, and now 3 years in as an RN on the west coast of Canada.

Cheers all! have fun out there and be safe

 

[Outer Limit Supply]

Just in case anyone missed us at either of the Overland Expos:


Our new quick release mounting system is available & works with any of our crush, dust, and waterproof first aid kits. It’s also compatible with many of the other waterproof cases: Pelican, SKB, Sea Horse, etc



Check out the new site here: https://outerlimitsupply.com

 

[J Tosh Reed]

Just in case anyone missed us at either of the Overland Expos:


Our new quick release mounting system is available & works with any of our crush, dust, and waterproof first aid kits. It’s also compatible with many of the other waterproof cases: Pelican, SKB, Sea Horse, etc



Check out the new site here: https://outerlimitsupply.com

Thanks, I was curious how that quick release worked.


Sent from my iPhone using OB Talk

 

[Kent R]

Has anyone got information about a new Wilderness First Aid curriculum that is more vehicle supported adventure friendly, by that I mean dealing with vehicle induced trauma incidents. In our Sierra Foothills Overlanders OLB meet up group we are exploring the idea of a one day vehicle extrication clinic using the tools you cary with you off road.

 

[J Tosh Reed]

Just in case anyone missed us at either of the Overland Expos:


Our new quick release mounting system is available & works with any of our crush, dust, and waterproof first aid kits. It’s also compatible with many of the other waterproof cases: Pelican, SKB, Sea Horse, etc



Check out the new site here: https://outerlimitsupply.com

Do you guys ever sell just the case? I have a ton of my own gear but need a new case soon

 

[Outer Limit Supply]

Do you guys ever sell just the case? I have a ton of my own gear but need a new case soon

We do offer cases in black that have pick & pull foam in them but no medical supplies.

https://outerlimitsupply.com/shop/

 

[J Tosh Reed]

Awesome, thanks!

 

[adventure_is_necessary]

This is the kit I'm drooling over now. A bit more advanced than I need, but has all the features I'd like to have. $200.00 is more than I'd like to spend though.

I'll most likely end up with this kit at $125.00. This is primarily due to the fact I overland with a large group and want to be ready to provide care if needed:

This kit looks as if it would meet the needs of most overlanders. At $60 its an affordable option:

I picked up the Bighorn Sportsman kit recently. It has a TON of good stuff. I only added an emergency blanket and some hand warmers to the kit as that's an essential in all my kits. Definitely worth the $50 price on Amazon, and you can always restock easily. I felt it was justified to overdo it on a kit like this.