Tourniquets.

[LUNCHBOX]

C.A.T. Combat Applications Tourniquet. This is a must have item for your first aid kit.

Two handed application.
CAT Tourniquet, Two-Handed Application - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_Rm6gEusCc)

One handed application.
CAT Tourniquet, One-Handed Application - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpLysF4KTF8)

[Stg1swret]

Unless one will have access to proper medical personel and facilities, a tourniquet will cause more harm then good. Just saying...

[Kodiak]

Depending on the circumstance, a tourniquet could also save your life. It could give you the time to make it to the proper medical personel.

[izzyscout21]

as it stands right now, I'm more apt to place a tourniquet on an extremity versus trying to use the old gauze and pressure routine. The tourniquet is much more effective at stopping sever bleeding and with a TQ I often have the option of going higher to cut off a major blood vessel that can't be topped or slowed through traditional means. With modern medicine, the chances of losing a limb within 24 hours of putting on the TQ are slim. I'll take my chances with the tourniquet as opposed to letting myself or someone else bleed out.

[gunbuilder69]

Look at this from outside the box guys...
The tourniquet can be used in place of you holding a 4x4 over a wound to get hemostasis. This totally acceptable and prescribed in the event you get fatigued holding pressure or slip and re-hem,so to speak. Of course as a tourniquet it also works well,but my pov is this:
"This will hold direct pressure if I need to do a secondary treatment action or or reload,commx etc....."
GB69

[apssbc]

A TQ is not a first line treatment for blood loss, unless you will die if the TQ is delayed. Direct pressure, elevation, pressure points, and then TQ. You have to remember that you can also use cold to staunch blood flow. Also the quick clot powder is even worse than a tq when it comes to causing damage.

Common sense will also tell you when a wound should have a TQ applied before the other steps as in a heavily bleeding extremity. It is not entirely true anymore that a TQ application results in limb loss. Military studies have showed that after a few hours TQ can still be released with proper care.

The fact is if you dont apply a TQ on a wound that truly needs it you will bleed out and die, its as simple as that. If you put it on and survive, even without proper care you can amputate and survive. Amputations have happened since the beginning of time, TQ's have been used just as long. The TQ is a vital piece of life saving equipment and they do more good than harm no matter what care you have available. I carry one accessible on my rig, and one in my BOK. Plus three more in my squad bag.

Full time EMS 5 years, Medic for 3. Tac Medic Certified.

[realist]

+100 for apssbc, you are right on. No a tourniquet is not needed for most situations but when you need it you need it RTFN. One thing that you might consider is having a second one in your kit so that way if one does not work completely put on a second one to finish it, I carry several in my large kit.

[izzyscout21]

Right, a tourniquet isn't needed for most situations, nor is it the most appropriate. My personal belief is that while a TQ may be a last resort, it is option number one in a situation where:

1) I have multiple injured and I can control bleeding on one and move to another. Triage.

OR

2) Bullets are flying. I'm not wasting time treating an injury when I should be returning fire. Cinch it and drive on. I'll address the bleeding later.