The Tourniquet saves lives but to do so must be used properly and be readily usable.

Few seconds too long in the case of massive bleeding make the difference between life and death … In this post will not talk about how to use it but of everything else (which is just as important).
In the market there are different types of Tourniquet (from now on I will call TRQ) more or less valid:

from left to right:
C.A.T. Tourniquet
Military Emergency Tourniquet Gen III
SOF Tactical Tourniquet

Once you have chosen a model is important to train to use in any condition.
It is vital to put in the right places and with the right systems on the equipment:

HOW
– accessible
– visible
– no locked inside pockets
– if closed (better not) use red color or medical symbol
– conditioned ready to use

from left to right:
Blue ForceGear Tourniquet Now! Strap
Eleven 10 – Kydex Tourniquet Case
215 Gear Tourniquet/GP Holder

on my youtube channel you will find a simple and fast system to do this:

WHERE
– front, accessible from both the right and left
– above medikit
– in the pocket on the shoulder of the jacket (with a part external and visible)

WHEN
– always
the TRQ must always be with us even when we are in base without Jacket and Armor (you never know what can happen, a rocket, a shooting, a suicide bombing…)

STANDARD
Within your team or your unit the position should be standardized so everyone knows where to find the others TRQ.
If there are differences in materials (who uses a war-belt and who uses only the jacket) should be sought to standardize the position.
If you just place it on BodyArmor and you are in situations where you use only the war belt remember to change the position.
In my opinion a good compromise is to have a TRQ always in a jacket pocket, a central one on the chest and one on the war-belt.

TACTICS
In addition to the self-rescue Tourniquet is used to help the wounded colleagues .
The standard Tactics usually (depending on the Army) said that the wounded should be treated with the Tourniquet that is on him.
But imagine the scenario:
The wounded man is on the ground 50 meters from us with an amputated leg and is unconscious to the explosion of a mine , we are not under fire , and we can help him , the Standard Tactics said to reach; take his TRQ and treat it.
If we have 2 Tourniquet take one of our 2 and we prepare it already in hand in the last few meters away from the wounded gaining precious seconds ( do not know if we find the Tourniquet on his body also ).Once applied the TRQ and stabilized the wounded we can take her TRQ to reintegrate our used (remember is to be done only if we have 2 TRQ).
It should be noted , however, that having 2 TRQ we always have one of beckup, as in the case of mutilation of a mine is very likely that it will serve two; one for limb ..
Also if you keep one to the right and one on the left you can more easily reach with your left or right hand.

Click Here: the Photo Album of different amounts, positions and types of Tourniquet

USE
See the instructions for the use of their brand of Tourniquet
in the case of C-A-T can be found:
http://combattourniquet.com/applications/military/

Are also fundamental:
medikit, blow out kit, coagulating agents, Israeli bandage, Celox, QuikClot, RipShears …
but we’ll talk about in other posts!

Bajo Tactical holds no responsibility for improper use of the techniques described and possible damages derived from them.

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