Sunday’s Las Vegas shooting gave only further proof that everyone (and I mean everyone) needs to both have the best tourniquet possible on them, and they need to know how to use it.
Over 50 people lost their lives over the weekend to a madman, as he randomly shot bullets into a crowd of more than 2,000 people.
There’s no way the concert-goers could have foreseen the events that unfolded that night. And, in just a matter of minutes, their entire worlds flipped upside down.
Shootings such as these are rarely preventable by the general public. However, what remains to be more preventable is the amount of casualties that come as a result of the attack.
One of the best and most effective ways that anyone can save a life is to use a tourniquet. This handy first-aid tool works to quickly stop the flow of blood from an artery or vein by compressing it. It’s a very simple tool to use, and yet it can be easily be what separates life and death for so many people.
Now its important to keep in mind that not every wound requires a tourniquet. As Inside First Aid states:
Only the most severe hemorrhages on the arms and legs require a tourniquet. Apply it as soon as possible to stop unnecessary blood loss. When a major artery is severed, the patient can bleed to death in less than a minute, so speed is everything.
Perhaps more of the victims of the Las Vegas shootings could have been saved if someone around them had had a tourniquet and known how to use it. We may never know.
Regret and remorse are perhaps inevitable in a situation like this. However, one thing is for certain – we can learn from this experiences and work to better ourselves for future emergencies. For example, we can get first-aid certified. We can purchase a few portable first-aid kits and keep them in our cars, homes, and offices. And we can purchase a few tourniquets, and make sure we know how to use them (and can educate others how to if need be) in order to save lives and keep our own.
It’s also important to remember that simply reading about tourniquets isn’t enough – not even close. You’ll need to have one in your hands to practice with so that you know how to operate it yourself. After all, you can’t depend on being able to ask someone in a crisis how to work it – everyone else will be running around in a panic. That’s why it’s up to YOU to keep calm and know what you’re doing.
According to Inside First Aid, in order to consider yourself competent with a tourniquet you should be able to do the following things:
- Tourniquet a leg in under 30 seconds
- Tourniquet either one of your own arms in under 30 seconds
It’s also important to note that not just any tourniquet will do in an emergency. After all, some impromptu items that others tell you to use (like paracord) can actually do more harm than good. If you have the means, you need to get one that will keep the victim safe from further injury, and will give them the best chance possible at survival.
That’s why it’s crucial that you read this crucial information regarding…
The Best Tourniquet for Gunshot Wounds (Plus How To Use It)
One of the best tourniquets you can possibly use in an emergency is the Special Operations Forces Tactical Tourniquet (SOFT-T) Wide. This incredible device is durable, reliable, and easy to apply – even if you have to do so with one hand. It’s even got a screw that you fasten in order to prevent the tourniquet from slipping when you’re being jostled around among masses of people.
The SOFT-T Wide is so effective that the US Army Institute of Surgical Research has given it an approval rating of 100% for its ability to stop hemorrhage.
Tourniquet Comparison Chart
Now keep in mind tourniquets have been around for years, and so people are familiar with other types, such as the CAT tourniquet. And some people figure that, if you already use the CAT, why bother trying out the SOFT-T Wide?
Well, here’s a comparison chart from Inside First Aid that gives a side-by-side comparison of these two options.
How To Use It
Now for the most important part: how to use the SOFT-T Wide tourniquet. Here’s a list of instructions from Inside First Aid:
How to Use a Tourniquet:
Soft T Wide: If possible put pressure on or proximal to the wound in order to slow the bleeding. Unhook the clasp and thread it around the injured arm or leg making sure the strap isn’t twisted.
It should be placed high and tight regardless of where the injury is. This means put it on the arm close to the shoulder and on the leg close to the hip as tight as you can wind it. This is because internal injury may extend farther up the limb than is visible from the outside.
Hook the metal latch together and pull out the slack in the line, so that the tourniquet fits snugly on the limb. You can use your chin to help hold it in place.
Turn the windlass until the bleeding has stopped, and hook either end of the windlass into the triangular latch to secure it.
Write down the time of application. A tourniquet should not be left on for more than 2 hours to prevent permanent nerve damage[1].
You can also watch this short video to see how to use this incredible, life-saving tool:
Where To Get It
One of the best places to purchase the SOFT-T Wide Tourniquet is at Rescue Essentials. However, you may also be able to find it on Amazon, or in survival stores.
We can’t go back and change the past. But we can use today in order to prepare for tomorrow, and what’s to come beyond that. Prepare Now and Survive Later with the SOFT-T Wide Tourniquet!