For EMTs, how many tourniquets and of what type do you carry in your ambulance?

For anyone who was a military medical provider, how many did you carry in your medical bag?

I was a cop. Carried one on my belt (primarily for me), one in my 1st Aid kit in the squad, one in my patrol bag as a spare.

Since I retired, I carry one in my car, and one in my range bag - which goes in my hunting pack when it's the season.

We are a EMT-Basic Department.

We carry the CAT's . We have two Active Shooter bags on our squad, which include CAT's, Quick-clot Z fold gauze, Israeli bandages.

Each bag has 12 of each items.

Thankfully, we have never had to use our Active Shooter bags. We do train annually with these items.

Personally, I carry 1 CAT and some Israeli bandages in my kit.

Back in olden days of being a Navy Corpsman (late '70s through the '90s); I had one (sometimes two)
web belt type tourniquets in my kit. Everyone else had one around their waist, and one on each foot. Use belts and bootlaces first if needed. Rifle slings too. Resupply could be a long time in coming. Today I have two R.A.T.S and Quick-clot tramua packs in the home kits.

Active LEO here. I have a CAT tourniquet on my vest carrier and a first aid grab and go bag attached to my patrol bag in the front seat. In the med bag 3 each of CAT Tourniquets, Quick clotting z-gauze, Israeli bandages, and chest seals.

If you haven't yet but do have a chance, take a couple true emergency medicine classes. The best I have gone to was a two day taught by former SF combat medic who is now a doctor at a Level 1 Trauma Hospital(class at Asymmetrical Solutions). One day was gunshot and stab wounds, along with shock, bleeding, and breathing. The second day was dealing with hiking/backpacking/field injuries, everything from blisters, broken bones, concussions, heat exhaustion/sun stroke, and more.

Already got 24 hours of trauma management. Am actually asking because I'm helping my wife who will be running a Stop the Bleed class and wanted to know what a regular EMT loadout is for reference.

My cousin rides the ambulance and she said they carry 10, I believe, in the rig.

Carry 4 in my bag. One cat and 3 Soft T.

I carry mine both at work and on the motorcycle.

As a Sheriff Medic We trained on them and they put one in the EMT bag and another in the truck. After a couple of years we responded to a farm accident with both arms and one leg amputated. We used both our riggers belts and the one tourniquet from the bag. Now I carry 4.

Retired cop, I kept one in the door pocket of my patrol car &one in my rifle bag with my carbine and several extra mags. Also had a load bearing vest with 8 loaded mags and another TQ……(CAT)

Now I just have one in the door pocket of my truck and one in my gun bag.

I usually carry 2 CATS. One on my vest, one on my belt. Our SWAT medics carry 12 in their back packs.

Active FF/Paramedic here still working…..every ambulance in my district has two CATs….my rescue has an active shooter bag with 10 and associated other stuff mentioned here. Our PD has go bags with ammo,extra mags, quick clot,pressure bandages and one CAT.
I was picked 15 years ago and am still active with regional SWAT team as a medic….each officer required to carry one CAT (for themselves), I carry a bag with 10 and have three on my vest (one designated for me) and an additional one on my ankle…..I’m also a “stop the bleed” instructor as well.
I always thought I had overkill with supplies….until three years ago on an armed and barricaded subject we got called for I ended up with 9 badly injured officers dragged into my bearcat in one quick blink of an eye….bad night, glad I had all my shit!
I do think our department is the exception to the rule though….most aren’t as prepared in my experience

Obviously varies a ton.

10 years ago most EMS systems didn’t carry a single one.

Two-four seems about average from what I’ve seen. Here the fire department and police department have big trauma kits with several more. Usually they are cold and dead before EMS shows up with staffing shortages (I’m only mildly joking, our EMS system is more than 10% short).

If she’s teaching somewhere, I’d call up the EMS headquarters and explain the question and get the accurate, local answer honestly.



Edit: I just pulled our state inspection sheet for ambulances from our Office of EMS webpage, only one tourniquet required to pass inspection.

LA County requires 2 CATs for all ALS and BLS units. We usually carry one in the jump bag and one on the rig.

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:
Obviously varies a ton.

10 years ago most EMS systems didn’t carry a single one.

This ^^. Through the 90’s when I was a paramedic with a big 911 outfit, they were scary and evil. “You’ll cause loss of a limb” was the BS back then. Now? I have 3 or 4 handy.

Former EMT.

I have one CAT in my flight bag in an outer pouch.

Cop, not a medic here, but I keep on in the cargo pocket of my BDUs, one in the med kit on my plate carrier in the car, and another in my duty bag on the front passenger seat, along with various other medical gear (Gauze, quick-clot, compression bandages, etc.). All the tourniquets are CATs.