I'm thinking that it's much much more easier to find a substitute for bandage dressing/gauze out in the wild than it would be to find an effective improvised substitute for a TQ.

I would agree with nismo regarding TQ and beagle’s comments about a TQ immediately and convert to a more appropriate method later is valid as well.
The point I was trying to make, is that in the vast majority of extremity wound cases, the less trained or unfamiliar are going to be grabbing for stuff that is with the exception of very limited circumstances, overkill. Proper training and understanding of what to use when is important, and a TQ is not a one size fits all approach to extremity wounds.

quote:

Originally posted by captain127:

The point I was trying to make, is that in the vast majority of extremity wound cases, the less trained or unfamiliar are going to be grabbing for stuff that is with the exception of very limited circumstances, overkill.

Very true.

I’ve witnessed multiple cases of this. One of the worst was a minor laceration to the leg. Bled a little but pretty much stopped. The bystanders responded and filled the wound with quick clot powder. The patient had a painful time at the ER getting the quick clot cleaned from the wound.

And that’s but one example from a while back.

quote:

Originally posted by captain127:
I would agree with nismo regarding TQ and beagle’s comments about a TQ immediately and convert to a more appropriate method later is valid as well.
The point I was trying to make, is that in the vast majority of extremity wound cases, the less trained or unfamiliar are going to be grabbing for stuff that is with the exception of very limited circumstances, overkill. Proper training and understanding of what to use when is important, and a TQ is not a one size fits all approach to extremity wounds.

That's a very fair point; I keep forgetting that people don't always opt for training to go along with the medical items they decide to carry.

I kept 3 TQs in my truck; one in the glove box, one in a dedicated first aid kit, and one in a travel bag with trauma gear.

I don’t carry on on my person, however I’m confident I can fashion a proper TQ with items on my person.

quote:

Originally posted by 4MUL8R:
There are typically three wounds possible, and three different treatments.

Extremities: C-A-T
Junctional: Quik Clot Gauze
Thorax: Chest seal

This requires a IFAK, a small bag, if you want to carry all three.

Ryker Nylon Gear AFAK (Ankle First Aid Kit) https://www.rykernylongear.com/. They show trauma shears in the center pocket, but mine is setup with an H&H mini compression bandage and a packet of QwikClot Combat in the left outer pocket, a sharpie in the middle, a few feet of gorilla tape wrapped around a hotel room card (don't remember whether it was 3 or 6), a ziplock baggie of exam gloves, and a CAT tourniquet in the right pocket, and a (folded) set of HALO chest seals in the inner sleeve pocket. It does disappear under boot cut jeans.

This is not as complete as a Dark Angel Medical "DARK", but it is a good start on body as opposed to the DARK in the car.

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:

quote:

Originally posted by captain127:

The point I was trying to make, is that in the vast majority of extremity wound cases, the less trained or unfamiliar are going to be grabbing for stuff that is with the exception of very limited circumstances, overkill.

Very true.

I’ve witnessed multiple cases of this. One of the worst was a minor laceration to the leg. Bled a little but pretty much stopped. The bystanders responded and filled the wound with quick clot powder. The patient had a painful time at the ER getting the quick clot cleaned from the wound.

And that’s but one example from a while back.

Agreed.

A few years back I responded to a motorcycle collision where a group of bystanders were performing CPR on the downed motorcyclist...who had been breathing the whole time.

He had major head and neck trauma which was compounded by his "helpers." The guy lived, but with a lot of extra damage that he didn't need to sustain.

Sometimes helping is not helping.

A TQ can be lifesaving, but it can also cause significant damage when applied wrong or when not needed. The times a TQ are needed are fairly rare.

I carry a CAT at work, in my truck, and have one at home. I don't think carrying one on the person all the time is necessary and if you do you better damn well know when and how to apply it.

The reason I opted to carry a TQ in the first place was the active shooter threat. As I have mentioned in other threads, I work five days a week in my town's "downtown". It's not a big town, so the downtown is about one block's worth, bordered by old brick commercial structures, with a train track running through the middle. The middle is (more often than I'd like) cordoned off for various "festivals" and markets throughout the year. It's on these days that I perceive the threat, and would like to have a TQ on my body, or at least at arm's reach. I suppose the car isn't a bad spot, as it's only about 40 yards away, but you never know what might prohibit access to that vehicle, in the chaos of the shooter situation.

As discussed in this thread, the TQ is overkill for the majority of situations a civilian may encounter. However, in the scope of circumstances that favor an active shooter, it's relevance increases quickly. As previously mentioned, I did carry a TQ on my body for months, after a festival inspired the original thought, but have since retired it to my bag, which is in the building with me, almost always "at arm's reach".

quote:

He had major head and neck trauma which was compounded by his "helpers." The guy lived, but with a lot of extra damage that he didn't need to sustain.

I've seen that before. Thankfully (?) Most people don't do compressions anywhere near deep enough or hard enough so when stuff like that happens the damage usually isn't that bad. It's not so helpful to the people who actually needed CPR, though.

I remember a case locally where a guy rolled up on a MC wreck with amputation and applied a field-expedient tourniquet and likely saved the guy's life. That guy was just a passerby, but IIRC he was a USMC veteran and had some prior training.

I've only ever applied one once (we carry CATs), and it was on an unresponsive suicidal guy who was lying in a pool of probably half of his blood that had leaked out of the gash in his forearm. When medics started pumping him full of fluids while we were waiting on the helicopter to get there, he woke up and cussed me up and down because of how much the tourniquet hurt. Threatened to sue me for making entry to his hotel room without his consent. You're welcome, buddy.