TFAC Update - Full Day Course May 8th
AAR on Tactical First Aid Course
I attended the tactical First Aid Course put on by Josh Smith of Strike First on March 20th. I have to say I was really impressed with what I learned. In the past I have always avoided first aid courses because they just weren’t as exciting as sending stuff down range. I have to say, I was wrong. This is one of those courses that is a must attend for any gun owner and their family. It was evident from the course that he has been there and done it in IRAQ as well as having the latest knowledge being taught in the DOD community.
This course is not just about gun shot wounds (GSW). It is about any bleeding or first aid emergency that you could get around the house, camping or in a car accident.
I have multiple Blow Out Kits (BOK) with tourniquets, bandages, hemostats, etc. I even have a video on how to use everything. But I did not have the knowledge on how to use it in a life and death situation. I now feel very confident that I could save a life with my kit or at least give them a fighting chance until paramedics arrive. I also know what to keep and what to throw out of my kits.
While this was only a half day introductory class, I walked away with a lot of practical information. The best of which was hands on experience and application of the following (minus the decompression needle). . Until you actually practice this along side a knowledgably person, you don’t really know what you don’t know.
Some of the things we learned in no particular order include:
Time to form a stable clot
Time to bleed out from femoral sever
How to apply a TQ
Where to apply a TQ, how tight to apply. Where not to apply
Patient’s response to TQ – how to handle it
Stopping bleeding in your hand
Biggest mistakes in applying a TQ
Stopping bleeding under your arm
Securing a TQ
Application when TQ is to large for a small limb like a child
Assessment and backing off. When and how – femoral concerns
Direct Pressure Application
First response procedure for direct pressure
Gun Shot Wounds
Packing a wound
Marking a wound, size, time, notes, bleeding assessment
Hemostatic Agents
What works, what doesn’t (All the hemostatic agents I have are going in the backup drawer and being replaced with the correct type)
How, where, and when to apply. When not to apply
How to get the agent in the wound
Sucking Chest Wounds
Results from penetrating wound into the chest cavity and introduction of air into the pleural cavity. Can lead to Tension Pneumothorax (TP)
Why and how of three sided and four sided occlusive dressings
Asherman chest seals
100MPH tape application
How to diagnose TP, when TP occurs
How to perform needle decompression, location, application, plugs, depth to push, fluid flow to pop plug, etc.
This was the one area where I did not get any hands on practice. I am looking for a volunteer for the needle decompression practice
I highly recommend this class and a TFAC class in general. Every hunter, camper, hiker, or gun owner should know these basics.
“No training equals hesitation, equals loss of blood and life, Josh Smith”