How to Apply a Combat Application Tourniquet
Save lives with this crucial piece of equipment
In emergency situations where severe bleeding occurs, whether that be a gunshot wound or some other type of traumatic injury that causes heavy blood loss, quick and effective intervention is crucial to saving lives. One indispensable tool in the medical arsenal for managing traumatic injuries is the combat application tourniquet (CAT), something that should be in every person’s first aid kit or backpack, whether they are off the grid hiking or on the range practicing their shooting.
A combat application tourniquet is a simple yet powerful device has been a lifesaver on countless occasions, preventing excessive blood loss and providing valuable time to get someone in the hands of professional medical assistance. But what exactly is a combat application tourniquet? And how do you even use this piece of equipment?
Our team at Core Vision Training is going to break down what a combat application tourniquet is, why it is important, and how to use it properly.
What is a combat application Tourniquet?
A combat application tourniquet is a constricting or compressing device designed to control bleeding by stopping the flow of blood through a blood vessel. While it is commonly associated with military and combat survival situations, these tourniquets are equally essential in civilian emergencies, such as car accidents, work related injuries, or even injuries sustained from other things like natural disasters.
The primary goal of a combat application tourniquet is to halt life-threatening hemorrhaging and buy precious time until professional medical help arrives.
Why combat application Tourniquets are Important
There are a variety of reasons that a tourniquet is important. You really never know when something could occur that could cause you to sustain an injury with heavy blood loss.
Let’s take a look at some of the big reasons tourniquets are essential.
Rapid Blood Loss Control: Uncontrolled bleeding can lead to shock and in severe cases, death within minutes, which is definitely a less than ideal situation. Combat application tourniquets provide a swift and efficient means to stop blood flow from a wounded limb, preventing excessive blood loss and stabilizing the patient's condition.
Increased Survival Rates: Studies have shown that the timely application of tourniquets significantly improves survival rates in cases of severe bleeding. By quickly halting blood loss, individuals are more likely to survive until they can receive comprehensive medical care.
User-Friendly: Tourniquets are designed to be user-friendly, even in high-stress situations where you may not have the most steady of a hand or clearness of your mind. They can be applied by individuals with minimal training, making them accessible to a wide range of people, from first responders to bystanders.
How to Use a Combat application Tourniquet
While using a tourniquet may seem straightforward, there is room for error and proper application is crucial to maximize its effectiveness and minimize potential complications. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use a tourniquet:
Assess the Situation
Before applying a tourniquet, assess the situation to ensure your safety and that of the injured person. Identify the source of bleeding and determine if a tourniquet is necessary, or will even be useful. For example, a gunshot wound that has pierced a plate carrier or other form of body armor and has entered the chest will have less use of a tourniquet than a wound to the limb, and would instead need a chest seal. So know your medical tools.
Select the Right Tourniquet
Use a commercially available tourniquet if possible, as they are designed for optimal effectiveness. Ensure it is wide, durable, and can be securely tightened.
Place the Tourniquet
Position the tourniquet between the wound and the heart, ensuring it is at least two inches above the injury site. Do not place it directly over a joint or on a fractured bone. So if you landed on your ankle wrong and your bone is sticking through your boot and socks, don’t put a tourniquet right over that, it will cause a lot of pain and not help to stop the bleed.
Tighten the Tourniquet
Tighten the tourniquet to slow down the blood flow to that area, so the bleeding will hopefully stop and the person will not die of blood loss. Some tourniquets come with a windlass or a tightening rod that allows precise control over the pressure applied.
Secure the Tourniquet
Once the bleeding is under control, secure the tourniquet in place. Note the time of application, as this information is crucial for healthcare professionals.
Seek Professional Medical Assistance
While a tourniquet can provide initial control, it is not a definitive solution. Seek professional medical help immediately, as tourniquets should only be a temporary measure.
The Best First Aid Kit With a Tourniquet
Now with all this talk of tourniquets and how to use them, let’s take a look at the best first aid kit that includes a tourniquet, which is the Aptus First Aid Kit, also known as the “AFAK”.
This kit was designed to be easily accessible no matter where it is mounted, whether that be on your chest rig, your tactical belt, or in your backpack. However, it was designed to be securely retained, and features many value added features most kits on the market do not. The front of the AFAK has a 2"x3" field of loop for attaching patches to identify the AFAK as a medical pouch. It also has two elastic retention bands on the top and bottom that are able to hold all CoTCCC recommended tourniquets, shears, our Talon hook knife, gloves, or other similar sized items.
The AFAK can be accessed ambidextrously via the unique tab and pull handle system designed to be tactilely unique when grabbing with gloved hands, in the dark with no night vision or headlamp, or out of the end user's sightline. The insert is a hook and loop closed quad fold design eliminating the possibility of a jammed zipper due to dirt, debris, or sand. Once opened the quad fold insert clearly displays the casualty card while protecting it in a clear pouch. The included elastic organizer can hold an array of popular medical interventions, or if desired the Aptus LVAK (Low Visibility Aid Kit) can replace the included elastic organizer. Once emptied the open arms of the quad fold insert can be wrapped around the arm or lower leg of the casualty and secured drawing attention to, and attaching, the casualty card to the patient.
If desired a hook backed marker, such as the Patient by Precedence Marker, can be attached to the loop field above the casualty card to further mark/identify the casualty.
The Stocked Aptus First Aid Kit includes the following items:
1x CAT -TQ
1x Combat Gauze
2x Compressed Gauze
Halo Chest Seal (2 pack)
1x Rescue Essentials 3"x 5 yard flat fold elastic wrap
1x 6' surgical tape board
1x Pair of exam gloves
1x Casualty Card
If you don’t want to purchase the full AFAK, you can also purchase the North American Rescue CAT -TQ separately.
The importance of Medical Training
Even though you may think that you have a great understanding of how to use a tourniquet, a little extra medical training can still be greatly beneficial. You need to see how you react when your adrenaline is pumping, you are on a time crunch, and trying to save a life. That being said, get out and do some tactical training. When it comes to finding good tactical training, Core Vision Training offers a wide variety of tactical courses that will help you get used to your gear and maneuvering through different situations, and most importantly, use your tourniquet.
Core Vision offers a “Stop the Bleed and Intro to Tactical Combat Casualty Care” course, which is designed to help you save lives. This course is one day and last eight hours, but covers the following information:
Assessing and treating massive hemorrhage
The MARCH-E algorithm for casualty assessment and treatment
Common medical equipment, when, why, and how to use them
Equipment storage configurations
DHS Stop the Bleed Curriculum & Certification
Intro to TCCC
Scenario-based training repetitions
That being said, this is great for learning how to use a tourniquet.
There also are multiple states that Core Vision Training is in, offering tactical training courses in:
Aside from Core Vision offering tactical training near you, it is also a team made up of great guys with various backgrounds, many in special forces. The team makes you feel comfortable with what you are doing, because they know that for many people it is their first time being exposed to this type of training. The guys take their time to explain everything and make sure that you are the best that you can be by the time you leave their courses.
Conclusion
In emergency situations, a tourniquet can be the difference between life and death. Understanding what a tourniquet is, recognizing its importance, and knowing how to use it properly are valuable skills for anyone, whether they are first responders, healthcare professionals, or everyday individuals. By embracing the knowledge and practical application of tourniquets, we can collectively contribute to saving lives and mitigating the impact of traumatic injuries.
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