If you are a person who is an avid shooter, a concealed carry proponent, or just a person who keeps a weapon on them because you just never know what kind of crazy you’re going to run across as you try to live your life, you really need to carry a medical kit. Things can go very, very wrong in a situation where you need to pull a weapon for self-defense. Others who are caught in the crossfire might need medical attention. You might need it too. Or, and I know this might comes as a shock, but the person who threatened your life might also need lifesaving treatment. Remember, Christ commands us to love our enemies. We never want to have to end someone’s life.
According to Guns & Ammo, one of the most important items to put into your med kit is what’s known as a Combat Application Tourniquet. Believe it or not, this used to be an item that folks said you shouldn’t have or use, but then came the war on terror in the early 2000s, which demonstrated beyond question the value a tourniquet can have when it comes to saving lives.
“A belt is not a Tourniquet and is hardly a substitute. Get the real thing. The North American Rescue CAT has proven to be 100-percent effective in occluding blood flow in both upper and lower extremities by the United States Army’s Institute of Surgical Research. The CAT has a single routing buckle for lightning-fast application, which translates into less blood loss, effective slack removal and fewer windlass turns. It’s simple and easy to use,” the popular magazine explained.
You might also want to consider including a Bear Claw glove kit too. There are a lot of diseases out there that can be transmitted through blood. In an emergency situation where you have to help someone else who has been injured in a shooting, you want to take precautions to avoid accidentally contaminating yourself while administering aid. Bear Claw gloves are 100 percent Nitrile and won’t snag or rip.
A useful tool you might not have thought about putting in any kind of med kit before is a Sharpie. Permanent markers can be used to record the time you applied whatever assistance or aid the injured individual required, which will help medical staff who arrive to handle the situation. You can also record other critical information to assist doctors and nurses.
Here’s more from GnA:
A pressure dressing is very effective, especially when combined with a tourniquet. Included in the 5.11 kit is North American Rescue’s 4-inch Responder Emergency Trauma Dressing. Not only will it deliver effective pressure and fluid absorption, it features a high-quality elastic wrap equipped with a nonadherent pad, as well as easy-to-use, hook-and-loop securing device.
A pair of HyFin chest seals are included in the UCR and are for treatment of both entry and exit wounds, as well as other penetrating injuries to the torso, such as a gunshot or stab wound. A penetrating chest wound creates an opening in the chest wall that can allow air to enter into the chest cavity. Known as open pneumothorax, it is one of the top three leading causes of preventable deaths on the battlefield. QuikClot has made a very good name for itself because it works so well minimizing bleeding. A bleeding control Z-fold dressing is included and is impregnated with an advanced hemostatic agent to stop the bleeding of superficial wounds, minor cuts and abrasions.
And the perfect way to carry your kit is with a tactical pouch, like the UCR.
“A simple tug of the Velcro clasped nylon grab handle will unzip a pair of zippers, opening the pouch completely, allowing unimpeded access to all contents. Each component has a specified place within the pouch and are secured via bungee tiedowns. All in all, this is a very well thought-out, easy access pouch and small enough to take anywhere,” the magazine expounded.
Having one of these within reach at all times when you’re carrying a weapon can mean the difference between life and death for you and anyone around you. It’s well worth the financial investment.
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