metalcuttr brought up a great point a little bit ago, about about having a first responder on scene in the event of an accident. It was tongue in cheek, but a great point nonetheless. I can’t believe I never thought to post this before! I always keep a CAT tourniquet in my back pocket whenever I’m running my saw or splitting rounds by hand - especially when I’m felling trees. I highly recommend these CAT brand tourniquets. They are the ones we use at work. They are also the same ones that the US military uses. Easy to apply and very effective. I’ve applied these to multiple people in the field that would have otherwise bled out before they reached the hospital. I’ve never put one of these on someone who later died from their injuries. I have a 100% success rate with them. I personally feel like everyone of you guys and gals should have one of these and know how to use it. Not just for yourselves, but for your loved ones, in the event of an accident. And remember - if it doesn’t hurt like hell when it’s tightened down, it’s not tight enough. Hoard on!! Love, Cash
Good point Cash, everyone should have one. Mines in a little pouch I found 8n the hunting section at walmart, hooked the waist belt of my chaps. Hope it stays in there....
That's good to know, I'll find one online asap! I keep a tourniquet on my belt when cutting but its definitely not as effective as that. That bar should make it easier to crank down and get the compression needed to stop the bleeding? Brad
Yep! You strap it down as tight as it will go with the Velcro. Then you twist that bar until the bleeding stops. You then tuck the bar behind the plastic stops (under the white time label). My understanding is that it is agonizing. But it will let you live to hoard another day!
“Combat application tourniquet” For those looking for a quick and easy online purchase… disclaimer- I have no affiliation nor any selling experience on the Zon; the following link is a suggestion among many search results.
All this reminds me I should take a CPR and First Aid class again, its been about three years since the last one. Brad
For FF1 we discussed and used the CAT. real damage due to use of the same, takes a really long time. Like in hours. Just because it is used, does not mean the limb is a goner. I picked up a couple and keep one on my saw tools belt, and another in my edc pack. Cheap insurance. I bet there are vids online about their use (placement, tightening, marking the time) Awesome thread Cash. Sca
I just bought some supplies for an "o chit kit" I'll post a pic or something when it comes in Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Nothing showed in the post but when I hit reply, it shows up in the quote. Strange... Then it disappeared when I posted it. Stranger.
Excellent post. I carry a blood trauma kit that includes a cat tourniquet and an israeli bandage along with gloves, and a few other small items. In the truck I carry a larger medkit in a pouch and on the side door there's yet another less "pro" kit with bandaids. Here is a link to the their Bleeding Control Kits (no affiliation - in fact I bought the tourniquet and QuickClot Gauze and then built my own kit small kit). People (falsely) think accidents won't ever happen to them.....until it happens and then it's too late for RAGRETS. I tell people all the time to buy chaps and a helmet and typically the response is "I'm not like you - I don't cut very often" and man if that isn't the exact person who needs chaps and a helmet. Always reminds me of the Aussie TV assistant director who was on a ladder using a chainsaw to trim his hedges (stupid) and fell 3m off the ladder, lacerating his arm. If he had a tourniquet he may have survived....but of course, the intellectual capabilities of someone using a chainsaw 9 feet up on a ladder to trim hedges is rather limited so it doesn't surprise me that he didn't. And he had purchased the chainsaw earlier that day. Dumb, dumb, and more dumb. Wife tells of twist of fate before ‘top-class’ film director died in chainsaw accident I hope I never have to use them but I'm sure if I do I'll be glad it was there. The pouch is so small it fits inside my go-bag for my chainsaws that has my 3 spare chains, a bunch of files, depth gauge, brush, and file holder.
Preach! I have to be careful here....the chaps thing is one of my few soapboxes.... I tend to get riled up with the subject. I assume/hope that one of these kits is on your chaps (on your person) when you are cutting..ie not "over there in the truck"?
Steps up on the stump.... I carry a TQ and a small trauma kit on me at ALL times, not just when I'm running a saw. Two of the children that were run over in Waukesha, WI during the parade had compound fractures, with a femoral bleeds. Average adult bleeds out in 3 minutes, kids, even faster. Their lives were saved because two civilians were carrying TQ's. I carry a mass casualty med bag in my car 24/7 as does my wife. There are things in there that we can't legally use on other people, but chances are, someone on the scene WILL be able to, which can save lives. As free Americans, we are our own first responders, and IMHO, EVERYONE, should be carrying some sort of kit, whether on their person or in their vehicle. Something small like that can have a huge impact. Steps off the stump.
