First Aid - Tourniquet, ligation system

Tourniquet, ligation system

When it comes to first aid after life-threatening accidents, the most important things to have are training, regular practice and quick access to proper first response equipment. This holds true for rescuing others as well as treating one’s own injuries if help is far away. Even with the most traumatic injuries, there is a great chance for survival if correct measures are taken immediately. The initial 5 minutes after the injury are crucial for first response, as is the so-called “golden hour” in which an injured person should then be delivered into professional medical care.

In the 1990s, based on the requirement of special forces operations where paramedics are often not present and injured personnel has to be airlifted to receive medical care, the American military developed the TCCC Tactical Combat Casualty Care first response concept. TCCC enables everyone to administer first aid to heavily injured persons and give them the valuable time until professional medical help is available. TCCC is specifically designed to include one’s own injuries.

An important item in any TCCC kit is a tourniquet, a high-pressure bandage to prevent fatal blood loss from extremities with arterial bleeding. In a civilian context, if your work or hobby carries a risk of severe injuries to your arms and legs, you should have a tourniquet in your first aid or trauma kit. This applies to accidents caused by machinery, timber or forestry work, hunting, motorsports, expeditions and many other activities. The tourniquet is non-sterile and can be applied with two hands to other people and single-handedly to your own injuries, ideally 2-4 inches above the wound.

The tourniquet consists of a super-strong band and solid buckles to hold it firmly in place before pressure is applied. While other products often feature plastic windlass rods, this one is made from aluminum for extra strength and stability when tightening the device. The exact time of setting can be noted on the cuff for further care.

If you want to put a trauma kit together, you should also consider an Israeli bandage to control heavily bleeding injuries and a vented chest seal to apply to penetrating, open chest wounds.

CAUTION: In order to execute first aid procedures effectively and safely, the techniques for applying emergency dressings or bandages like a TCCC tourniquet should be practiced regularly – ideally in connection with first aid courses.