Trauma response training...what to take?

[Litpipe]

Are there any courses I could look for that would train/teach medical response to trauma wounds? I get refreshers on basic cpr/aed stuff as a cop, but nothing more. The last significant training was a week long 12 years ago in the academy.

I work in an area with a level 5 trauma center that is 10min from everywhere by helicopter. But if it should take longer, or I'm pinned down with an injured partner/citizen I'd like to be able to do more than shove a tampon in a bullet entry.

What kind of classes should I keep an eye out for? Are they offered outside of the medical community?

thanks

Btw...my search-fu is not strong(esp on cell phone) but I did try to find something in historical posts. I did not.

[Gutshot John]

For all intents and purposes, Red Cross First Aid goes a very long way.

Treatment of trauma in the field by non-medical personnel is fairly basic and straightforward. It's really not even that much different for trained medics.

Pretty much stabilize and transport.

That will get you 95% of the way there with the least amount of cost.

Add a good knowledge of tourniquets and hemostatic agents and you're 99% of the way there.

TCCC isn't relevant to most civilian shooters and EMT-Basic is way overkill.

Don't overthink it. Don't pass up on useful, if mundane, classes in favor of some hsld extravagance.

[Litpipe]

I was actually thinking about the whole "keep it simple stupid" approach as I was typing. I figured that would most likely be the route to go. It seems logical, I thought I would ask though.

Thanks

[popo198]

I'm in the same boat, a cop in a medium size city with two trauma centers less than 10 minutes out. I carry an IFAK with quick clot and a tourniquet on my active shooter kit for worst case scenarios but have no formal training in their use. I just signed up for a class locally from weyertactical.com for $50.00 in March. From talking with the instructor, it appears to be exactly what we are looking for. Have you tried talking to any of your local medics? what about guys on your PD with prior military deployments. My guys here seem to all have had the combat lifesaver course under their belt from deployments.

[jpgm]

Litpipe,
Would it benefit you professionally to take an NRET emergency medical responder class and have that certification? It definitely is not a EMT-IV class but the training/ knowledge you will gain will provide you with life saving skills. Talk to some of the people at the FD/ EMS,(even some of your SWAT guys) they should be able to tell you who within their dept teach the classes. I took the class and i am glad I did.

jpgm

[Treehopr]

If you can find one:

http://www.naemt.org/education/PHTLS/TraumaFirstResponse.aspx

Pretty much designed for exactly your situation but hard to find.

I helped co-host two of them in the last year and have 2 more from now until May but all the courses are in the Mid-Atlantic/New England area.

Response from students has been universally positive and I am working with the instructor to develop something more "austere" so that the training would still be applicable for those who may not have access to an IFAK or Med Kit.

[Ty_B]

OP,

One of the best classes I've attended was a 1-day practical First Aid that included a Red Cross card. It was taught by a TCCC certified medic who works as an EMT in the bad part of a large northeastern city.

There was no BS at all. He explained what to do and the limits of what paramedics can do, and the moral of the story was that in many cases, it's better to stop the bleeding and get the person in a car and on the way to a trauma center ASAP. The logic being that this is faster than an ambulance and there isn't much they can do in an ambulance anyway. One change I made is that I have a Google maps printout of the directions to a trauma center in my range bag and I have it as a preset in my GPS, and of course I bought a proper first aid kit with the right dressings, TQ, quick clot, etc.

We covered tourniquet use, compression dressings, etc. If you can arrange for something like that, I highly recommend it.

Come to think of it, it's been about a year and a half, so I should probably do it again over the summer.

[wnroscoe]

http://www.darkangelmedical.com/About.php

Get a kit similar to this or build your own using similar components. Study up on the proper use of the components while your trying to find a class to attend. Sometimes, in the field, hemorrhage control is all we can do.

Having been a certified first responder and active LEO I'll say this, just slowing down or stopping the bleeding may be the difference between life and death. Learn to use all the components listed in the above kit, especially the chest seals and Israeli Bandage.

[Litpipe]

Thanks a lot. I started a small kit and need a few items still. Ill update this with a description when im done. Still looking for a class.

On a side note...the reply above yours shows that it was posted in 1969...funny.