How to apply a tourniquet

After the Boston bombings, 27 patients with life-threatening bleeding were saved by placement of tourniquets applied at the scene. If someone was bleeding uncontrollably, would you know what to do?

The Border Regional Advisory Council is offering a class called “Stop The Bleed.” Local high school nursing teacher Denise Galvez took the class with her students. She said she was inspired to do something after watching the aftermath of the Las Vegas massacre. She says the class was life-changing.

The class is based on training soldiers receive in combat. BorderRAC Director Wanda Helgeson says the first thing to do is determine what kind of wound you are treating.

“Apply direct pressure, take a deep breath. Make sure if it’s an arterial bleed – pumping bright red. If you have a tourniquet with you, apply it. Pack the wound. With anything that’s cloth. We have some sample dressings we use in classes but you can use a t-shirt, you can use a towel – anything.”

She says if it’s the darker red blood and it’s not pumping, apply direct pressure.

Arterial bleeds require a tourniquet. Apply direct pressure to the wound with your fingers or the palm of your hand. Always apply tourniquets several inches above the joint of the bleeding arm or leg. Helgeson recommends a certified CAT, or Combat Application Tourniquet. A counterfeit may fail. She recommends everyone carry a tourniquet in their emergency kit.

To take Border RAC’s “Stop The Bleed” class, go to borderrac.com

to buy one a CAT certified tourniquet, visit

https://bit.ly/2IwuXHc