You may never need a tourniquet, but if you have an arterial bleed, you have the rest of your life to find one. Most people have never seen a man die from an arterial bleed. It is informative far beyond its shock value.
How long do you have before you lose consciousness? The following (Graphic) video shows the result of a single gunshot which severs an artery.
I am not a fan of bank robbers, but a tourniquet and a little first aid knowledge could have saved this guy.
I have read a lot about improvised tourniquets. The fact is that they don’t work well and you have very limited time to stop the bleeding so you better make one fast.
Get some training and a quality tourniquet. There are many options, I like the RATS tourniquet.
The RATS Tourniquet (Rapid Application Tourniquet) is the fastest tourniquet on the market. The RATS is built with a solid vulcanized rubber core covered by a nylon sheath, combined with a unique locking mechanism that creates an incredibly fast tourniquet to apply to self or others. No other tourniquet compares to the RATS when being used under stress in terms of time or ease of use.
The Rapid Application Tourniquet (R.A.T.S ) was new to me. I have seen and used a bunch of tourniquets and seen problems with their application. Some tourniquets are well designed, but require some dexterity to use. This doesn’t work well under stress.
This video of an actual life saving intervention with a tourniquet shows how difficult application can be with blood spurting every where.
The RATS hallmark is use under stress.
People often ask, “What is the best tourniquet?” That depends on what you are doing. If what you are doing is shooting, getting shot at or at risk of trauma, the best tourniquet is the RATS Tourniquet. Small, flat and light, it fits in a pocket and is always available and quick to use. I wear one on my belt when I am teaching or running a range
Features
+ Made in the U.S.A.
+ Vulcanized Rubber Core
+ Controls bleeding
+ Fast and easy to use
The RATS is specifically designed to be applied under stress. The movements used to apply the tourniquet are big gross motor skills. It is much easier to use and train than other systems.
The video below explains the RATS tourniquet system:
- Built by Hand in the U.S.A.
- Lifetime Guarantee
- Water Resistant
Rapid Application Tourniquet System HERE for $15.99
Besides earning a Bachelor of Science from the University of New York and completing the Special Forces Weapons Sergeant Course, Jeff also graduated from: US Army Ranger School, Special Forces Combat Dive School, US Army Free-Fall School and numerous other shooting, driving and close-quarter combat schools.
In his spare time, Jeff is an inventor – with four utility patents issued and multiple others pending – an author of 2 books, a member of his local Free and Accepted Masonic Lodge, a supporter of the Boy Scouts of America and an avid Cross-fitter and marathon-runner.
Jeff is also a father, and his greatest joy is spending time with his family.
You have the rest of your life to get a Tourniquet.