Forum member @martin_j001 recently posted in several places about an accident he witnessed which resulted in him applying a tourniquet to the victim. If he has posted it here and I missed it then I apologize. Here's a link to his thread on another forum. https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?27561-Get-a-med-kit-if-you-don-t-already-have-one It's a good reminder that med gear, and the knowledge of when and how to use it, is very important.
Appreciate you sharing it and giving me a shoutout over here, @C99c ! That was one hell of an adrenaline filled ride, but I'm glad I was there, otherwise our local news might have been able to report a 4th motorcycle related fatality for the Labor Day weekend.
Good job recognizing the need and making it happen. I always carry a TQ on the outside of my EMS bag!!!!
They are good to have around. I used a C-A-T gen 6 in this case, and really thought I was going to break the windlass bar. Dark Angel replaced it with a gen 7, which now boasts a beefier windlass bar, so that's good. That said, I kind of lean towards preferring the SOFFT-W. it uses a metal windlass bar, and folds up flatter as well, making it a bit easier to carry, IMO. In my car and bag that I carry I have access to one of each though... C-A-T, SOFFT-W, RATS and SWAT-T. I would not choose the RATS over the others, but for children and animals it may work better. The SWAT-T is a better makeshift "other" accessory (compression, sling, etc) than tourniquet, IMO, but could also be used with children or animals.
good article... https://survivallife.com/emergency-preparedness-supplies-tourniquets/ begs the question..... 1.5" cargo ratchet strap.....3000LB breaking strength....easy to pre load and apply. click click click click........even a kid with no training knows how to use a cargo ratchet strap. same size as a TQ, slightly heavier, but IMO way more rapid to apply and more effective. Nothing to break and insane amounts of clamping TORQUE.
I've really torqued down on the windlass on my blue CAT when practicing applying it without it breaking, but it's obviously a concern. I have the CATs as secondary TQs, making sure that a SOFTT-W is always on me or within reach. For anyone who has is planning to get quality TQs, get trainers for them. It allows you to practice applying them a lot without putting unnecessary wear on the" live" ones. Also, and this is just a personal preference, I buy orange versions of whatever I'm going to carry. CATs, SOFFTs, and SWAT-Ts are all offered in bright orange. The reason I want the bright ones is in case I have to leave a victim for some reason or in case I lose consciousness before help arrives. I want responders to notice the TQ as soon as they approach.
While this could certainly work, why not just get the real thing? I mean, as forum members here, we all know that a tool designed for a job is almost always better than a tool that wasn't designed for a job but can kinda do it in a pinch... it's not like TQ's are all that expensive or anything, or hard to carry (my SOFFT-W on a Phlster Flatpack is in a pocket if I'm outside the house).... As for thinking about using a ratcheting cargo strap, I'd think the ratcheting system could easily be boogered up and made useless by clothing or anything else that gets in the way of being able to work the ratchet (once it starts to get tight it may "pinch" clothing into the ratcheting system, making it unable to ratchet any further*). But regardless of whether it may or may not work, I'm just back to...why? Why not get and carry the real thing? edited to add: * I could envision this happening, but haven't tried this in real life to see if it's an actual problem. I don't know, maybe it'll work perfectly, maybe it won't...
Another article on TQ's... https://primaryandsecondary.com/buyer-beware-selecting-everyday-carry-tourniquet/ I think I've said it before, I have all 4 mentioned here. I consider a C-A-T or SOFFT-W as the go-to for adults. For children or animals the RATS or SWAT-T could be applied and could work well. The SWAT-T I almost consider more for just applying pressure with when occlusion is not the goal.
I really appreciate the different perspectives and info on TQ's here. Recent events have me reconsidering adding a trauma kit to my EDC pack and perhaps to my middle-schooler's bag as well. He's got the First Aid merit badge, but he'll need more training to make the most of a TQ. Now, I'm off to find that in the local area.
freaking heroic. good job taking the time to know what to do and having the nuts to step in and do it.
I hear you....i do have both soft t and cat tqs. They just seem flimsy to me compared to 1/8" thick x 1.5" to 4" wide industrial load rated webbing, and solid metal ratchet frame and mechanism......... Only reason i considered the wide ratchet straps is how fast they can be applied and clicked tight, one handed. The ones i have are 1.5" to 4" wide and the ratchet is covered , and its all metal. Each pawl click tightens 1" of webbing. One to two sweeps of the ratchet arm and massive pressure is developed in under 5 seconds. Compare that with constant twisting of a TQ bar........ Not saying these are the tool to use.....but they have been used on the logging blocks up here for chainsaw gashes and amputations Price wise a good TQ up here is over $40 for 1 . $40 gets me ten heavy duty endless strap metal frame ratchets.... I think the design is worth looking into by the medical / first responder community
We had bystanders use a bungee cord this week on a man that leaped thru a window and had a 6' pane of glass almost sever his arm. BC AMBULANCE credits the use of an improvised TQ as saving the mans life.
I have no doubt it could work, and work well in many cases. One of the concerns with ratheting TQ's in general is that it's easy to get them too tight, in which case tissue damage can be an actual concern. I'd be a bit worried with a ratchet that takes up 1" at a time that it would be very, very easy to get way too tight, or just not allow adjustment to the "sweet spot" that is needed (although one wouldn't really know at the time). As for the one handed part, but the SOFFT-W and CAT are designed to be used one handed, but hard to say without some actual practice vs a ratcheting strap which would be easier. My first choice would always be a purpose designed tool, regardless of the task, IMO, YMMV and all that...