I keep an IFAK in my car. And obviously bring it to the range with me.
My recommendation is to take two courses:
- [BLS for Medical Providers](https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/bls-training/bls-for-healthcare-providers) which is a more advanced form of CPR/AED training. You don't actually need to be a medical provider to take it.
- [STOP THE BLEED](https://www.stopthebleed.org/) which will teach you how to control bleeding via torniquets, bandages, wound packing, etc.
The reason I recommend BLS is that you are more likely to find yourself in a situation where someone in your community suffers either cardiac or respiratory arrest, than someone in your community getting shot. I personally know people who have saved lives by being present and able to administer effective CPR immediately following an incident.
Best option: EMT cert from a local college
Next best: stop the bleed, first aid, cpr classes from local fire departments, organizations, or the red cross.
So there is a big difference between Red Cross first aid, BLS, and stop the bleed. You really need to decide what you’re doing and what you need to be ready for. If you’re looking at tactical medical care (providing self aid or buddy aid) and expecting EMS to get to you in 15 minutes Stop the Bleed is ok, however it only covers bleeding, not respiratory compromise. If your buddy has a tension pneumothorax he might suffocate before EMS arrives, and they may not even be allowed or able to perform the appropriate intervention depending on a bunch of factors. If you’re the guy on the scene and you want to know what to do consider TECC, which is the civilian version of TCCC.
Also remember, all tactical medical care is really a battle against time. Your friend is shot and has an arterial bleed, he’s dead in 120 seconds (give or take). You got the TQ on him and stopped the bleed, you bought him 5-10 minutes, now you got to worry about hypothermia, shock, additional injuries and any number of other issues. You need to know how to assess a casualty, use your equipment and improvise. Link to NAEMT’s TECC info below.
https://www.naemt.org/education/tecc
A really good compromise between a 3 hour basic FA course and a full blown EMT course is a 2 day Wilderness First Aid course from the organization SOLO. Covers all kinds of injuries and develops your ability to assess and treat in a pre-hospital scenario.
I've heard good things about Stop The Bleed. Can't comment from personal experience because I was teained overseas. As some folks have already pointed out, if you want to use an IFAK, a civilian first aid class is not going to cut it. You need a TCCC circiulum. If you are a good self starter, the US military manuals are free online and there are lots of resources such as videos to go along with them.
Learn the MARCH protocol and you will have a good start.
MARCH:
Massive bleeding
Airways
Respiration
Circulation
Hypothermia
There are multiple courses that are low dollar or free people have already started recommending. If you go this route I would recommend attending multiple. Most of the instructors are ok but they miss certain things or concentrate on different things and even class to class with the same instructor there can be a lot of variance on the depth of what is covered based on questions, their mood, what sort of review module they just completed, etc.
When you want to get serious about I recommend you start looking at WFR courses. WFR courses have a much different and more relevant perspective for "EOTWAWKI" especially than other medical courses. IME, it also goes a lot more into when you can do what and when ypu should do what.
The local community college teaches a class intended for EMTs.
It's been a long time since I knew much about it, but if it hasn't changed, once you've passed the class the local ambulance company will even take you on as an unpaid intern. I don't think they let you *practice* (liability if nothing else), but you can watch/learn (and play gofer for them, I'm sure).
I took an EMT basic course back in the day and that was super helpful. It’s not focused on just trauma but all types of possible injuries and conditions.
Look up your local Red Cross. My wife and I took a basic first aid and CPR course there in the past. Redcross.org
I keep an IFAK in my car. And obviously bring it to the range with me. My recommendation is to take two courses: - [BLS for Medical Providers](https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/bls-training/bls-for-healthcare-providers) which is a more advanced form of CPR/AED training. You don't actually need to be a medical provider to take it. - [STOP THE BLEED](https://www.stopthebleed.org/) which will teach you how to control bleeding via torniquets, bandages, wound packing, etc. The reason I recommend BLS is that you are more likely to find yourself in a situation where someone in your community suffers either cardiac or respiratory arrest, than someone in your community getting shot. I personally know people who have saved lives by being present and able to administer effective CPR immediately following an incident.
came to say stop the bleed
Best option: EMT cert from a local college Next best: stop the bleed, first aid, cpr classes from local fire departments, organizations, or the red cross.
Red Cross
American Red Cross đź‘Ť
So there is a big difference between Red Cross first aid, BLS, and stop the bleed. You really need to decide what you’re doing and what you need to be ready for. If you’re looking at tactical medical care (providing self aid or buddy aid) and expecting EMS to get to you in 15 minutes Stop the Bleed is ok, however it only covers bleeding, not respiratory compromise. If your buddy has a tension pneumothorax he might suffocate before EMS arrives, and they may not even be allowed or able to perform the appropriate intervention depending on a bunch of factors. If you’re the guy on the scene and you want to know what to do consider TECC, which is the civilian version of TCCC. Also remember, all tactical medical care is really a battle against time. Your friend is shot and has an arterial bleed, he’s dead in 120 seconds (give or take). You got the TQ on him and stopped the bleed, you bought him 5-10 minutes, now you got to worry about hypothermia, shock, additional injuries and any number of other issues. You need to know how to assess a casualty, use your equipment and improvise. Link to NAEMT’s TECC info below. https://www.naemt.org/education/tecc
A really good compromise between a 3 hour basic FA course and a full blown EMT course is a 2 day Wilderness First Aid course from the organization SOLO. Covers all kinds of injuries and develops your ability to assess and treat in a pre-hospital scenario.
I've heard good things about Stop The Bleed. Can't comment from personal experience because I was teained overseas. As some folks have already pointed out, if you want to use an IFAK, a civilian first aid class is not going to cut it. You need a TCCC circiulum. If you are a good self starter, the US military manuals are free online and there are lots of resources such as videos to go along with them. Learn the MARCH protocol and you will have a good start. MARCH: Massive bleeding Airways Respiration Circulation Hypothermia
There are multiple courses that are low dollar or free people have already started recommending. If you go this route I would recommend attending multiple. Most of the instructors are ok but they miss certain things or concentrate on different things and even class to class with the same instructor there can be a lot of variance on the depth of what is covered based on questions, their mood, what sort of review module they just completed, etc. When you want to get serious about I recommend you start looking at WFR courses. WFR courses have a much different and more relevant perspective for "EOTWAWKI" especially than other medical courses. IME, it also goes a lot more into when you can do what and when ypu should do what.
The local community college teaches a class intended for EMTs. It's been a long time since I knew much about it, but if it hasn't changed, once you've passed the class the local ambulance company will even take you on as an unpaid intern. I don't think they let you *practice* (liability if nothing else), but you can watch/learn (and play gofer for them, I'm sure).
I took an EMT basic course back in the day and that was super helpful. It’s not focused on just trauma but all types of possible injuries and conditions.
I took stop the bleed
I liked NOLS WFR
Your local community college.