A step above your basic first aid certification

Tactical training is something that many people, civilians in particular, tend to overlook when it comes to the safety of themselves and those around them. Instead, they take a karate class, or head to the gun range to test out their new concealed carry weapon, and that is about it. In reality, if you want to be someone who is well-rounded and prepared to handle any situation, then you need to have training to match that, and medical training and knowing how to use everything in your first aid kit is part of that knowledge base that can keep you, and those around you safe and alive.

Let’s break down what type of medical training we are talking about, why it is important, and where to find some good courses.

Medical Training Overview

Now, we do not mean your standard first aid and CPR training, but instead a more in-depth style of medical training that will help you treat some more serious wounds that you may not expect, such as gunshot wounds and so on. You may be thinking “that would never happen to me, I’ll never take a bullet, I don’t put myself in those situations”, but think a little harder. Countries all over the world are invaded and civilians are thrown into combat, that could happen anywhere. Aside from that, every day on the news there is some sort of shooting where people who were not involved in any form of combat, or illegal activities; they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Other than that, people suffer severe injuries every day in freak accidents, not just shootings. Car accidents, accidents on job sites, and so on, and sadly there are many fatalities as a result of these incidents. The average response time of an ambulance and EMTs is 7 minutes, and for some incidents 7 minutes is too long to go without care (another reason that having a first aid kit at all times is crucial).

Importance of Medical Training

Piggybacking off of the information that is listed above, if you are in a situation where you are face to face with an injured individual, then you should be able to treat them for long enough that they can provide medical care. Whether it be a gunshot wound that went through their armor, or a car accident that left them with some sort of injury, then you should be able to step in and help out properly, this is all part of being a well rounded individual with a skillset that like a Swiss army knife, where you have the knowledge to handle just about anything that is thrown your way.

That being said, while having your basic first aid and CPR certifications is definitely great, having proper medical training to treat more severe wounds gives you a leg up if you were to ever be faced with a situation that would require it. A proper medical training course is something that can be extremely beneficial, and will cover the following:

Stopping excessive bleeding
Equipment storage
Knowledge of medical equipment and how to use it

Stop the Bleed

There are plenty of medical training courses out there that can help you learn useful skills, but in our professional opinion, we prefer the Stop the Bleed training from Core Vision Training. This is a one day, six hour long training course that will give you extensive knowledge on all things medical.

Stop the Bleed teaches things such as:

Assessing and treating massive hemorrhages (bleeding)
The MARCH-E algorithm for casualty assessment and treatment
Common medical equipment, when, why, and how to use them
Equipment storage configurations
DHS Stop the Bleed Curriculum & Certification
Intro to TCCC

What is MARCH?

What is MARCH? Well it is an acronym that is widely used in Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) training. MARCH stands for massive hemorrhage, airway, respirations, circulation, head injury/hypothermia. Let’s break that down a bit more.

Massive Hemorrhage

Massive hemorrhage is strictly about controlling excessive bleeding, and the treatments include tourniquet application. A tourniquet is something that should be in every first aid kit, and which should be the first treatment applied in true massive hemorrhage.

Airway

Some injuries will restrict the airway, which can be a life or death situation. That being said, making sure that the airway is clear and controlled is crucial.

Respirations

Air trapped in the chest can cause death, as it will begin to displace functional lung tissue and can put too much pressure on the heart. That being said, seal any open chest wounds with a proper seal, and make sure there is no air seeping into the chest cavity.

Circulation

After massive hemorrhage, airway and breathing have been addressed, the next thing to do is optimize the circulation. Standard methods for circulation improvement and stabilization can include things such as laying the patient flat, maintaining body temperature and careful fluid resuscitation all apply.

Head Injury/Hypothermia

Caring for a head injury is pretty much all about making sure that a primary injury, which is the initial impact, does not turn into a permanent secondary injury. Hypothermia is something that can happen as a result of the blood being too thin and not being able to clot, so your body temperature drops too much, and you die.

Core Vision Training

Now as stated above, being a well-rounded tactically trained individual is something that involves a little more than a basic trip to the gun range and learning how to put a band-aid on someone when they get a paper cut. Luckily, Core Vision Training offers some great training programs to help you become the best you can be. From night vision courses and close quarters combat, to long range training, Core Vision offers it all and you get a chance to train in and get used to your gear, such as plate carriers and helmets.

Wrap Up

Overall, when it comes to being prepared for anything, medical training is crucial. You may not think that you will be faced with a situation where you need it, but most people do not start their day thinking that they will be in a situation where someone is injured, or need to help someone who is injured. But, it is better to be prepared for anything.

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Why Medical Training is Crucial for Survival