Search Results for: trauma

Guest Article: The Best Free Medical References for Preppers, by Greg Ellifritz

…kinds of skills, think about the environment in which you will be practicing.  Don’t just save these to your computer.  If there are power outages or if there is an EMP event, your computer won’t likely work.  Print them out or order the books in hard copy form.  There’s nothing like having a real book when the lights go out! If you want to learn more and buy some actual hard copy books for reference material, it would be a good investment.  I recommend the following: Wilderness Medicine, 5th Edition by Paul S. Auerbach 2012 Nurse’s Drug Handbook Ditch Medicine: Advanced Field Procedures For Emergencies by Hugh Coffee Medicine for the Outdoors by Paul Auerbach The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy Primary Surgery: Volume 1: Non-Trauma by Maurice King Primary Surgery: Volume 2: Trauma by Maurice King The Sanford Guide to Antimicrobial Therapy 2012 Edited by David Gilbert Tactical…


Sharp Wound Management, by Amy Alton, A.R.N.P. and Joe Alton, M.D.

Given the media outcry against gun ownership, it’s easy to forget the wounds that are caused by knives and other sharp instruments.  Trauma incurred from these injuries may be minor or major; penetrating trauma such as caused by a stab wound should not be discounted as a major injury; it can be life-threatening, depending on the organs and blood vessels damaged.  Penetrating trauma is divided into perforating and non-perforating.  A perforating wound is one in which the object causing the damage goes into one side of the body and then exits through the other side.  A wound from .223 or NATO .556 would, commonly, be an example of this type of penetrating trauma. One of my first classes in medical school showed a slide of Major General Henry Barnum, who received a minie ball through the hip in the battle of Antietam.  Years later, he could still pass a thin…


Seriously Mentally Ill (SMI), by N.N.

…completely different medications. Some simple skills to use in a situation where an individual is struggling with some of the non-violent symptoms, like depression, suicidal ideation, or anxiety, can be the difference between life and death for some. Skills, like active listening, which can be very difficult when you as the listener are in a stressful situation, can be essential. Often people experiencing these symptoms just want to be heard, either as a requirement to fulfill a need as part of their diagnosis or because of previous trauma they need to be heard because they were not heard when it mattered to prevent the trauma. Active listening is simple; it is listening to someone without interjecting your opinion, asking simple unobtrusive questions (how are you feeling, what can I do to help), and following through if you agree to something. Follow through can determine whether or not that person feels…


S.T.O.M.P. II Medical Pack, by Pat Cascio

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…expands and can carry a lot more than you think it does. My Pack One thing I really love about this medical bag is that, it can lay flat, and that makes it much easier to get to the supplies you need in a trauma situation. This is time saving. As stated, this is a heavy duty medical backpack, and it weighs about 9 lbs empty, so when you are packing it with your medical supplies, you’ll want to take this empty weight into consideration. My pack is slightly more than 35 lbs when fully loaded. Spent Days to Get It Packed With Supplies Where I Wanted At the onset, I said I like to be organized, and this is especially true when it comes to medical supplies. It took me two days to get everything packed inside this bag just where I wanted everything to go. Yep, you read…


Surviving the Disaster Golden Hour – Part 3, by J.M.

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…Some Kit While planning, situational awareness and managing your physical and mental condition are absolutely critical to surviving an emergency situation, having some gear with you can help you surmount the obstacles that might stand between you and survival. The first and most obvious piece of kit you should always have with you is a trauma first aid kit (TFAK) and the skills to use it quickly and effectively. If you’re injured during the initial event impact or while trying to evacuate and can’t staunch a serious bleeding injury, getting clear of the event becomes a moot point. There are tons of articles here on SurvivalBlog about trauma medical care, so do some research and get trained. The one thing that’s critical to remember is that your TFAK has to be something you will always have with you if an emergency occurs – it doesn’t do you any good if…


Getting Ready For the Long Walk- Part 3, by Lone Wolf and Cub

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…skills to necessitate this. Whole blood that matches the blood type of the injured will also suffice. This will require knowing the blood types of all team members and knowledge of what is compatible to another. If you are interested in preventing the facet of the triad of death known as acidosis, then you will need to acquire appropriate supplies and IV skills. Train up. Resources For Treating Gunshot Wounds My job as a combat medic, when I encounter serious gunshot wounds, is to stabilize them medically and get them to a doc, who is not your usual family physician but rather a trauma surgeon who can repair damaged internal structures of the body. If a total collapse occurs, a trauma surgeon may be difficult to find. It may be up to you to provide for your loved one if they are wounded. You will need supplies and skills. One…


Some IFAK Facts, Part 1 by MtnDoc in Washington

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…Plain gauze Hemostatic Gauze (Quikclot, HemCon, Celox) Tourniquet (CAT, RATS, etc.) Chest Seal (HyFin, Fox, Halo) Trauma Shears Gloves CPR mask Of these contents, the gloves, plain gauze, trauma shears, and elastic wrap are pretty common and self-explanatory to use. The CPR mask is also pretty self-explanatory. My only caveat with using a CPR mask is to make sure you tilt the casualty’s head back with use to help open the airway. I highly recommend attending CPR class for training in this. The Red Cross and American Heart Association both offer classes and certification for CPR that will cover how to use a mask in rescue breathing as well as chest compressions properly. These may be offered through your local hospital, CERT, or through private companies. Moving forward in this article, I will assume the patient is conscious and CPR is not needed. In practice, CPR would come first prior…


Thoughts on Force in the Real World, by K.M.

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…This is so true. Even after escaping to a place of safety, the trauma goes with you and affects who you are. Trauma changes you. I went from having a sweet, innocent mindset, to transforming into more of a Clint Eastwood, “Go ahead. Make my day.” God bless you for writing. doc “We”l know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false.” – William Casey, CIA Director It’s currently my belief that a covid-19 vaccination could possibly set off a cytokine storm in people who’ve been vaccinated when covid 2.0 comes back around in the fall. Except this time, it will attack the healthy. In fact, the healthy will be worse off because there own immune system will be fighting itself. Do your own homework, but remember Gates’s own admonition is to reduce the world population through vaccination. Dr Judy Mikovits has some interesting information…


The Rules of Engagement: Meet PTSD- Part 1, by Autistic Prepper

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PTSD is an acronym thrown around quite a bit. Principally, this mental diagnosis term of posttraumatic stress disorder was assigned beginning in the early 1980s, primarily to those who had experienced traumatic events, such as war. Let’s meet PTSD and talk about the rules of engagement surrounding it and those who carry its burden. Why I Wrote An Article A while back I wrote an article about adult autism, an issue I’d never seen addressed in prepping literature. A perceptive reader wondered what the condition had to do with prepping. It is relevant for two reasons. First, it’s a reminder that autistic children become autistic adults. Second, it’s to remind us that all kinds of people will be present in a post-apocalyptic situation. Some of the survivors will be what society calls “normal”, while others will be a bit different. Autism is one difference. Another difference, commonly found in the…


Letter: Stop the Bleed Training

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…8-hour version of the course as well and there have been about 8-12 ‘saves’ (mostly LEO’s) because of the application of tourniquets. JM Trouble is the training is on hold until the fall. According to the website there was a training class last weekend and there are no more scheduled. Regrettably, the powers that be here in the Northwest have wonderful ideas but usually forget how to pay for them. A familiar scenario. Mike I am the director of an ED at a Level One Trauma Center in SW Virginia and we have been teaching Stop the Bleed for about 6 months now. Cannot recommend the training enough. Proper tourniquet technique in a critical situation, active shooter, industrial accident or MVC can be a difference between life and death. Most of the supplies are cheap and easy to obtain. Place in a small bag on the outside of a trauma/first…


Two Letters Re: .223 For Long Range Sniping?

…jacket] ammo that simply drills holes. This makes it “cleaner” per the Hague conventions. At close range it punches through and much of the energy isn’t transferred to the target. However, once you back out past 100 meters or so, you have a large, trauma-causing bullet that retains energy well. In 5.56mm, military ball is designed to shatter at the cannelure. At close range, the wounds are devastating, and can be more severe than 7.62mm. Of course, that comes at the cost of retained energy at range, meaning less energy for trauma. As I’ve noted before, the advantage of 5.56 for military purposes is the ability to carry a lot of ammo and inflict “stopping” wounds. However, in a survival situation, one should try to avoid extended firefights for many obvious reasons. Also, 5.56mm isn’t great for large game, and overkill for small game where a .22 rimfire will work….


Six Letters Re: Questions on Blood Clotting Agents

…tested in controlled, blinded medical research published in legitimate journals, is Quik-clot. It’s what I use. Disclaimer: I have no interests in the company of any sort, I just buy their stuff – at market prices. But, something I’ve used on animals after cuts from wire or rocks, is instant potato flakes. Just put them on the wound, the effect is similar to that of some of the approved products that I don’t use…and it’s cheaper. I can’t suggest using it on a person, of course. – Flighter Mr R Quik-Clot is the best available product for instantaneous hemostasis It’s available in both powder/packet, and impregnated-bandages. It works. I’ve seen it in action with my son, who lacerated an artery in the hand. www.z-medica.com It’s even been used intracorporeally in a trauma case, written up in the Journal of Trauma Surgery. Although not recommended for this, it worked It costs…


Letter Re: Prepping as an Active Duty Servicemember Overseas

Mr. Rawles, I wanted to pass this along to you and the readers of your site. I’ve been looking to increase my medical skills and training and, I found these schools and programs. I intend on going to a few of them when I return to CONUS. Anyone considering taking any of these classes should account for all associated costs and time to attend. This kind of training isn’t cheap but it is well worth it. The first is Deployment Medicine International (DMI). It’s been set up to augment military and contract personnel that are deploying overseas. As far as I can tell anyone can go and get trained. The courses they offer are: Operational Emergency Medical Skills, SOF Operational Emergency Medical Skills, Deployment Medicine Operator’s Course, Combat Trauma Management, Mission Performance at High Altitude, Basic Combat Trauma Training, Advanced Combat Trauma Training, and an Accelerated EMT-Paramedic Program. A lot…


Four Letters Re: Building Your Kits for Survival

…way out of the house when we get a call. It’s the same belt some police officers use as an “inner belt”. About 1.5 to 1.75 inches wide that fastens with Velcro . it has just the right stiffness to allow me to comfortably carry a nice load. I just wrap it around me – outside my pants belt loops – and have hands free carry of a multitude of trauma material, gloves, CPR shield, and other medical and “on scene” material such as flashlight, multi-tool, etc. Total weight is about 4 pounds. This is stuff I may need immediately at hand so I don’t have to go through our large bag kits. It has occurred to me that for some who work in offices, plants, stores etc, this system can convert nicely for a “get back home or to safety” survival kit. While you can choose to keep a…


Seven Letters Re: A Doctor’s Thoughts on Antibiotics, Expiration Dates, and TEOTWAWKI

…oral antibiotic for MRSA is Bactrim DS, 3-4 tablets per day for 10 days. This is more than the classic Bactrim dose of two tablets a day that got used for female urinary tract infections and other less serious infections. Pharmacists sometimes challenge the higher dosage, but only because they are uneducated on this use for the drug. Other drugs that are often prescribed for for open trauma are Levaquin, and Augmentin. Levaquin cannot be given to kids. Augmentin syrup is the number one antibiotic for kids. Here are the contents of the first-aid pack attached to our G.O.O.D. bags: 1- Trauma Pack; Tac-Pack Battle Pack, Option 2; 2- CELOX-A Hemostat syringe; 2- Betadine scrub, B-D Easy Scrub Brush 2- Sterile pairs of gloves 1- Sterile instrument set, tweezers, scissors, forceps, and needle driver, all in a sterile double peel pack 2 -1% Lidocaine 5ml syringes with capped needle 2…