how to deal with gunshot wound

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ccsniper

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Okay, let me first start off I HAVE NOT SHOT MYSELF OR ANYONE ELSE!!! It just seems that someone somehow fires one of their guns or accidently shoots themselves. Yes I know that these are people who neglected or completely failed to follow the firearm safety rules. BUT... It does happen, we all make mistakes and I would like to know how act in such a situation. You military folks learned this in basic training, any EMT's will know what to do to stabilize someone. I just want to be able to help if I ever need to. I am planning on signing up for some training at the local college first as a first responder then later up to an EMT B.
 
I'm going to say... go to the hospital.

An ambulance would be good.

Really, the only thing that will help at all is rolling a towel over it, putting pressure on the wound, and getting to the ER.
 
1 CPR if needed (learn CPR)
2 control bleeding by using (in this order) direct pressure, elevate wound above heart, pressure points, tourniquet as last resort
3 make sure you look for exit wound
4 maintain cervical spine immobilization and jostle the person as little as possible (bullet may migrate and cause more damage)
5 wait for responders to arrive and help, or as a last resort, take them to the hospital yourself

I recommend a first aid course, or a 40 hour first responder course, if you can find and afford one
 
1. Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
2. Take a first aid/cpr class
3. If you don't do either of these read divemedic's post above, but keep in mind that a limb is as good as gone once you put on a tourniquet, at least below the point of attachment.
 
Actually the tourniquet is being moved back up to the second line method to control severe bleeding in the National Registry Paramedic curriculum this year. I'm not saying that you should tourniquet everything that bleeds by any stretch of the imagination, just pointing out that they are not as bad as it was once thought they were when applied properly. By all means though, bleeding may be the least of your worries depending on where they were shot. Collapsed lungs, intestinal contents spilling into the abdominal cavity, ruptured diaphragms etc. are all potential problems that will only be fixed by trained medical professionals in an operating room. The number one thing you can do is manage their airway by any means, stop any bleeding, treat for shock, and get them to definitive medical care ASAP. I'd also recommend seeking hands on medical training if its something that you're truly concerned about. I can pretty much guarantee you that the first time you see someone who's been shot, if you haven't been trained on how to deal with it medically speaking, you probably aren't going to do the pt. much good.

b
 
Actually the tourniquet is being moved back up to the second line method to control severe bleeding
Click to expand...
Yup, lots of advancements in being able to save limbs after tourniquet application. Lots of combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan to back up the results. If in doubt, slap a tourniquet on, they will get to higher medical care fast enough that limb amputation won't be an issue in the vast majority of cases. Bleeding out, however, can happen in minutes.

Direct pressure, if that doesn't work, then slap a tourniquet on, above the wound, at least 2" below the next higher joint. Belt works well, shoelace more likely to cause nerve/tissue damage, could cut a 2" piece of cloth, find an improvised stick to twist the heck out of it and tighten it down.
 
thanks guys for the replies. This is something that had bothered me for awhile. My local shooting range keeps a trained paramedic on the line 90% of the time, But I want to be trained just in case I am there that 10% of the time.
 
First principles are define the criticality, in general in importance

CALL FOR HELP!!!!
DON'T MOVE THEM UNLESS NECESSARY

Keep them breathing
Stop them bleeding
Immobilize or cover a break
Prevent contamination of burns

Probably the biggest non intervention piece is psychological, be positive with the injured person, support them, keep them awake and focussed on you, try not to vomit into the wound.
 
But I want to be trained just in case I am there that 10% of the time.
Click to expand...

The great news is that there are a number of schools offering this specific type of training currently. I've done Tactical Treatment of Gunshot Wounds with Doc Barrera, and it did an excellent job of presenting a digestable amount of clear information to someone with no medical background:

http://www.defense-training.com/courses/tacmed.html
 
Well, it depends on where they are hit.

1.) Shock - so you need to brush up on how to treat shock
2.) Pain
3.) Blood loss
4.) Infection

Infection can be mitigated, but without antibiotics could be a problem. But prompt treatment with an antiseptic will be a start. Salt water / Soda Water and blankets for the shock (elevation). For the blood loss, you will need Celox and direct pressure. If no doctor is around you need to know how to tie off an artery, which is frankly beyond me.
 
Some troops are equiped with tourniquets that can be self applied if needed. I say some only because I am not aware of the distribution service wide. They look like a good thing to have. What do some of you think about the Cav Arms clot packs sold in the Blue Press?
 
I've been thinking about this...

going hunting in 10 days with a guy not well known to me. As always, I consider the worst case scenario and am considering adding clot pac to my kit. I've never used it and would appreciate some input. This scenario: camping in national forest, hunting whitetails from ground and tree stands. Delineated fields of fire and radio comms, hills and distance should preclude cross fire etc. but..... if someone leaves their stand without radio check and if another shooter cannot see their 400 sq " and hat of orange, a stray .12 ga slug or .44mag round might have eyes. I sweat the small stuff so I don't have to say I'm sorry.
 
I heard that a tampon can be a good thing to have in your first aid kit, so I've started carrying a couple. Apparently they can be inserted into a large caliber wound and then expand to fill the wound canal and possibly slow bleeding. Obviously the professional advice cited previously trumps this idea... but under certrain circumstances, does this make sense to you guys?
 
I wonder if the clot pacs sold to civilians is the same as GI. My son says the stuff they have is very caustic (if that is the right word) and as would only want it used in the most dire situation but it does work.
I would say your tampon idea would work well as would the full pads they are sterile. We have used them for soaking up oil also.
 
All of our medics carried tampons for GSWs. Its basically a perfectly sized bandage to shove in a GSW. I was told that SF in Afghanistan came up with this idea. Also humor value when guys started bitching to the medics about whiney stuff... they could hand them a tampon.

Order for controlling bleeding would be, shove in tampon, then compression bandage (Israeli), then torniquet (CAT) if bleeding doesn't stop. Then IV before the veins collapse, and transport to higher echelon care.

Immediate tourniquet and hemcon bandages were saved for amputations or obvious arterial bleeding.
 
Basic lifesaving steps..

1) Start the breathing.
2) Stop the bleeding.
3) Protect the wound.
4) Treat for shock.

DO them in that order...apply direct pressure if possible-- lung wounds, we always rolled the casualty over to have the wound side on down (get hit on the left, have the left side down. Tourniquets if the bleeding can't be stopped-- ie major artery on arm...just common sense really-- don't panic, and keep the wounded talking if possible...and don't be suprised of "the smell...

Many range "wounds" have the chance of surviving if not to the head or a DRT hit to the torso. Plus since many ranges don't allow JHP, then a ball round will usually do less damage to the victim...

Oh, and call 911...;)
 
Last edited:
essayons21 said:
All of our medics carried tampons for GSWs. Its basically a perfectly sized bandage to shove in a GSW. I was told that SF in Afghanistan came up with this idea. Also humor value when guys started bitching to the medics about whiney stuff... they could hand them a tampon.

Order for controlling bleeding would be, shove in tampon, then compression bandage (Israeli), then torniquet (CAT) if bleeding doesn't stop. Then IV before the veins collapse, and transport to higher echelon care.

Immediate tourniquet and hemcon bandages were saved for amputations or obvious arterial bleeding.
Click to expand...
we carried maxi-pads from the aid pallets on my deployment in SOmalia in 93-94...never had to use them, but they would have worked great in addition to the normal pressure bandages...
 
I know this is right 'cause I saw it in Cowboy Movies and we all know they got shot a lot.

Have the victim drink 1/2 bottle of whiskey, then pour 1/4 of it into/on the wound, then pour the remaining 1/4 over your Bowie knife blade.

Dig the bullet out with your knife blade.

Pull a bullet from its shell case and pour the powder on the wound.

Light the powder with your cigar so as to cauterize the wound.

Tear off a strip of the victim's shirt tale (if there is a lady present use her petticoat) and wrap the wound with it.

He'll be good to go.
 
In the military we were taught the ABC's. Airway, Breathing, and Circulation. In other words regardless whether you had a splinter in your hand, or an amputated hand, or an ax in your head it does you no good to put a bandage on if you are not breathing. Always check the air way for obstruction if not breathing breathe the patient if breathing than move on to control circulation or stop the bleeding.
 
What are the current recommendations for treating sucking chest wounds? Years ago, in our combat first aid classes, they emphasized that any wounds to the chest area should be closely checked. If air was either being sucked in or blown out, it should be plugged immediately to prevent a collapsed lung. At the time (we didn’t have tampons) the suggested best fix was the cellophane off of a cigarette pack. Also, the primary usage for tourniquets was to stop arterial bleeding. If you saw a wound spurting blood, they told us to forget other procedures an immediately use a tourniquet, otherwise use direct pressure, elevation, etc.
 
Sucking chest wound:

A clean flexible airtight bandage material (read plastic sheet) about 4-6" square taped over the wound on three sides. Lowest side is left untaped.

The idea is it acts like a check valve, allowing air out (preventing pneumothorax, lung collapse by interstitial air), preventing air in, allowing fluid to drain.

Seek medical attention ASAP.

All you people should have a current first aide certification. If you don't, make an appointment. If possible, see if your employer will help with this. Most want trained first aiders.

J
 
Is the celox available to the public?
The pig is interesting, Ft. Drum as well as other instalations us pigs as training for medics and when PETA found out they blew a gasket, AFAIC if a pig has to die so a medic can have hands on experiance and can save a soldier have at it and throw a pig roast after.
 
Everything the "field medic" would need to know can be found and read at:

http://www.vnh.org/

The free, online, Virtual Naval Hospital... Includes manuals and instructions on Everything from First Aid to emergency surgery on the field.

Bookmark it :)
 
who you callin' "you people?"

All you people should have a current first aide certification. If you don't, make an appointment. If possible, see if your employer will help with this. Most want trained first aiders.
Click to expand...

This is true. Get certified.
 
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