Stop The Bleed course?

[Elkins45]

A couple of years ago I was the victim of a minor firearms incident (ruptured case) where only very minor bleeding occurred. It started me thinking about what I would do if something more serious occurred. I keep a first aid kit and some specialized stuff like chest seals, quick clothes and compresses in my range bag, but I’ve had only very rudimentary training.

I’m thinking of taking a Stop The Bleed course but with the pandemic they aren’t scheduling very many and thr last time aI checked the closest one was several hours away. Have any of you take this course, and is it worth the effort or should I look elsewhere?

 

[troy fairweather]

I've done a few different ones in the fire department and there all worth taking, maybe you can find one online if you can't do a hands on. Could ask your local fire department of emt/ems about any course of even videos.
It's always a good idea to have first aid always on hand, A tourniquet or something to stop bleeding is nice to have. Even a eye rinse is nice,

 

[MedWheeler]

It's a good, quick, and efficient course. I'm an instructor, but too far to do you any good. It's aimed at situations in which you want to hurry up and plug some holes, then quickly move on to any next victim and lather, rinse, repeat. Most of it you can find online. It's like learning CPR; you can learn it without actually becoming "certified" or anything, but the practical portion requires the actual kit and a special mannequin leg (or something similar.) "Rudimentary training" is all you need. Plug, dress, press, compress.

 

[Ethan Verity]

I have taken the course 2 times, once because I just wanted to, and another because it was offered at work. It's good information, and is definitely good to keep fresh on the mind. However, if it's not convenient to take in person, the course information can be found on various YouTube videos. )

 

[lemaymiami]

Way back when - the draft was actually a part of every young man's calculations... Everyone entering the service was taught the basic lifesaving stuff - as part of their first training... for me that was the winter of 1968 at Ft. Benning.

Nowadays when I need to learn a new skill or brush up on an old one... My first stop is YouTube (and yesterday I was reviewing the basics about using a "bump key"...), Amazing the amount of fairly accurate info you can find there...

 

[Armored farmer]

Much like these guys above^^^^, I kept a red cross first aid certification for decades for our FD.
A four years ago, I started coaching H.S. trapshooting team. Some of those kids had scarcely held a gun, let alone shot a round of trap. Let's just say we started at square one with a few of them. I got a bit concerned and did a little brushing up on trauma technique and upgraded my vehicle's first aid kit. In fact there's two kits in my truck.

I think it wise if anyone that hangs around gun ranges, shooting sports, hunting......any sports really....takes a lifesaving course....then we are all better off for it.i urge you to proceed. It likely be a loved one that benefits from your training.

 

[1942bull]

I have not taken any such courses and I have to rely upon my training in the Corps, and what I have learned casually since then. Beside the usual items in all first aid kits, mine contains compressions bandages, triangular bandages, bleed stop, two tourniquets. And a curved needle with surgical thread. I hope I never get to use any of that gear.

 

[Craig_AR]

Have any of you take this course, and is it worth the effort or should I look elsewhere?

Yes, I have taken Stop the Bleed, as well as other trauma care courses covering the same content.
Definitely take STB or other first aid class focusing on using tourniquets and wound packing.

Until you can get to a hands-on here are options for online versions.
1. The Stop the Bleed video linked as in an earlier post at
https://www.stopthebleed.org/training/online-course

2. For a deeper take on the same skills, take the free online course offered by Mountain Man Medical:
Emergency Trauma Response Training Course

The videos are great, but get practice with the tools in your own hands, do your best to get to a live class.

For hands-on live STB course, find upcoming classes at
https://www.stopthebleed.org/training/find-a-course

When I took the STB class it was only 2 hours, with lecture then practice on tourniquet and wound packing gauze.
It was rudimentary but covered the basics.

More complete live classes, where I experienced better instruction than my particular STB came from two high-level self defense handgun instructors.
Greg Ellifritz, Active Response Training, teaches a one day class that includes tourniquets, wound packing, and more as
Tactical First Aid and “System Collapse” Medicine

John Murphy, FPF Training, includes instruction with tourniquet and pressure bandage and practice in his class
Concealed Carry: Street Encounter Skills and Tactics

Important note: All of these instructors emphasized DO NOT buy your tourniquets on Amazon or eBay. There are a lot of counterfeit tourniquets that claim to be C.A.T. or SOF-T, but are not just cheaper, but markedly inferior.
Recommended sources for genuine quality items are
Mountain Man Medical
Dark Angel Medical
North American Rescue

 

[entropy]

I was in a Medical Battalion in the Army. We had regular training as field medics, as our unit's function was a C&C unit for an evac hospital. We also had to learn triage, as we'd be right at the hospital in the field. I don't claim to be a 91B, or what ever they changed the Medic MOS to, but I learned a lot.
I keep a go bag with a med kit in it in every vehicle, plus one backpack that is almost all medical supplies in my truck.
Kind of like Armored Farmer, I was a 4-H Shooting Sports Leader, and it satisfied the requirement for a medical kit.

 

[mcb]

I have been involve in two incidents with firearms where I was the immediate responder and the injuries were bad enough to have resulted in trips to the ER. Thankfully the injures were not life threating but the one was sever enough to require a hospital stay. I have taken a few first aid and CPR course over the year going back to when I was a Boy Scout. That said I recently upgrade my first aid kit in my shooting/hunting gear to include a modern Tourniquet, chest seals, and major bleeding control items. I have watched quite a bit of videos and online course on how to use them but like the OP I would love to take a modern Major Bleeding Gun Shot focused first aid course but so far have not found any in my area. I am likely to do the Stop the Bleed hands on course at my local hospital next month.

 

[huntsman]

Because I’m part of a church safety team I’ve had stop the bleed, combat first aid, Red Cross first aid and CPR but still I question if I could respond properly in an emergency.

At my age retaining information is more or less a crap shoot so refreshers are important.

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

"stop the bleed" at minimum.

the concepts are not complicated but it solidifies in your head what you should be doing for a given problem.

I've applied a tourniquet once in my life and was really glad I had that training.

 

[theotherwaldo]

I'm a public librarian.

You'd think that this is a nice, safe, quiet occupation.

In the last quarter century I've had to deal with numerous drug overdoses, knife fights, heart attacks, serious falls, strokes, choking, major traffic accidents, power tool accidents, electrocutions, serious beatings, and a few other traumatic situations.

I've had some first aid training - but definitely not enough.

I would suggest that everyone should get broad-based first aid training at their first opportunity, with frequent refreshers, no matter how safe and mundane your occupation and life may appear to be.

**** happens... .

 

[MutinousDoug]

When I was still elk hunting in the Colorado wildernesses I took a class that the National Outdoor Leadership School taught on wilderness 1st aid. This course was put on by REI and I took it twice over a seven year span.

I was a little disappointed that the course was light on gunshot wounds although the rest of it was thorough regarding what to do in emergencies occurring far from roads or even cell phone towers.

The course concerned itself mainly with trauma and wound management such as from falls: Spine injuries, Head injuries, Fractures, Dislocations, Abdominal injuries and Shock. Medical conditions such as Heat and Cold injuries, Strokes, Anaphylaxis, dehydration, altitude sickness and burns.

My gun club in Colorado brought in a couple of EMT’s who gave us a firearm focused wound management class that focused on wound packing and tourniquet use. It was enlightening to hear from these guys and gals who routinely deal with seriously injured patients what to expect. Now the Club keeps tourniquets in the 1st aid box at each range.

Thanks to Craig-VA I’ve found and signed up for a STB class to brush up.

Incidentally, All three EMT's that gave the class approved the ReconMedical tourniquet in spite of it's lack if pedigree compared to the GI issue CAT or SOFTT if cost is an issue for you.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

Almost any training is better than no training, but my thought is to go beyond that basic stop the bleed course, as well as beyond the basic first aid course. I took the Dark Angel Direct Action Response Training, and it was awesome. It was, for me, a complete overhaul of the battlefield first aid I took in the Army, as well as an upgrade to my basic Amer. Red Cross cert. The course was taught by military medics with actual battlefield experience. I was amazed at how much the state of first aid practices have changed in the past 20 years.

In any event, get at least some training, so that you know how to use the first aid gear you have, otherwise, your kit has outran your skillset.

 

[borrowedtime69]

Good class! I took it in person but I would think you could find a class on-line. I added to my blow-out kit extra stuff that was recommended.

 

[DT Guy]

My range bag has a 'first aid' kit (although if you have anything less than a gunshot, you're out of luck; no band-aids or aspirin) attached directly to it, and any new shooter going to the range with me gets five minutes of 'here it is, plug them up, dress and press' before we take the first gun out.

After all, they're my shooting partner that day, and I may need them.

Larry