Why Should all First Aid Kits Include a Tourniquet?

A tourniquet is a first aid device that is designed to fully stop the flow of blood when a limb is severed or seriously injured. However, this life saving equipment is often regarded as a good to have, rather than an essential, with lots of questions commonly being posed, which Reuben Gilmore, Sales Director at Aero Healthcare will discuss.

THE FIRST QUESTION I am often asked is, do I really need a tourniquet in my first aid kit?  And, my answer is always yes, especially in high risk industries such as building and construction.

In the event of an extremity wound with rapid blood loss, a person may only have 60 seconds before they are rendered unconscious.  Further blood loss prevents the body from pumping oxygen to vital organs, and a life can be lost.  The speed at which the flow of blood can be fully occluded is critical – a tourniquet can save a life.

But, could you not just use a belt?  In the movies a torn-shirt with twirling stick, or a belt, repeatedly saves lives; and to be fair, in some cases, improvisation may work.  But, the force required to fully occlude the flow of blood is considerable.  Specialised equipment enables this and significantly increases survival rates.

Tourniquet in First Aid

The next question is frequently, of the two types of emergency tourniquet, which is best to stock in a first aid kit?  The more traditional windlass version uses a stick, that is twisted to tighten a webbing band until the blood flow halts.  It is then secured in place to prevent it from unwinding.  It is effective, but with wet bloody hands, the finger-hold on the stick can slip, so the stick unwinds and tension is released.  Fastening the stick into place can also suffer the same fate, and these slips may result in a critical delay.

The ratchet tourniquet is simpler, faster to apply for full occlusion, and is much easier for self-application if required.  Having placed the tourniquet around the injured limb, possibly as a one-hand self-application, the ratchet can be worked without undue force to achieve full occlusion.   The friction stop prevents slipping and the tightened webbing cannot loosen unintentionally.

And then there is price.  A tourniquet is a ‘throw away’ product after just one use and may never actually be needed.  So why pay a premium price for quality?

To save a life, the stitching and webbing need to withstand considerable tightening pressure; and it needs to be intuitive, quick and simple to apply.  Less robust products, many of which are  without safety accreditations, may not endure…  and, this is not a risk that I would take.

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