Some superb information and food for thought.j You made it on my top ten INGO posts listI've had a couple of friends/co workers who self applied their C.A.T.'s after being shot then continued taking care of business. We had a former Army Ranger turned Medic for IEMS teach us TEMS. He came up with a phrase to help us remember what to do. "Tourniquet anything that Terminates with a Toe or a Thumb, Pack anything in the Pit or the Penis, Cover anything in the Chest". Simple and easy to remember. Part of our firearms inservice, twice a year, is shooting then finding cover to apply a CAT on a downed officer or self apply. Just because a leg wound is not bleeding externally, does not mean it's not bleeding out inside. I've watched someone shot in the leg, very little blood and a tiny bullet hole, die from bleeding out inside. You got a bullet wound to a limb, TQ that immediately.
IBDs and 4x4s have been my go-to in most shooting situations I have found myself a part of. I carry a TQ on my belt with several more in the car, and two IBDs in my BDU pocket. I have had the very obvious need for a TQ a couple times and, again, it was very obvious that is what was needed. Beyond that, being able to seal wounds to the chest cavity is important and an IBD nor TQ will work for that. I also keep a couple chest seals in my grab-bag, knowing that one will probably be enough to use to seal holes, especially if cut in half, then using the wrapper itself to seal multiples if there are a lot. The knowledge and calm ability to choose the right one, in a situation like that, is arguably more valuable than the gear itself.
Note: You must use good tape crappy tape or old brittle tape will not stick to blood covered skin.
Warning:
Do not use
Tourniquets for head wounds!
In a big city setting, I don’t think a TQ is ever really the wrong answer to stop traumatic bleeding. Even if bleeding in an extremity could theoretically be stopped with direct pressure and/or an IBD, slapping on a quick TQ will stop it too, and damage to the limb doesn’t need to be such a major consideration because hospital care is minutes away and not hours or days.