Preparing for military service or helping others to do so, you may have thought about a means of stopping bleeding.If in the past ordinary bandages, gauze, rope and any available means were used, today there is a modern and convenient analogue - a tourniquet. About how to choose it correctly will tell you this article.

What is a tourniquet?

The means in question pursues the purpose of stopping bleeding. It is quite convenient to use, effectively ties the limbs and is characterized by a significant level of endurance. Such a tourniquet is very difficult to break. This equipment is indispensable in a modern soldier's first-aid kit.

The main advantage of such a hemostatic agent is its resistance to external factors and the possibility of fixation directly on the clothes. The constricting and loosening the tourniquet is controlled. It can be easily used with one hand. In order to ensure that the tourniquet does not harm the person, it is necessary to be well aware of how to apply it.

Types of tourniquets

Today on the Ukrainian market you can find many different tourniquets. However, not all of these models are suitable for use. Some may even kill a person if they fall into the hands of an unqualified person. In conditions of constant shelling, even experienced medics can become confused if the tourniquet is of poor quality.

Back in 2004, the U.S. Military Institute of Surgery conducted large-scale field tests of tourniquets for stopping bleeding. Based on their results, the institution issued a list of recommended harness models for use by medics, rescuers, and the military:

  • SWAT-Tourniquet;
  • CAT-Tourniquet;
  • SOF-Tourniquet;
  • MA-Tourniquet;
  • RATS.
  • Put a tourniquet loop on the injured limb, at a level slightly higher than the wound;
  • Pull the free edge of the tape, trying to tighten the tourniquet as tightly as possible;
  • Use double-sided adhesive tape to secure the the limb to the clip;
  • Tighten the rod until the arterial bleeding stops completely and the injured vessel stops pulsating;
  • Secure the rod in the clip, while checking for bleeding;
  • Wrap the remaining tape around the affected limb and extend it over the rod through the clip;
  • Fix the rest of the tape with a sticky flap of textile and write on it the time of applying the tourniquet.

You can also find products with the names SAM XT, TMT, Rhino, Recon, SICH, SPAS and PITON, most of which are created in Ukraine. They can also be used under one condition - the availability of an appropriate quality certificate. In our country, such documents are issued by the UkrCSM. Be sure to check the appropriate labels on the product and its datasheet, and under no circumstances use homemade tourniquets. In 99% of cases, they will not withstand the load or ineffectively tighten the limb, after which it will only need to be amputated.

How to apply a tourniquet with one hand?

In combat conditions, there may be a situation where you need to apply a tourniquet to yourself without help from outsiders. For this, it is worth knowing how to do it correctly and without wasting time. The algorithm is as follows:

The optimal time of keeping such a tourniquet is up to two hours. It should not be weakened so as not to cause the death of the victim due to gradual loss of a large volume of blood.

If you have such an opportunity, it is better to practice applying the tourniquet in advance. A huge number of military personnel's injuries are related to the improper execution of the tourniquet procedure.