Our bodies contain blood, usually in tubes, some big, some small, some under very high pressure and some under low pressure. 

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If you cut or tear one of the high pressure vessels (Arteries) blood will empty from your body very quickly 

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This leads to death within a few minutes.​​​

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​Bystander actions

 

Get someone to immediately alert emergency services that this is a massive bleed

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Apply direct pressure to the bleeding site

(this is the highest priority )

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Locate the source  - find the exact source of the spurting area or deepest part of the wound

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Use your hands - apply strong direct pressure with both hands (use a cloth or clothing as a barrier if available

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Use your body weight - lock your elbows and position your shoulders over your hands to exert maximum pressure

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Maintain pressure - keep constant firm pressure until emergency services arrives. Do not remove your hands to check the wound.

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Advanced first Aid 

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Sometimes, pressing on severe bleeds doesnt stop the flow so Tourniquets / Wound packing techniques are used

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We can teach you how to use these techniques and supply trusted items from our shop.

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​this is a Tourniquet 

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​it is designed to be placed on a limb that has an arterial bleed

it cannot be used elsewhere on the body (including the neck, armpits or groin.

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Apply a tourniquet as soon as possible for life-threatening limb bleeding that is not controlled by direct manual pressure. 

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Place the tourniquet around the traumatised limb 5-7cm above the injury, but not over a joint. 

 

Tighten the tourniquet until the bleeding slows and stops. This may be painful for the person.

(we will add a video on this shortly)

 

Remember / Write the time the tourniquet was applied.

 

Do not release the tourniquet. It should only be released by a healthcare professional.

 

In some cases, you may need to apply a second tourniquet, above the first tourniquet, to control the bleeding.       ​​

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Wound Packing

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Bleeding wounds in areas where you cannot apply a tourniquet are tricky to treat such as armpits , groin, buttocks etc , there are some gauzes that are impregnated with chemicals that help create blood clots that can help stop bleeding (alongside the pressure being applied)

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Haemostatic - chitosan impreganated gauze 

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We can provide both training and recommended haemostatic dressings if you feel you would need this advanced option - you would be taught to tightly pack a wound whilst maintaining deep pressure.

(video to follow)

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​link to tourniquet (on its own)

link to full bleed kit

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