Medical skills are a valuable skill to learn. I highly recommend that if you carry medical supplies, or more importantly carry a gun, get some quality medical training. Chances are you’re going to put those medical skills to use more than your shooting skills. In a shooting class I took a few months back, the instructor gave a 2 hour block of medical training (specific to gunshot wounds and trauma). Up to that point I have only had the Red Cross training. Because of that block of medical training I now feel more confident in dealing with gunshot wounds or other traumatic injuries.

Part of the block of instruction included covering the contents of a medical kit, specifically the 4 most important items to have in the kit. Our instructor recommended Dark Angel Medical for quality kits as well as training. Me personally, I have my medical kit in my everyday bag I take to work. On my person I carry a SWAT-T Tourniquet in my back pocket. With that said what If I’m not at work with my bag close by that contains the medical kit and something happens? What if I’m out shopping with the family and something happens? This is where training comes in and the ability to know how those items in your kit actually work. By knowing that you can use common items around you to improvise pressure dressings, tourniquets, chest seals, and splints.

Take a look at the following video as Kerry Davis from Dark Angel Medical explains this concept and gives some practical examples of field expedient medical items.

*featured image courtesy of US Air Force

This article was originally published on the Loadout Room and written by Scott Witner