Recommendations for First Aid Training

[TA1ton]

My amazing wife got me the MyMedic Recon first aid kit for Christmas and it is pretty awesome! Only thing is...it is more advanced than my first aid knowledge. I would like to remedy this by taking some kind of training. I know to check with the local fire department and colleges, but I was wondering if anybody has taken a course that they would recommend. Thanks in advance for any help and happy Jeeping!

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[IceBerg]

For basic first aid its rather simple. I will give you the army break down.
-Keep the red stuff inside the body
-Keep the airway open
-Cover up open wounds to limit debris/infection
-Immobilize things that are, look, or feel broken.
-If heavy bleeding continues or is arterial use their tourniquet
-Keep blood pressure up with IV fluids
-Call a real medic (911 in your case)

For everything else take motrin and drink water. Call some of your local gun ranges and ask if they can recommend classes. A few ranges in my area have first aid events where they have volunteers teach some basics and then go shooting as a group event.

 

[Bryce]

I'd reccomend a Red Cross Wildreness First Aid and CPR course.
I have done thus for BSA High Adventure trips and was very useful.

 

[ar15rifle]

I suggest deciding between basic first aid and tactical first aid. Basic first aid, most people possess knowledge of just by surviving childhood. Tactical classes will teach you about tourniquets and (slightly) advanced hemorrhage control along with some airway basics. There are lots of places that teach these classes and you local sporting goods or gun store can likely direct you to some local options.

 

[Beowulf]

Just look for classes for wilderness first aid. There are several. Here is one.

https://remotemedicaltraining.com/c...YI1m3e7SmLDN9aMDUxqUI9UFjrBap-JBoCN2MQAvD_BwE

 

[BVGeezer]

I'd reccomend a Red Cross Wildreness First Aid and CPR course.
I have done thus for BSA High Adventure trips and was very useful.

Bingo! That course was a great experience. We did back country guiding for our employer and made and still make many backcountry trips to places where you have nothing but your training and kit. I can recall treating a severe leg laceration on the side of a mountain at over 12K feet. Nothing feels better to state your name, tell the victim your are trained and can help them.

We also carry a SPOT Gen satellite emergency beacon for the ultimate oh **** moment. If you use your JL what it was built for, sooner or later you might need it.

 

[TA1ton]

@IceBerg; @ar15rifle; thanks! I didn’t even think of contacting a sporting goods store or gun store. There is a really awesome local gun store that I’ll stop in and ask around. Also ar15rifle, I am looking for recommendations for as you said tactical first aid course or as others have mentioned, a wilderness first aid course.

@Bryce; @Beowulf; @BVGeezer; thanks for the recommendations for the wilderness first aid course...that’s pretty much exactly what I am looking for! The class you linked Beowulf is a little too far of a drive for me, but I will definitely look for something like that close by.

Seriously, thanks for the help guys...it was easy to find classes on Google, but I was wanting to hear from people who have actually participated in these classes.

 

[Wabujitsu]

As a former US Army Combat Medic, if you expect to have to use your newly-learned first aid skills in the back country, I highly recommend that you also take a survival course. Also, make certain that whatever first aid course you take also teaches field expediency skills. If you have a medical situation that cannot be fully addressed by the contents of your aid bag, you will want to know such things as how to make a splint out of items in nature (e.g. in case of multiple injuries/fractures and you do not have enough SAM splint material and ace wraps, etc), and how to make a litter or a skid to drag the casualty over a distance, how to lower the casualty safely down a steep slope, etc.

I would also seek out a Special Ops/Special Forces medic or P.A. They can teach you some really GREAT things that aren’t found in a book!

 

[Doug997]

If heavy bleeding continues or is arterial use their tourniquet.

Yes, that is why you should always have on your person. Nice job IceBerg...

 

[jeepdabest]

In case your First Aid efforts go awry (you actually contribute to the victim's death) I recommend carrying a chainsaw and shovel.

 

[Wapiti]

I've been lurking here for a few months as I'm in the market to upgrade from my JKU to a new JLUR, but I signed up just to respond to this thread. Look up "Stop The Bleed"; it's probably available near you through a hospital or fire department. I've worked in occupational safety for over 20 years; I've taken- and taught- a lot of first aid/CPR classes, and STB is the best at teaching what it actually takes to control bleeding. It's based on the military's Tactical Combat Casualty Care training, but simplified for civilians. In conjunction with a Red Cross first aid /CPR class, you'll be in pretty good shape. Even better would be to combine it with a wilderness first aid class; check your local parks and rec department as it's often offered through them.

 

[jeepdabest]

I've been lurking here for a few months as I'm in the market to upgrade from my JKU to a new JLUR, but I signed up just to respond to this thread. Look up "Stop The Bleed"; it's probably available near you through a hospital or fire department. I've worked in occupational safety for over 20 years; I've taken- and taught- a lot of first aid/CPR classes, and STB is the best at teaching what it actually takes to control bleeding. It's based on the military's Tactical Combat Casualty Care training, but simplified for civilians. In conjunction with a Red Cross first aid /CPR class, you'll be in pretty good shape. Even better would be to combine it with a wilderness first aid class; check your local parks and rec department as it's often offered through them.

Stop The Bleed is a wonderful product to have with you when you go on a romantic cruise

 

[Dr. O)lllll(O]

For basic first aid its rather simple. I will give you the army break down.
-Keep the red stuff inside the body
-Keep the airway open
-Cover up open wounds to limit debris/infection
-Immobilize things that are, look, or feel broken.
-If heavy bleeding continues or is arterial use their tourniquet
-Keep blood pressure up with IV fluids
-Call a real medic (911 in your case)

For everything else take motrin and drink water. Call some of your local gun ranges and ask if they can recommend classes. A few ranges in my area have first aid events where they have volunteers teach some basics and then go shooting as a group event.

Wouldn’t consider field trauma as most useful basic first aid. Maybe ok advice for the battlefield. But “take Motrin and drink water” might not be useful for the most common emergencies someone is going to see in the civilian world (altered/loss of consciousness, chest pain, respiratory distress, etc.).

 

[IceBerg]

Wouldn’t consider field trauma as most useful basic first aid. Maybe ok advice for the battlefield. But “take Motrin and drink water” might not be useful for the most common emergencies someone is going to see in the civilian world (altered/loss of consciousness, chest pain, respiratory distress, etc.).

That all falls under this:
-Keep the airway open
-Call a real medic (911 in your case)

OP is asking for first aid training, not a SHTF/EOTWAWKI type of medical training to replace actual professional medical staff/care.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

OP,

Unless you’re planning wheeling in Damascus or Fallujah I’d advise you to skip all the advanced and mostly impractical advanced trauma training some recommend and just go to a basic first aid training class that you can easily find. Try your local fire department or look up the Red Cross. You’ll get practical knowledge you can use wheeling, at home with your family, and all around in your every life. It’ll cover 90% of the real life situations you’re likely to find yourself in and is inexpensive.

If after that you think you need or want more training, seek out something more advanced and specific. From a guy who does first aid training.

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