TX2Guns: The Civilian Operator ‘Blowout’ Kit

Originally posted on The Tactical Hermit. It might be an important note that this thing, once it goes kinetic, has serious potential to get very bloody in a hurry. If you’re training to put rounds down range you sure as hell need training for when they come back your way, especially for you folks who live in urban areas where close range fights that turn seconds into hours typically assure at least a 50% casualty rate. And that’s optimistic, assuming you saw the threat before they got the drop. Got a TC3 course coming up in November. I’ll see you there.

From the Archives, 2013


FA1

For the CO to be prepared to survive in the battlefield we call everyday life, he must be ready to administer life saving first aid quickly and at any time, either to himself or others.

To meet that need, the CO needs to have one or more “Blowout” Kits prepared. Simply put, a “Blowout” kit is a bare bones trauma pack. It primarily addresses the “B” of the “A-B-C’s” of Trauma First Aid:  Airway, BLEEDING and Circulation.

A typical Blow-Out Kit will include:

One of the first fundamentals of “life saving” is to STOP or SLOW Bleeding. The first and best choice(s) are applying pressure or applying a tourniquet (especially if it is an arterial bleed). If this does not work or the wound is in a awkward location or position (pelvis, groin, armpit, neck etc.) the only other option for the CO is to apply a coagulant agent such as Quick-Clot or Celox. A word about each of these “formulations”.  If you browse through Amazon, you will find that Quick-Clot can be bought in 2 forms: Granule and Sponge. The granule form is simply the kind you pour directly in the wound while the sponge form is a clotting sponge impregnated with the solution and an X-Ray strip you stuff directly in the wound. Keep in mind however, that medical attention needs to be sought ASAP after applying QC as the clot and damage will have to be repaired poste haste by medical pro’s.  Celox is a granule forumlation only and is made of chitosan, a natural polysaccharide (polymer made of sugars) and has been shown to be broken down to basic sugars (glucosamine & n-acetyl glucosamine) by lysozyme, one of the body’s normal enzymes. Celox™ (unlike QC) does NOT use non degrading procoagulant minerals or nano particles such as kaolin, smectite or zeolite, which will remain in the body indefinitely unless completely removed.

For the CO to be adequately prepared for medical emergencies, it is not enough just to have the knowledge, you must also have the forward thinking to STAGE the Blowout kit(s) in the MOST LIKELY places you might need them, BEFORE you need them!

Some examples are:

  • GO-Bag

  • Range Bag or Training Bag

  • Vehicle(s) (or VBOB)

  • Work

  • Hunting Bag

  • Deer Stand/Duck Blind

photo 1