AAR: MechMedic’s “Partisan Life Saver Course”

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending MechMedic‘s Partisan Live Saver course. I had attended the first iteration of his TCCC class in summer of 2019, but I certainly needed to attend again because I don’t do medical on a regular basis. It was hosted by our own NC Scout at the G-Camp in North Carolina.

Who:

Facilitator MechMedic and six students. The student’s skill range was a mix of a non-trauma related medical field occupation, EMT/Firefighter and .Mil experience all the way down to me (with the lone previous TCCC class and a Stop the Bleed class).

When:

December 10 – 12. Classes started at 0900 hrs. all days and ended around 1630 (Sunday was 1530).

Where:

Brushbeater’s North Carolina training grounds

Day 1

• Definition and history of TCCC
• Beginning of MARCH (We got through the M,A, and R)
  • This includes hasty tourniquets, Massive Hemorrhaging, Airway, and Respiratory
  • Wound packing and deliberate tourniquets
  • Chest seals and Tension Pnuemothorax

Day 2

• Review of day 1
• Moved to C and H (Circulation and Hypothermia)
• Prolonged field care, or E-PAWS-B (Eyes, Pain, Antibiotics, Wounds, Splint, Burns)
• Casualty Assessment
• Casualty Collection Points
• Explanation of different tiers of medical equipment set-ups

Day 3

• Field drills on casualty assessment

General Notes

• The weather ranged from pretty damn cold on day 1 to seasonably high on day 2 and somewhere in the middle on day 3. Had a big thunderstorm and tornado warning roll in on Saturday evening.
• Instruction was incredibly well thought out and the progression of learning was spot on. Everything built on the previous block of information.
• The class meshed really well. The after class discussions and bonding is an integral part of any course taught, and we had a hell of a fun time.
• Don’t feel like you need to run out and buy a ton of medical equipment before taking the class. Rather, some to the class and see what works and what doesn’t. Some things (i.e. medical tape and shears) should be specific brands, while other hot items are shown to be nice, but not necessary.
• MechMedic did bring some of his vacuum sealed IFAKs for sale. I bought one there and will be certainly purchasing more.
• The additional questions from all of the students really helped generate discussion and lead us down some other related medical questions.
• The sharing of resources – particularly of podcasts and website resources is invaluable.
• The food was AWESOME. Smoked pork shoulder on Friday and smoked brisket on Saturday. It was some damn fine eating.

All in all, this class is REQUIRED. As all of us students were discussing during the course AAR, this is the non-sexy stuff. It isn’t cool guy guns and gear and throwing lead downrange. What you have to remember is that when everything pops off, the range with be a TWO WAY RANGE. It was a sombering reminder that casualties should be expected and that they are an unfortunate part of the coming crisis.

TLDR: Take the Partisan Life Saver course. I can guarantee you that you will not regret it.