MountainGoat;
1) Blood type velcro badge
Agreed. Nice to have but not necessary. It does not hurt to have one.
2) Trauma dressing
Strongly disagree. Sterility of the dressing is not an issue in the field. By all means use an oily rag if it stops me bleeding to death. However, modern trauma dressings do more than plug a hole.
- They can be applied quickly, without having to scrabble around for rags. Those few seconds could make a difference.
- they can be an automatic response in a distressing and traumatic situation. There is no need for the person to think too hard if they have a dedicated tool for the job. Think Standard Operating Procedures and learned responses.
- they can be applied single handed, useful if the wound is the stump of your own arm or if you are using one hand to apply direct pressure to an open wound
- they stay in place when you let go. This frees you up to do something else
- modern dressings may be impregnated with haemostatic agents, like quickclot. This greatly improves the clotting of the wound and effectiveness of the dressing. Removing the need to apply multiple dressings to large wounds as the in place dressing soaks through.
3) Gloves
Disagree. They are PPE for my protection, not the casualty's. I do not want to contract blood bourn diseases. It takes seconds to Don gloves and is part of the "Danger" part of the DRSABC process.
4) Tourniquet
You have not said that it should not be carried, just that misuse van be a problem. What do you mean by disastrous? At worst a misapplied tourniquet is ineffective. It is only deadly if applied to the neck for a head wound! Yes, it should be applied if you have the appropriate training but is not a major issue even if all you have seen is on TV.
5) Cyalume stick
Disagree. Personally I would not rely on my phone. Usually the battery is already partially depleted and the light is a heavy drain on the battery. A light stick gives you a guaranteed light source for a known period of time,leabing your phone free to call for help or at least reassure family you are alive (assuming the phone masts hacnot been shut down).
As for being underground and not needing a light, how will you see to apply your t-shirt dressing?
6) Whistle
Disagree. Please see my earlier post about being trapped in a collapsed building.
The above advice is - as of your request - constructive.
Thanks for that and I think I have given a reasoned and constructive counter to your points.
Can I ask what your background and training is? I have clearly set out my position and experience. Hopefully it gives my opinions some credibility.
At this time for all I know you have no background in this area and all your points are Google fuelled tripe. Am I wasting my time giving you the respect of thought out and reasoned replies? Or are you just on a wind up and not prepared to accept the views of people with more experience than you?
Background = ex-forces, medic in Pathfinders (16th).
Also trained in SAR, worked in SAR for a number of years.