Contest: 101 Ways to Use a Trianguler Bandage
In an age when hemostatic agents and pocket-sized BP cuffs monopolize most conversations regarding combat casualty care, a command of the basics is being lost. While the abundance of choices of pre-made kits addressing the majority of field-treatable injuries reduces the chance of needing to improvise, one ought to have a command of the basics using available materials.
A medic cannot have a more basic piece of kit than a triangular bandage. Therefore, we are having a contest to encourage submissions of different ways to use a triangular bandage to treat combat trauma. The details are as follows:
Prize: $200 in free Tac Med gear
Submission Format: Either submit a description to the comments section or email them to alan@tacmedsolutions.com. How-to videos are welcomed, but not required. We will be filming the most unique and helpful techniques for the blog.
Deadline: All submission must be in by 1 MAR 2010. We will announce the winner by 15 MAR 10. Due to concerns with operational anonymity, we will request your approval before sharing your name.
January 16th, 2010 at 9:45 pm
1. Emergency tourniquet using windlass,
2. Sling-swath,
3. Secure a splint to an extremity,
4. Secure a pressure dressing,
5. Wound packing when last resort,
6. ET/King LT tube tie,
7. Secure an IV bag to the casualty,
8. Create a pressure infuser for IV/IO application,
9. Secure casualty’s arms/legs during movement/extraction,
10. Create traction splint (with sturdy stick) for lower leg,
11. Secure arm against casualty’s torso to maintain pressure dressing under armpit or axillary region,
12. Simple bandage of small wound/s,
13. Secure and dress abdominal evisceration,
14. Secure distal end of “spring board” which holds direct pressure over dressing of inguinal wound,
15. Eye cover/bandage to protect casualty’s eye against dust/debris,
16. Secure IV catheter and tubing once established,
17. Secure catheter placed after needle thoracotomy for tension pneumo,
18. Secure/stabilaze flail section of chest,
19. Collection bag for casualty’s belongings,
20. Folded, padding for head on hard surface,
21. Two wrapped together, “donut roll” for depressed skull area,
22. Stabilize an impailed object,
23. Secure IO placed in extremity,
24. Wrapped around finger for splinting,
25. Secure casualty card/triage card to casualty,
26. Cover for amputated extremity stump,
27. Moistened, emergency respiratory filter during rapid extraction from toxic exposure
28. Secure oxygen mask to casualty when strap of mask breaks/missing,
29. Folded, biteblock when ET tube in place,
30. K9 use, muzzle the K9 casualty for safety,
31. Secure cold/hot pact to casualty,
32. Placed in mouth to minimize air escape if/when King LT oral ballon deflates or is less than effectively sealing,
33. Wrapped around sprained/strained joint for added support,
34. Small torn pieces placed in ears to protect against constant load noise during helo extraction,
35. Small torn pieces used as gauze for dental injury involving minor hemorrhage,
36. Subdue medic’s exam light,
37. Secure wound avulsion in place,
38. Cover burn wound site/s,
39. Head wrap to help slow casualty hypothermia,
40. Moistened, wrap/protect salvagable amputated body part,
41. Narrow torn strip wrapped around scalple blade for surgical cric,
42. Hang IV bag from elevated fixed object,
43. Tie fentanyl “lollipop” to casualty’s finger,
44. Secure IR chemlight to casualty for night time tac-evac ops,
45. Tied to fixed elevated object and extremity for sustained elevation as needed,
46. Cover/filter for emergency cric and spontaniously breathing casualty not needing constant BVM assistance, 47. Added security for applied tourniquet,
48. H2O saturated for casualty cooling if hyperthermic,
49. Stabilze maxilla/le forte fx,
50. Clean/prep chest for occlusive dressing application,
51. Corner of material for removal of debris in eye,
52. Packing for nosebleed,
53. Secure/restrain combative casualty.
54. Strap repair/replacement of litter device during casualty movement.
March 8th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
Mr. Whitehead, I am very impressed. I think I’m going to add a few more cravats to my bag now….
You did forget one very important use, however: Facial concealment device while evacuating an ethanol-related casualty from the point of injury. In other words, preventing anyone from giving a good description of your buddy to the MPs while you get him/her back to base.
Also, I don’t think you mentioned using it as an improvised face shield during CPR/Rescue Breathing. Drape it over the casualties mouth and breath through it. That way, if the casualty vomits, you at least won’t have any chunks in your mouth. Just make sure you roll them over so the vomit can drain.
March 9th, 2010 at 9:45 pm
I will have to remember that one! Great idea!
March 11th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
[...] reviewing the many submissions for our first contest, 101 Ways to Use a Triangular Bandage, we have selected our winners. Due to the fact that two contestants submitted outstanding [...]
March 20th, 2010 at 11:47 am
Excellent post. I like 36.
Triangular bandages is the most under taught piece of tactical medical kit.
April 14th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
[...] is not our stance that one should not know how to improvise. In fact, we sponsered a contest to find the best ways to improvise using one piece of kit, of which a tourniquet was one. However, [...]