Survival Bandana

I have no idea if this bandana is of any interest, what it is made of or if it of any real value. I have no current plans on buying one. Strictly FYI. Pete
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2706959065&category=2020

Oh, god. Another survival "expert" touting the use of a tourniquet.

The bandanna looks like an interesting idea - I own a space blanket that has similar survival instructions printed in black on an international orange background. It's a bit small (22" x 22") to use as a sling, though - the standard triangular bandage is typically 36" on each short side. 22x22 makes for a 30" long bandage - about the length of my arm. I once demonstrated to a group of high school students how you could use a man's shirt as an improvised bandage, and was surprised to discover (I should have checked it first) that the sleeve of one of my old shirts was just a smidgen too short to function as a bandage. (It won't go around my upper arm twice - and I'm no Charles Atlas; and it will just barely wrap around my thigh.

If the bandanna were the size of a regular triangular bandage, I might be tempted to buy one. But as is, I'd rather go to the fabric store and buy a square yard of brightly coloured cloth from the remainder bin.

I have two similar models. One is made by Self Reliance Products (www.srp-usa.net) and includes the basic stuff you might forget (knots, navigation by sun and stars, ground to air signals, traps, firestarting, CPR). The other one I got at EMS and has real basic first aid info. Both are 22" by 22". The survival one is a dull orange and the first aid one is crimson. I keep both in my day pack in a zip lock next to the FAK.
Are they worth the money? If I had the forethought before buying them I would have gone to a craft store and picked up a paint pen and a yard of dayglo cloth and made my own. Even if it lasted only a dozen washings it would be cheaper.

Chris

Well, if you ever did have the need for a tourniquet, it would be good raw material. I have never been in a situation where application of a T was warranted, and that includes a case where a bystander suffered a near complete amputation of his arm from the rear rotor of a helo.

I asked a paramedic friend, with about three busy years on the street, if he had ever applied a T. Answer was 'No." Just for kicks, has anyone here ever appropriately applied a T? How severe was the injury?

I have never applied one in my varied careers, just the opposite! I evacuated a traumatic near amputation ( crushed ankle ) from a fishing boat.The crew had applied a tourniquet. There was no apparent blood flow. I did determine a perfectly viable artery to the foot was restricted and restored blood supply ( under an Orthopedic Surgeon's radio supervision.)Twice I have been dry bit by Pacific Diamondbacks. Twice some fool wanted to tourniquet my leg and carve Xs with a Rambo knife- after they tried to kill the poor snake over my protests <img src="images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> Does stuffing a sock in these character's mouths count? <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Use dirty socks for stuffing, save the clean socks to bandage the poor snake. <img src="images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

How do you tell a dry bite?

You have been dry bitten ( no envenomation) if none of the following are experienced ( remember that psychosomatic reactions can initiate some of these symptoms) ; swelling,pain,nausea,vomiting,sweating,chills,dizziness,weakness,numbness,tingling of the mouth and/or tonque,swollen eyelids,blurred vision,muscle spasms,rapid change in heart rate/blood pressure,increased thirst,weakness and a real giveaway- unconsciousness <img src="images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> Even dry bites are a serious affair requiring medical attention due to infection. In my case it was a tetanus booster and aggressive wound hygiene. The first time I was conducting a surface survey for archaeological artifacts. My brain was coded to observe Dentalium shell beads,chert scrapers and bone awls. The second time was on a dirt road in the sunlight and I was focused on a pretty coed. These animals are superb at camouflage ( and making you feel stupid <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />.) Both times I did experience pain from the actual bite. I now carry the Sawyer unit. An excellent website is http://www.xmission.com/~gastown/herpmed/snbite.htm After my encounters, I was loaned a massive 2 volume Tome about rattlesnakes by my Biology Proff. They are fascinating creatures. As an aside, they are also evolving, or being selectively bred by those who would destroy them! Rattlesnake roundups have wiped out all but those who are less inclined to rattle. We are breeding silent rattlesnakes <img src="images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Glad you resisted the invitation for a T, although technically (and I'll bet your would be rescuers probably were oblivious to the distinction), what you apply for snakebite treatment would be a "constricting band," just enough to restrict the blood in your veins, but not enough to shut down arterial flow. What seems to work better is keeping the victim inactive and transporting ASAP to medical care. Chances of survival without any treatment at all, other than rest, are excellent, due in part, to dry bites. Honeybees kill more people in the USA than rattlesnakes and sharks combined.

I taught a first-aid course to a group of Boy Scout leaders last weekend and did my usual spiel of "never, ever tie a tourniquet unless you are prepared to have everything below it amputated". One of the students, a retired EMR, said that only once in his entire career had he ever been forced to use a tourniquet - that was for someone who got his arm caught in a piece of machinery and basically shredded everything below the elbow. <img src="images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

As he had been a paramedical professional when he did it, I wasn't in a position to second-guess him. That's the only time I've ever heard of a practising EMR resorting to a tourniquet, though.

I would probably consider it for a broken thigh-bone with internal bleeding from a severed femoral artery, although other instructors more experienced than me insist that even then, direct pressure would probably work better.

Applying a tourniquet to the neck would be officially frowned upon <img src="images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> though in some cases, it might be secretly applauded <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I had one applied for surgery due to a severed tendon <img src="images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />. The doctor applied it for about an hour to minimize blood loss and to have good sight. He stated that it was close to the maximum time they would leave it applied. Note that this was done in an operation room and not stop the primary bleeding (the cut was shallow and only 1/2 " long and stopped bleeding by itself).
I know some paramedics and emergency doctors. None of them applied a tourniquet on an accident scene.

When I was still riding as a third leg on the ambulance we got called to a subway station when guy had a leg amputated by a train. My first reaction was to put one on but older medic told me that they usually don't to it to clean cuts like that. And to my surprise bleeding wasn't that bad. But a month later we got called to a car accident where gentleman was having his forearm amputated. Since it wasn't a clean cut he was bleeding a lot and when part of the crew worked on spine mobilization I tried to stop the bleeding but all I could to is use pressure points since I couldn’t elevate the arm because that would compromise the spine. I was still under supervision of older guys and I really shouldn't be performing any procedures but they were short handed so I was told to apply a tourniquet. It stopped the bleeding to a slow trickle and than with every turn it was less and less blood. His hand with forearm was placed on ice wrapped and we did rapid evac. But I always have questions about stuff and procedures so I asked about application and placement. I was told that since there was a spine compromise and possibility for internal injuries and bleeding and there was no time for playing around. Older guys told me that they are trying to avoid tourniquets as much as possible.

Matt