Originally Posted By: CJK
I don't know if this has been covered but....25 years in the field as a paramedic (NYC and Florida). I have never used or seen a torniquet used. Personal opinion.....not needed. Direct pressure (pressure dressing-ie. ace bandage) has been enough for everything I encountered including traumatic amputations. Never needed more.....that includes arterial bleeds. Doesn't mean I forget it....I've just never needed them. FWIW.

You probably don't also have transport times measured in hours, with relatively limited supplies (ie, your jump bag). And I bet you rarely have multiple traumatic patients while under fire.

I agree that I've never used them (started in EMS in '96), but they do have a role.

The big reason they're being re-consider is that their main use is in battlefields. There's not the resources or time to apply pressure for 10 minutes to every traumatic injury. A TQ works and frees up the medic to move on to the next casualty.