Purchasing a tourniquet for your First Aid Kit
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One of the most important resources in any First Aid Kit, is a tourniquet. Tourniquets are used to save lives by stopping severe bleeding that within a few short minutes could lead to death.
Buy the right tourniquet:
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Purchase an orange Combat-Application-Tourniquet (C-A-T). The cost for one C-A-T tourniquet will be $30+. There are several suppliers, and they are available for purchase on Amazon as well.
• Orange C-A-T Tourniquet – This is what you want to purchase.
• Blue C-A-T tourniquets are considered training tourniquets
• Black C-A-T tourniquets are primarily used by the military.
Most important – do not buy a knockoff of the C-A-T tourniquet. You don’t want the windlass on the tourniquet to break while you are trying to tighten it on someone who is severely injured. Cheaper isn’t better in this case.
Tip: After you receive your new orange C-A-T tourniquet, take it out of its plastic covering before putting it in your kit or vehicle. During an emergency, quick and easy access is important.
To learn more, take a First Aid/CPR or Stop the Bleed course offered in your area. Reach out to your local or regional health department or medical facility to see if they are offering courses.