Going Alone - Single Vehicle Wheeling & Safety

you been living under a rock?

 

lol never really thought much of it honestly

 

Some great info in here. Nice work!

 

Ah, there's the article I've been meaning to write, but never have the time to do so. Nicely done.

As someone who has actually had to deploy a couple of levels of the Oh Shit Kit, I gotta say there's not a single bit of bad or superfluous advice here. (My situation? https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/rescue-needed-anybody-near-ridgecrest-395.303269/ Old thread, so the pics may have expired, but I managed to get myself back on the ground, with no one around).
Big key points are: 1) Calm down, evaluate the situation, and think it through before acting. 2) KNOW YOUR GEAR, and KNOW WHERE IT IS. The last thing you want to do when you're in a situation is have to remove the packaging and start reading the instructions. And YouTube videos don't count, either -- ya gotta get out and practice using the gear before you need it. 3) Stay calm. 4) Maintain your gear, rotating expired items as needed.
If you have a mish-mash of stuff as you're putting together your gear, start an inventory sheet. Date every consumable item with a Sharpie.

I'm kinda surprised you didn't mention an Israeli Bandage. Having very recently nearly torn my thumb off (roll-up garage door springs are no joke, especially when they explode while you're holding them), it was the Israeli Bandage and its quick application that made it so that I'm still 100% OEM with no missing parts.

 

I did not go in depth on first aid, as that's an article on its own merit.

Pressure bandages (Israeli dressings) and tourniquets are two great tools for controlling hemorrhage.

 

Anyone looking to put together a comprehensive gear assortment will rapidly run into storage issues. Be creative, and realize that our trucks have little nooks and crannies everywhere. Take it out of the packaging if needed. And don't ignore all that unused space in the engine bay -- I keep my air hose, spare belt, oil, trans fluid, brake fluid, stop leak, bailing wire, foil tape, zip ties, hose clamps, spare fuses, spare tire tools, and gobs more under the hood. Also, if you can figure a way to securely mount it, there's a fuckton of room under the truck.

I highly recommend installing a roof rack and some Plano rifle boxes to carry extra stuff. The boxes are super-low profile, but have enough space to carry nearly all my emergency stuff. I have three boxes: 1: All my vehicle recovery gear, 2: Spare clothes and backpacking food, 3: Truck consumables (wire, tire plugs, rags, air line, parts [U-joints, tie rod ends {inner and outer!}] etc.). Don't forget to carry some means of cooking (and don't forget redundancy of fuel!).

If you're going to run a ham radio, I suggest one that has APRS, which dedicates one side of the radio to GPS beaconing (can be used to send basic text info via email, SMS, or ham radio text; also allows tracking of your position for SAR recovery). The Kenwood TW-D710 is my pick......it's attached to a stand-alone GPS unit I can slip in my pocket and use on the trail.

As OP hinted at, the shovel should be your first tool in which you invest. It's what you'll use most, and is usually the first line of recovery. And bonus: They're cheap!

 

I will definitely be using this as a guide.Thank you sir! This thread may very well save my life some day.

 

And, IMO, you really shouldn't go into much detail online with this type of advice. You mention tourniquets, but people shouldn't use them to just stop the bleeding (a common misconception). Use one, and you're very likely going to loose that limb.

I would suggest that everyone take a cpr, wilderness first-aid, or better yet, a wilderness first responder class. The knowledge you get is invaluable for anyone who recreates outdoors. Everything from simple lacerations to diagnosing (or clearing) spinal injuries are covered, and will save lives.

WFA is a 16 hour course and is usually over a weekend. WFR is a 9-10 day course. NOLS offers many classes all over the place, but there are local places too. Check with an REI or similar place, they'll know where to look locally.

Most of these courses even go into self first-aid as well, especially if you ask.

 

Awesome write up OP!!! Thank you!

 

You are working on 15+ year old information, which has been resoundingly proven false in OIF, OEF, and in domestic law enforcement / EMS.

When direct pressure fails or is obviously inadequate to address severe hemorrhaging of a limb, a tourniquet is the correct answer.

There is not a TCCC / CLS / LE / MIL first responder trauma class out there that does not teach tourniquet application, for a reason. I have applied tourniquets. I work with folks who have applied dozens of tourniquets. No limbs were lost, and lives were saved.

This and this are good places to start reading on this subject.

 

I'll grant you that my tourniquet info is probably old, it's been a few years since I was certified, which is why I stated YOU SHOULD TAKE A CLASS.

I also never said you should never apply one. Applying one without proper training IS dangerous, regardless. I was simply cautioning people from going off and applying one when direct pressure would be more effective for a number of reasons, which could (and has) happened because some idiot read on the internet that tourniquets stop bleeding.

Read my post again, I wasn't using rei as a source for medical info, but perhaps a place that might know where you can take an actual class. I even mentioned NOLS.

Calm down buddy.

 

You are still putting out incorrect information, which is a great detriment to the general public who reads it and doesn't know any better.

Tourniquets are not dangerous. Massive hemorrhaging is dangerous. If you find yourself in a situation where trauma occurred and you cannot control the bleeding with other means, a tourniquet is the answer - period. Training or no training - you are doing no harm by applying a tourniquet to a limb that you cannot otherwise control bleeding on.

Nerve, tissue, and muscle damage are risks. They are minor in comparison to the risks associated with uncontrolled hemorrhaging and subsequent shock, particularly in first world nations where treatment in a medical facility generally falls well within the golden hour.

Please read the links I posted above.

 

We do a lot of this with wild land firefighting, we have to be self sustainable during full work weeks if we spike out, this process and preparation carried over into my truck for sure, aswell as being an emt, I carry some bls stuff in a quick to get box for myself, and others too if it comes down to it.

But great write up!
Sweet rig too!
edit: in search of a box full of extra Sam splints for y'all, just have to remember where it is

 

So, lessons learned here, if I can't stop the blood use a tourniquet. I thought everyone knew that?

 

Knowing is the easy part, making the judgement call in the field is a different story.

The overwhelming lesson learned in the last fifteen years of war has been to err on the side of application. However, as visible in the last couple of posts, there are still many people out there that view tourniquets as a last resort that will likely result in loss of the limb - which just isn't true. This thinking results in hesitation to apply tourniquets, which causes preventable blood loss related injuries or death.

 

No experience myself in it, but from my work Basic FA and CPR classes what I got from it was if direct pressure doesn't work, IE blood coming through the gauze within 2 minutes (iirc was the rough time they said) then a tourniquet may be needed. I'm not an expert in the matter in any way shape or form, but if I had to help someone, I feel I could do it. Might get sued in the end, but I'll damn sure try to save someones life if I'm the only one within shouting distance

 

I will preface this by saying the best preparation is quality training. That said, any level of preparation is better than no preparation.

A CAT TQ (or two) in your vehicle and the knowledge you can get from this video series by North American Rescue on how to apply it will have you far more prepared than not having anything.

 

Cheers! I've been slowly buying up FA and Trauma packs to have anything I could think of in case of emergency. Even if its something I don't quite know how to use (but I'm learning) hopefully there's someone there that does know how to use it and needs it. Adverse to this thread, I actually try not to go out alone all that often, for the very reason that I know I'm not fully prepared in the event of an emergency.

 

Awesome write up! Looking forward to using this as a reference for my own truck and adventures.

 

wow very nicely done. great reference