First Aid

Building a Field Tourniquet

Posted by author-avatar
0
Building a Field Tourniquet
Hopefully, you already have a tourniquet in your IFAK or home first aid kit. If you don’t, it’s easily one of the most important pieces of equipment you could have in your kit and it’s important that you get one. Whether you currently have a tourniquet or not, there may come a day where you need one in an emergency, and you’ll have to make do with whatever you have on hand.

Knowing how to make an improvised field tourniquet can mean the difference between life and death.

Soldier in camo applying an orange tourniquet to his own leg against a brick wall

You’ll need two things to build a field tourniquet. First, a piece of fabric approximately 3 inches wide and long enough to wrap completely around the injured limb at least once. This could be, for example, a torn shirt sleeve or pants leg, a scarf, or a belt. Second, you’ll need something long and rigid like a stick, pen, or hairbrush handle. This item will be used to help tighten the tourniquet more effectively. If you happen to have a basic first aid kit, a triangle bandage paired with a pen light or a pair of trauma shears would make great items to start with.

 

Once you have your supplies, the first step in applying your field tourniquet is to wrap your fabric around the limb approximately 2-4 inches above the injury. However, do NOT place the tourniquet directly on a joint. If the wound is close to a joint, place the tourniquet above the joint, closer to the heart than the injury. While wrapping, make sure the fabric lies as flat as possible against the skin to prevent nerve and muscle damage.

 

Once the fabric has been wrapped around the limb, the next step is to knot the two ends of the fabric together around your stick or other rigid object and begin rotating the stick. Rotating the stick will cause the fabric to twist and tighten the tourniquet.

Trainer applying a white tourniquet to a person's thigh during a first aid demonstration outdoors

Tightening the tourniquet is one of the most important parts of applying the tourniquet. The tourniquet should be tight enough to stop the bleeding in about 1 minute (or less), but not so tight it’s causing extreme pain. Ideally, the tourniquet will be uncomfortably tight, but not incredibly painful, and the bleeding will stop within 60 seconds.

 

Once the tourniquet is tightened completely, you can knot it again to hold it in place while you wait for emergency services to arrive. Write down the exact time that the tourniquet was applied.  Once the bleeding has stopped, leave the tourniquet on. Only medical professionals should remove the tourniquet.

 

If you don’t already have a professional tourniquet, check out our RATS
and CAT tourniquets, and be sure to read our blog that details the pros and cons of each of those professional tourniquets.

Hopefully, should you need it someday, this article will be helpful for you. If it is, you can let us know in the comments section below, but first and foremost, make sure you’re staying safe out there!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you make an improvised field tourniquet?

Wrap a strip of fabric about three inches wide around the limb two to four inches above the wound, never directly on a joint, keeping it flat against the skin. Knot the ends around a rigid object like a stick or pen, then twist that windlass to tighten until the bleeding stops, and secure it.

Can you use a belt as a tourniquet?

A belt is usually too thick and stiff to twist tight enough to fully stop arterial bleeding, and it cannot hold a windlass well. A wide cloth tightened with a rigid stick works better, but a manufactured tourniquet is far more reliable and should be your first choice whenever one is available.

How tight should a tourniquet be?

Tighten it until the bleeding stops and you can no longer feel a pulse below the tourniquet. It will be painful, and that is expected. Once it is on and bleeding is controlled, do not loosen or remove it; note the time it was applied and get the patient to professional care.

How long can a tourniquet stay on?

Note the application time and leave it in place. A tourniquet can generally remain on for a couple of hours with low risk, and it should not be removed in the field. Let medical professionals manage loosening or removal once the patient reaches definitive care.

Is a commercial tourniquet better than an improvised one?

Yes. A manufactured, CoTCCC-recommended tourniquet such as the Combat Application Tourniquet is far more reliable and faster to apply than anything improvised. Build a field tourniquet only when you have no commercial option, and carry a real one in your kit so you are never forced to improvise.

Newer
A Thank you Note
Back to list
Older Breakthrough Research on Turnout Gear Protective Fabric Could Keep Firefighters Safer

Leave a Reply