The Crucial Importance of Carrying Medical Equipment: A Lesson from Recent Shark Attacks

I wanted to use the recent uptick in shark attacks off the coast of Florida to showcase the importance of carrying your medical gear at all times. You don’t get to leave them behind because you are on vacation. A stark example of this was demonstrated in an incident involving a 15-year-old girl who was attacked by a shark. Thanks to the quick thinking and resourcefulness of two vacationing doctors, who improvised tourniquets from available materials they found on hand, the girl's life was saved. You can read an article about the attack here. While an improvised tourniquet can be effective, as shown in this situation, there is no doubt that an actual dedicated tourniquet is the most effective means for treating critical blood loss.

Why You Should Always Carry a Tourniquet

Tourniquets are an essential component of any trauma kit, especially when it comes to controlling severe bleeding. In emergency situations, such as a shark attacks, working accidents, car accidents, etc, a quickly and properly applied tourniquet can mean the difference between life and death. The recent shark attack incident serves as a powerful reminder that even when you're on vacation, you should be prepared for the unexpected.

Another note to add. You should have one tourniquet per person you love in your medical bag. I like to take my kids to concerts, the zoo, beaches and more. I will have 1 tourniquet and compression bandage for each of us that are there. I have the same in our vehicle at all times. 

There is a difference between a first aid bag (small boo boo kit) and a trauma bag (big boo boo kit). We are talking about our trauma kits here. 

To ensure that you and your loved ones are prepared for such emergencies, you need to get medical training. I’m not saying that you have to train with us, but train somewhere. At the bare minimum, purchase the medical supplies to have on hand because even if you don’t know how to use them someone else might. If you haven’t taken a medical class yet, but would like to see how to apply a tourniquet, click HERE.

Now let’s talk about our hands-on training. In our Immediate Action Medical class, you get a VOK handed to you. This VOK contains a tourniquet, compression bandage, gauze, gloves, alcohol swab, safety pins, duct tape, NPA, lubricating gel, and a decompression needle. We teach you how to use every piece in this kit and then you take it home to continue to practice and master the skills you learned in class. 

We also have our Advanced Immediate Action Medical class, where you will take the knowledge you learned from the first class, but now you are looking for what is around you to let you improvise the tools you will need to save someone's life.

Both of these classes are heavily scenario based. This ensures that you are learning under stress. A skill mastered under stress is a skill that will be properly carried out once a stressful situation arises.

Conclusion

Carrying medical supplies and being trained to use its contents should be a priority for everyone, regardless of where you are or what you're doing. The recent shark attack incident is a sobering reminder of the unpredictable nature of emergencies and the lifesaving power of being prepared. Whether you're spending a day at the beach or just going about your daily routine, having the right medical equipment and knowledge can make all the difference.