Dear Black Bag Confidential Reader,
In the wake of last week’s school shooting in Parkland, Florida, I want to take this opportunity to share a few pieces of urgent advice.
This week’s must-read articles cover how to stop major blood loss in gunshot victims, safety tips for school and work and the most important thing you can do to protect yourself absolutely anywhere.
Let’s dive in.
1. How to Stop the Bleeding When There Is No Doctor
After mass-casualty incidents — whether it’s a shooting, an explosion, a vehicle ramming attack or some other catastrophe — first responders are often overwhelmed by the sheer number of injured persons. They must assess the situation quickly and efficiently in order to prioritize care to the most severe cases. Unfortunately, it can take as little as five minutes for a person to bleed out.
In the days following these events, there are reports of heroic civilians administering trauma care to the fallen to give them more time for EMTs to arrive. Of course, true treatment should always be left to the professionals, but there are some very basic steps you can take that will help save lives.
Take a look at this piece from HappyPreppers.com. It outlines seven steps to help stop life-threatening blood loss and six supplies to stanch the flow. Plus, it includes links to valuable resources on the proper use of a tourniquet, controlling arterial bleeding and more.
2. This Special Forces Medical Device Is Now Available for Civilian Use
Extreme blood loss causes a whole host of problems that can quickly become fatal if not adequately addressed. Without proper blood flow, your organs begin to shut down, your blood pressure decreases drastically and you may experience a massive drop in body temperature.
Click on the link above to learn about an incredible survival tool used on battlefields by Special Forces the world over. This medical device is so small you can stick it in your back pocket. It has over 50 uses — one of which is help combat some of the symptoms of hemorrhagic shock.
What’s more, through this special limited-time offer, you can get your hands on one of these devices for free. See above for details.
3. Safety Tips for Kids: The Sound of Gunfire and Concealment vs. Cover
So far this year, there have been eight school shootings in the U.S. that have resulted in injury or death. As our country tries to figure out how to curb that number, it’s your job to arm your children with as much information as you can to help keep them safe.
This post from The Survival Mom offers two critical safety tips that may save your child’s life if one of these tragedies ever strikes their school.
These simple reminders are easy to remember for kids of all ages. Even though it’s a tough subject, give it a read and talk to your children and grandchildren. This advice might just mean the difference between life and death for your child.
4. Nine Preparedness Tips for the Office
Shootings — and any number of other crises — can happen at the workplace, too. Even if you have emergency supplies at home and a 72-hour kit in your car, that won’t do you any good if you’re sitting at your desk and don’t have access to them.
Check out the above article from Modern Self-Reliance that runs down nine preparedness tips you can take to work. Learn the three must-haves for biological emergencies at the office, the one item of clothing you should wear to work every day and how to plan for a sudden evacuation.
Full-time workers spend upward of 40 hours per week at their job. It’s important that you are equally prepared to weather any disaster while on duty — just like you are at home.
5. One of the World’s Most Useful Skills
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The single most important thing you can do to stay safe is keep your head up. It amazes me how many people pay zero attention to their surroundings. Now, I realize keeping your head up won’t save you in every scenario, but in many instances, you’ll see danger coming and have time to escape.
Keep in mind that situational awareness is a something you should actively practice everywhere you go. The article above from SurvivalBlog.com describes several tactics to help you hone this skill. The more you do it, the better you’ll be at identifying potential threats.
Stay safe,
Jason Hanson
