Staging Your Tourniquet

STOP staging your tourniquet like this.

This last week I have seen a police officer and a firearms instructor carrying their tourniquets with the windlass strap closed. There’s a reason that they are suppose to stay open (shown in the second picture). Having it closed LOOKS right, especially for those of us who like things to look neat, but it won’t be neat if you ever have to use it. Staging your tourniquet with the strap open allows you the opportunity to quickly place the windlass rod after appropriately applying your TQ. Closing the windlass strap is the very last part of applying the TQ, and having to remove it in order to place the windlass rod will prove to be difficult, especially if you’re working with a single hand application.

Short and sweet today you guys, make sure you’re carrying a TQ + additional medical supplies on your person, and if you’re going to go through the trouble to carry those things, make sure they’re staged in order to be used properly in the unfortunate event that they may become useful.