# Deputies used military first-aid materials to help save Tucson victims



## old medic (23 Jan 2011)

Deputies used military first-aid materials to help save Tucson victims
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-0122-giffords-bandages-20110122,0,318338.story
By Nicholas Riccardi, Los Angeles Times

January 21, 2011



> Reporting from Tucson —
> Pima County sheriff's deputies responding to the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords had military-grade first-aid materials, which probably helped save the lives of some of the 19 shooting victims, authorities said Friday.
> 
> The department held a news conference to tout the packages, which it distributed to deputies last June. Officials said they hoped other law enforcement agencies would start programs like theirs, which they say enables them to provide care in the critical minutes before ambulances arrive at shooting scenes.
> ...


----------



## mariomike (23 Jan 2011)

Z-Medica 
6/14/2008
"Soon every Tucson Police officer will be armed with QuikClot a sponge-like product that stops moderate to severe bleeding. Officers will also receive first aid training on how to use it. This product is very similar to what our soldiers are already using in Iraq.":
http://www.z-medica.com/lawenforcement/Home.aspx


----------



## chrisf (23 Jan 2011)

Fantastic.

In bulk, a packet of quik clot costs, what, $5-10? Add some decent bandages, a few air ways, not really a signifigant cost for it's use.


----------



## mariomike (23 Jan 2011)

Cost looks to be about $7,000 for 750 units of QuikClot.

2008
"On Friday, the Tucson Police Foundation handed over about 750 units of QuikClot, individually wrapped bandages treated with a clotting agent that stops the flow of traumatic bleeding.":
http://tucsoncitizen.com/morgue/2008/06/13/88255-tpd-has-new-tool-to-help-save-lives/


----------



## chrisf (23 Jan 2011)

So not quite $10 each, even with a shelf life of only three years, that's still a pretty reasonable price for the potential life saving effects.


----------



## Journeyman (23 Jan 2011)

Hmmm....QuikClot now comes as a gauze -- not just the grainy powder. Not a wasted day -- I've learned something new.  

While I suspect there's less risk of getting the material on the gauze near your eyes (a problem on dusty days with the powder), I bet it still stings like a bitch   :nod:


----------



## Bass ackwards (23 Jan 2011)

What sort of additional first-aid training would LEOs require to be using things like QuikClot ?


----------



## Scratch_043 (25 Jan 2011)

"Quick Clot combat Gauze" is not the same as the 'grainy powder' that you may be familiar with.

The new 'combat gauze' is a z-fold bandage, treated with a hemostatic agent called Kaolin. It also features a blue x-ray band, which allows ER staff to see how deep a wound is, by how far into the wound the gauze has been packed. The benefit of the Kaolin, is that it produces no heat, therefore reducing headache of the doctors that have to remove it. Rather, it soaks up everything but the hemoglobin platelets (clotting factor) of the blood, creating a clot.

Nic


----------



## mariomike (25 Jan 2011)

As far as I know, Quikclot is carried by many EMS and police services throughout the United States. Although approved by Health Canada, only a few Paramedic services in Alberta and the Canadian military carry it. In Ontario, last I heard, only Algoma Paramedics carry it for communities with no local hospital. Their typical transport times are one hour.


----------

