ORIGINAL: nhblacksmith
ORIGINAL: Hill202
As an EMT, what is your advice if an artery is severed? Alone or not.
Treatment is basically the same, direct pressure and elevation but with an artery it will be more difficult to control. Depending on the location of the injury, there are some other things like tourniquets, and maybe a prayer or two. If you do a lot of potentially dangerous activities, it would be a good idea to take a first aid course. Even if you never use the knowledge on yourself, the guy flying beside you who cuts his wrist might benefit. My jump kit came in handy a couple times last fall at the field.
Great advice, but I would also like to add to this
Once you bandage the wound, leave the bandage on. Do not keep taking the bandage off and putting it back on. If you bleed through the bandage, add a new clean one right on top of it and keep adding pressure. When you elevate it, make sure it is above the heart.
If you are bandaging multiple fingers... place a bandage in between each finger, then wrap the entire hand.
Everyone should consider adding a first aid kit to their field box (at least have one in the car). Simple is better... some 4x4 bandages (at least 10-15)..4-5 stretch bandages, and some latex gloves
I also fly alone, but I let my wife know when I go, what time I plan to return. If I am not back at that time she starts calling. I left my cell phone on silent once and got wrapped up into flying and lost track of the time.. until she tore into the field parking lot on two wheels looking for me that is.. lol...