LIFESTYLE

Classroom Bleeding Control Kit // High School Teacher Packing in the Classroom

On April 5, 2019
By Kimberly

This year, my “Back to School” preparation included something entirely new; a “Blow Out Kit.” Here’s why you need this too, no matter where you work, and how to thoroughly consider what your kit needs to include.

Along with new dry erase markers, a box of photocopy paper, and a larger flash drive, I invested my own money in assembling a specialized blow out kit for my high school classroom. The training came a couple months later.

What Is a Blow Out Kit?

A Blow Out Kit is a scaled-back First Aid kit with only one purpose; to stop bleeding.

This kit would not have anything unrelated to that goal; nothing to get in my way, nothing extraneous to confuse anyone in a crisis.

That meant no aspirin, no small bandages, no antibiotic ointment – only supplies to halt bleeding from a serious wound. All those other non-emergency incidentals can be stocked by the school nurse.

You may hear these kits called “IFAK” for Individual First Aid Kit, or “MFAK” for Multi First Aid Kit. I have named mine the “CFAK” – Classroom First Aid Kit – because it is specifically designed for a single classroom – not an entire school, vehicle, boat, range, or any other application.

Why I Have a CFAK Blow Out Kit in My School

Beginning the first day of pre-planning, I knew for a fact that there were as many as three, and possibly four firearms on campus at my school every day. Our county has a Guardian Program, and trained administrators can carry a firearm.

No longer could I put this off as “when” there would be firearms on campus. They’re here. Now.

I also know there are undiscovered weapons on campus every day – even I have a Swiss Army knife in my tote bag that is perilously close to the three-inch-length limit – but now it is real. Unless you ask, you will not know how many knives or other weapons are found on school campuses every month. It might be the question to which you don’t really want to know the answer; because it might be more than you think.

Even if you do not work at a school; concealed carry permit holders do carry, and they are in stores, restaurants, gas stations, hotels, bathrooms, movie theaters – almost everywhere. There are very few places you can work that you know for certain that there are no guns around. And even then; there are law-breakers.

The presence of administrators on my campus carrying firearms should not have made my decision to be prepared any more urgent. However, it was the catalyst that spurred me to become more prepared.

You have a choice to make; no one ever plans to fail; they only fail to plan. So I started a plan.

Why I Need a Kit In My Classroom – Isn’t a School Kit Enough?

I need a kit in my classroom because if there is an active shooter, we are placed on “lockdown.” You can’t leave your room to go get something, and no one can bring something to you.

A huge expensive fully-stocked kit somewhere else in the building does me no good at all. With only minutes to save someone’s life, my kit needs to be no more than 20 feet away from me.

Each classroom needs a kit, and truly, needs someone trained in using it.

Even if time was not a huge factor in assisting someone, there’s the possibility that you cannot leave your safe place – not because a lockdown announcement asked you to stay in place, but because it’s actually dangerous to leave your room.

My Plan

Have supplies
Have training
Repeat training annually and seek out additional and varied training on a regular basis

We may not be able to control what happens with any firearm or prevent other medical emergencies on campus, but we can control our level of preparation.

The list of “what could happen” is long.

Accidental Discharge, “AD,” is when a firearm accidentally discharges; it happens. Or, someone obtaining control of an administrator’s firearm, or someone bringing a firearm on campus could happen.

Plus there are other accidents that can happen – like someone falling onto something sharp in welding or automotive, or falling onto a pair of scissors right in my own classroom.

Conclusion

My plan is to: Have supplies, complete training, and repeat training annually as well as seek out additional and varied training on a regular basis.

While we may not be able to control what happens with any firearm or prevent other medical emergencies on campus, but we can control our level of preparation.

Some Terms Explained

TCCC – Tactical Combat Casualty Care and TCC – Tactical Casualty Care

TCCC is tactical casualty care in a combat situation where there is a need for care but also an active threat. The word “combat” is in there because the threat is active.

TCC is tactical casualty care, but without the continued threat.

In everything that you hear with talking to people who are T-Triple C knowledgeable, a tourniquet is good, and the casualty care flowchart gives you permission to go past direct pressure and on to applying a tourniquet. If someone is having massive hemorrhaging, there is nothing that says you can’t put more than one tourniquet.

Dynamic Critical Incident

A dynamic critical incident is a term that the owner of the I.C.E. Training Company and also the developer of the Combat Focus® Shooting Program, Rob Pincus, created, and he uses it to give a name to an event that is continuing to evolve. It’s critical – bad things are happening – and it’s dynamic – it’s changing as it’s happening. There’s a direct threat – and you might need more tourniquets.

Links to What’s In My Bag

These are links to my CFAK bag and contents on Amazon – if you click on my link through to a retailer and purchase something, I may receive a very small amount or percentage of your purchase. This does not add any additional cost to you, the customer.

Using my links helps me continue to bring free content to you, and increase the number of supplies in my own CFAK. I usually add a few more items to my bag every couple paydays, so thank you in advance for your care for your own students and co-workers’ safety.

Prima Care Emergency Foil Mylar Thermal Blanket 10 pk

NexSkin Cotton Elastic Bandages w/Hook Loop Closure, 3″ Width – 1, 2, 3 6 Pack

North American Rescue 2 Pack Cat Tourniquet

North American Rescue CAT Tourniquet

North American Rescue Hyfin Vent Chest Seal, 2 pack

North American Rescue Hyfin Vent Chest Seal, 4 pack

Black Diamond Spot Headlamp

QuickClot Advanced Clotting Gauze with Kaolin

Orca Tactical MOLLE EMT Medical First Aid IFAK Utility Pouch (Bag Only)

Link to My NAR Combat Casualty Response Kit Direct from North American Rescue

My North American Rescue Combat Casualty Response Kit is sold under the name “SRO Crisis Response Kit.” SRO stands for School Resource Officer. At the link above, you can access its features, description, specs – a full list of the contents – and under “downloads,” there is a full product information sheet with graphics of all the contents.

Links to MyMedic

Affordable, quality products. This link and using my code “KimW” will save you 10%: MyMedic and I earn a small percentage for stocking my own kits, but your price does not increase.

Links to Training

North American Rescue video training – warning – it’s rather graphic. https://www.narescue.com/training/videos

Crisis Medicine – excellent training. History buffs and anyone who appreciates the backstory of whatever they are studying will appreciate the precise attention to detail. Also very graphic, and also what will serve you well to experience. Dr. Shertz from Crisis Medicine says the first time you see blood shouldn’t be when you have a loved one or student in front of you. Please use my link above and my code “DeepWH” for 20% off the Tactical Casualty Care TC2 online course.

Stop The Bleed Department of Homeland Security – First course is very light. Second class is more in-depth, Third class is not online, but in person.
https://www.dhs.gov/stopthebleed

There are other online courses, and tons more reference materials and videos online. If anyone comes across any that we can use for certification points; please let us all know. I do plan to submit my Crisis Medicine certificate to my own school district and see if I qualify for any of those hours spent taking the class as CEU’s – continuing education units for recertification purposes.