Ever thought about what you would do if you are shot? Stabbed? Ever considered what you would do if help was a long way off?
If you work in a rural area, you may have considered that EMS may take 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or even longer to get to you. If you work in an urban area, those time delays may not seem possible, but they are. Consider the officers shot in the infamous Bank of America robbery in Hollywood, CA. Wounded officers were pinned down, and help could not evac them for a very long time.
You have to be able to provide for your own medical care if you are wounded. Circumstances or location may prevent a speedy EMS response, and until they arrive, you have to stop the bleeding, close the sucking chest wound, or otherwise stabilize yourself.
Most academies are teaching some form of First Responder program to new officers. But, when is the last time you had any refresher training? First aid skills are like any other: if you are not using them, you will lose them.
You should, at a minimum, read through your first aid books and other materials to keep the knowledge fresh. If your department doesn’t offer regular refresher training, swing by one of your fire stations and talk to the paramedics. Have them review the basic skills you might need to save your own life.
Having a small kit of first aid gear in your car, or in your bail-out bag, can allow you to self-treat in the field. Most of the time, the paramedics at the fire station can be talked into giving you some basic supplies you might need. I also suggest looking at some of the commercial trauma kits that are now available.
One of the kits is made by Calvary Arms. In addition to a variety of large bandages and pads, the kit includes Celox, a bleeding control agent that has been used with success in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Stay safe!