Blow-Out Kits

This has been addressed many times on many different blogs, whether medical, military, or other high-speed-low-drag blogs such as ours. But I just this past week came across yet another entry on a gun blog and realized it's never been covered here, and many of our audience may not be familiar with even what a blow-out kit is, much less what it should contain and why.

A blow-out kit can also be called a trauma kit. It's designed to contain the items a medic or someone acting as one would need to treat the most common causes of death for people in combat situations ("combat situations" could mean actual combat in Afghanistan or simply being shot by a gangbanger in South Central). Those causes are:

• bleeding
• tension pneumothorax
• obstructed airways

We'll get back to those.
Before I even begin to cover what the kit should contain, ask yourselves of what use is a piece of gear you don't know how to use? Basic first-aid training is easy and may be available for free in your area. Beyond that, tactical medical training can be found all over, at varying prices and levels of quality, I'm sure. Here, here, and here are three examples (I'm not endorsing any of those, they're just the first three results on Google to illustrate how easy it is to find tac med training. Do the research.)

OK, so you went and got the training somewhere and you know at least the basics and want to be prepared to save your own life or someone else's. What do you need? Well, you can buy complete kits such as this one, this one, or this one. Or you can save a little money at the expense of a lot of time by assembling your own from supplies you find other places.

So (you ask with bated breath) what do I really need? Well, look a couple of paragraphs up where I mentioned the three main causes of combat deaths. I'll wait. Back? Good. Pop quiz. What are they? No, don't look again, you were supposed to be paying attention!

OK, I'll tell you again. The three principle causes of combat deaths are bleeding, tension pneumothorax, and airway obstruction. So your blow-out kit (/trauma kit/Individual First Aid Kit) needs to contain the necessary items to deal with those three things until better-trained, better equipped medical personnel arrive on scene to take over and get the victim to an emergency room.

For bleeding, obviously what you want to do is make it stop. (Remember, all bleeding stops - eventually.) OK, smart ass, you want to make it stop faster. There are three ways to do this. One is the old stand-by, gauze and a bandage. The blood soaks into the gauze and eventually enough of it builds up that it begins to clot. If the victim lives long enough the blood clots up completely and stops coming out.

The second way to make the blood stop coming out is what's called a hemostatic agent. All y'all nerds look at the word and explain to the rest of 'em what it means. "Hemo" for blood and "static" for "not coming out all over the interior of the HMMWV." Hemostatic agents basically make the blood clot a lot faster. There are two main brands available in the U.S.: Quick-Clot and Celox. Never mind what they are (Celox is made from Chitosan, which is made from shellfish shells, not the meat, and no, you aren't allergic to Celox. Really.), they both work pretty much the same way: they make the blood clot faster. The old versions were what is called thermogenic. Nerds? Yup, they created heat when exposed to water. Blood is mostly water. You do the math. The new versions don't do that. They are "non-thermogenic." I'm not providing training here, but basically what you do is sprinkle the stuff on. Yup, that's purt' near it. Or you pack the wound with gauze that has the hemostatic agent impregnated in it.

The third, and most drastic way to stop the bleeding is a tourniquet. Two main types of those, two: the CAT and the SWAT-T. I'm not going to go into the advantages and disadvantages of each, they both do the same thing. They squeeze a limb really tight until no blood gets through. This means two things: It can't leave the body and it can't get to the rest of the limb. So obviously you don't just put 'em on for every little scratch. Tourniquets are for the really REALLY bad wounds.

So, what do we have so far? One cause of death, two ways of dealing with it, 4 items.

• Gauze (preferably impregnated with a non-thermogenic hemostatic agent)
• bandages (to hold the gauze in place)
• non-thermogenic hemostatic agent
• tourniquet(s)

Now the second major cause of death, the tension pneumothorax. What's a tension pneumothorax? Well, I thought you'd never ask! See, it starts with a pneumothorax (wound). Nerds? Yup, right again! It's a wound that penetrates a lung and the thorax. A bit redundant, that. But no worries, it serves the purpose nicely. So once you have a pneumothorax, air can be drawn in from the hole rather than through the trachea. And that air can be trapped in the chest cavity and prevent the lung from expanding. That's when it's a tension pneumothorax.

So there are two items that deal with this. One is to prevent it, the other is to fix it. The first is called, imaginatively enough, a chest seal. It seals the opening of the wound on the chest (you may need another one on the exit wound) so the air won't be drawn in. Two common types of chest seals are the HALO and the Asherman. There are others, as well as a few ways to make a field-expedient (that means DIY) chest seal, although you may have a hard time making it actually seal when the chest is covered with blood. Keeping in mind that I'm not intending to actually train you here, you basically slap a chest seal on and make sure one corner of it doesn't seal. That way it seals under a vacuum (like, ya know, when the diaphragm lowers to try to draw air into the lungs) but allows air to escape (like, ya know, maybe air that escaped from the lung into the chest cavity).

The second item is a decompression needle. And I'm not even going to begin to tell you, on a blog, how to stick a needle in someone. But if you've had the proper training you insert a thick needle at a particular place and it allows any air that has already built up in the chest cavity to exit through the needle, allowing the victim to breathe again. You've probably seen this done in a movie. If you haven't had the training, you want this item anyway. Why? Well, that leads me to another subject I was gonna save for the end, but here we go:

YOUR BLOW-OUT KIT IS FOR YOU.

 Here's what I mean by that. The blow-out kit you carry is intended to save your life. That means if you have a hole in you, someone else will be treating it. And that someone else, if they know what they're doing, is going to try to use your blow-out kit to do so. Why? So they still have theirs for themselves. So even if you don't know how to use that needle, you want it to be there for someone else to use.

OK, back to stuff. What we have so far is two ways to die and six items to deal with them:

• Gauze (preferably impregnated with a non-thermogenic hemostatic agent)
• bandages (to hold the gauze in place)
• non-thermogenic hemostatic agent
• tourniquet(s)
• chest seal(s)
• decompression needle

 The third and final major cause of death is an obstructed airway. Makes sense, right, that if air can't get to the lung the body can't use it for anything? So what you have to do then is open that airway up. That generally means sticking something in there that will hold it open enough for air to get through. There are two main things you stick in there. Both of them (to no-one's great surprise, I'm sure) are called airways. One is an oropharyngeal airway and the other is a nasopharyngeal airway. Nerds? Last time I'll call on you, I promise! Yep, one goes through the mouth, the other through the nose, and into the pharnyx. I'm still not training you here, so I'm not gonna tell you how to use these either. But you want to include one of them in your blow-out kit.

Now, we've covered the three main causes of combat deaths and the 7 items you need to include in your blow-out kit to deal with them. But we're not finished, Dear Reader. Oh no we're not, because there are other things you really want to have in there. Shears, for example. Even the good ones are pretty cheap, so don't skimp. The really cheap ones bend rather than cut. You need shears to cut away clothing or gear that might be in the way.

And gloves. Nitrile (rubber), not latex, 'cause some people have an allergy to latex. But you need them to protect the victim (even if it's you) from whatever might be on the responder's hands, and the responder from whatever infectious diseases the victim might have.

And that's pretty much a barebones blow-out kit.

• Gauze (preferably impregnated with a non-thermogenic hemostatic agent)
• bandages (to hold the gauze in place)
• non-thermogenic hemostatic agent
• tourniquet(s)
• chest seal(s)
• decompression needle
• airway
• shears
• nitrile gloves

 Does that mean that's all a blow-out kit should contain? No. That's the very very basic version. If you're going to carry supplies to help other people, why not throw in some other things? Like glucose tablets to help diabetics, or quick-release aspirin to help heart-attack victims. Don't lard it up too much, though, since the more stuff you have the harder it is to find what's necessary. The blow-out kit is supposed to be pretty much just the basics.

Now, how to contain all this stuff? Well, if you're just putting it in the trunk of your car, pretty much any good, durable pouch will do. If you're going to be wearing it, you definitely want something removable. ITS Tactical has one that attaches to MOLLE vests by a pair of quickly-removable sticks. Here's another way to do it. It's held on by Velcro and you simply pull it off. Either way, a kit on someone's back or side isn't easy to access when they're lying on their back.

And that pretty much covers it. Any questions?

P.S.  In another post we'll have our team medic address in a little more detail how to use some of this stuff.

Breaking Bad News to Clients

Here's an article from a guest blogger on the site of a partner organization of ours that covers some of the ins and outs of private investigator-client relations. We can't always give them what they want, and they don't always understand why that is.

- An investigation is just that - an investigation, not an evidence-gathering expedition. Maybe the husband isn't cheating, maybe just not that week. Maybe the employee isn't stealing. Maybe the claimant really is injured.

- No plan survives first contact with the enemy. Maybe the subject exits the back door, maybe he makes a train crossing just in time, maybe any one of a thousand things beyond the investigator's control get him out of sight and you have to tell the client you lost him.

Just go read the whole thing.

3EI/3EIFRU BLAZING THE WAY AND SETTING THE STANDARD IN THE INDUSTRY.

 

For the past few weeks the 3EI crew has been busy. We have had our hands full with running down fugitive files, PI cases, as well as training and bringing in new clients. Yet somehow we manage to do it all. Now when i say training I dont mean from the book training. I have a saying i got from the military. "Train like you fight, fight like you train"  Not only does our crew do this but most of us have other jobs we work as well. So, that being said anybody else that tells you they can't do this work because they dont have the time is blatently lying.  One thing I have learned from the Army and life. People when motivated properly can accomplish almost anything. However, people can accomplish anything they have a passion for. I love what I do, when we suit up and go out I;m not going to work.

Keep that in mind when you drag yourself through your daily routine. Ive worked 48 hours straight on this job and didnt even notice how long it had been until I got home.

Also I'd like to welcome the newest rookie to the team, Knucklehead. Time to put your money where your mouth is and show the crew your motivation and passion for this kind of work.

We don't set the standard, we are the standard.
That is all

-REBEL-

 

 

CAN'T PROTECT OR SERVE: HOW MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES ARE LEFT VULNERALBE

A Denver 9News report on June 4 stated that, the “Denver Police Department show a 69% increase in overall crime at medical marijuana dispensaries, most notably a 75% increase in burglaries compared to this time last year. That spike in crime could be explained by an increase in the number of places that sell medical marijuana.”

What 9News didn’t discuss was the serious gap in protection that is being denied the legal matrix of the marijuana business which has become a target for gangs and organized crime. Because of its value on the black market marijuana can easily be sold for large profits and nearly impossible to be retraced to its rightful and ‘legal’ owner. Even if found, marijuana is a product that won’t be returned to its rightful owner.

The recent surge in crimes committed against marijuana dispensaries has occurred all over Denver. Several involved murder; many have left the community in fear. Like any store or bank dispensaries are targets. “The numbers of places licensed to sell marijuana products has reached 400 in Denver and include more than the 375 Starbucks coffee shops statewide, according to the Post.” But unlike stores or banks, marijuana dispensaries cannot request any police involvement in guarding their stock.

These recent crimes aren’t just limited to the dispensaries themselves. 9NEWS partners at the Denver Post report 1 in 41 people in Denver are registered medical marijuana patients. Also left vulnerable are the growers. On the night of Saturday, May 26, just before 2 a.m., Richard Nack was shot and killed at his home where he grew medical marijuana.

Like fugitive recovery or private investigations, the use of civilian security companies can fill a gap where the police departments cannot go. On a business level there are certainly money gains to be made. But in the big picture, civil securities can provide much more in this legal quagmire—a return to safety in our communities where the local police are forced to ignore. In essence, we may be the only protection marijuana dispensaries and the local communities that surround them can ask for.

Things Investigators Need to Have Authorization for to Obtain

Here is a list of some common things that private investigators are not allowed to get without signed authorization or other official court order:

Medical Records

HIPAA, which was enacted in 1996, protects your medical history and medical records from prying eyes. There are federal and state laws against obtaining medical records without authorization.

Credit Reports

Individual credit reports are protected by the Fair Credit Report Act (“FCRA”), Driver’s Privacy Protection Act(“DPPA”) and Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (“GLBA”). Private investigators can obtain credit reports, but a signed authorization or waiver from the subject of the inquiry must be obtained to get a credit report.

Bank Records

The Right to Financial Privacy Act prohibits financial institutions from disclosing bank records or account information about individual customers to governmental agencies without 1) the customer’s consent, 2) a court order, 3) a subpoena, 4) a search warrant, or 5) other formal demand, with limited exceptions.

Telephone Records / Cell Phone Records

In January 2007, President Bush signed the Telephone Records and Privacy Protection Act of 2006, which makes it a felony to fraudulently acquire telephone records. If you are the owner of the phone, it’s a different story, but you cannot access someone else’s phone records without permission.

Travel Records

Obtaining travel records for someone other than yourself can be done through the U.S. Department of State, provided that you have a notarized consent, court order or other legitimate document, but there is no way to publicly or legally obtain these records without permission.

Birth Certificates

Each state government has its own set of rules about obtaining birth certificates, but in general, birth certificates can only be obtained by the person named on the certificate, immediate family members or next of kin. In many states, records more than 100 years old are part of the public domain.

Red and Chopper en route

A brief read on concealed carry

erson I talked to about his or her first time to carry was nervous and self-conscious. Before you step out, make sure you know exactly what your state’s laws are regarding where you can and cannot carry, how you carry, and if you will need a license or permit to carry. Federal law does not allow you to carry a gun into federal buildings such as post offices, courthouses, polling stations, law enforcement offices, and jails or prisons. This is a universal law and federal law restricts you from carrying your gun into these places. So don’t take it! Also, pay close attention to the laws regarding establishments that sell alcohol. It is illegal in most states to carry a gun into a place that sells only alcohol or more alcohol than food.

With his shirt down, you will not be able to see a thing.

Before heading out, you will want to make sure that your clothing choice is comfortable, allows you to access your firearm quickly, and conceals it properly. In Texas, it is illegal to have a gun showing; not even an imprint of a gun is legal. An imprint occurs when you can see the outline of the gun underneath your clothing. Make sure your clothes cover it properly and completely. A wardrobe malfunction can get you into trouble.

You might think that everyone is staring at you and that everyone knows you are carrying a gun. It is normal to feel this way, but don’t worry. No one knows! They are all too preoccupied doing their own thing to worry about what you are doing.

To help ease some of the tension you may be feeling, I have asked many concealed carry veterans for tips and tricks to make your first time to carry more comfortable.

Plenty of people told me that smaller guns in pocket holsters are what they prefer. One concealed carry old-timer says, “One thing I learned carrying a gun over the years—the longer I carried a gun, the smaller it became.” Another agrees, “I conceal carry every single day and carry my small .32 in my front pocket without any added “gun junk.”

Along those same lines, I heard quite a bit of “It’s better to have something than nothing.” If your gun is too big and cumbersome to carry, you are less likely to carry it. Therefore, it is fine to carry the smallest caliber you feel comfortable using for self-defense.

Another important factor is how comfortable your holster is. Here is my journey in finding the perfect holster. Believe me, if you are not comfortable in your holster, you will not be carrying it, “the best holster is the one you forget at times you have a gun on.”

Make sure your gun does not imprint.

In Texas, concealed means concealed. You want to make sure you keep your gun covered. This requires the right holster and the right clothing. One concealed carry veteran says, “Make sure your weapon isn’t visible.” Many who have pared down their carry weapons from large frame to small frame say they did so because it just became too hot to wear jackets to cover the large guns like a full-sized 1911. For example, one person who carries says, “I carried a J-frame .38 Airweight. This is still one of my favorite guns to carry, but not too much fun to shoot. I could throw it into a front pocket in a decent holster and no longer had to have extra clothing to cover the firearm.”

A retired police officer who carries says, “Keep your driver’s license and your permit in the exact same location.” Do not leave the permit at home!

If you have been carrying for a long time, what do you suggest for newbies?

Slicing Pie

Found this little read, enjoy

It is late at night and a noise coming from across the house rouses you from your sleep. Your wife wakes up too and whispers to you that she thinks someone is breaking in. Your heart rate increases dramatically while all the blood from your extremities rushes to your vital organs—triggering your fight or flight response. The adrenaline feels like a drug as your breathing increases and pupils dilate. You quickly regain control of your thoughts and tell your wife to run into the bathroom with the phone and lock the door. You quietly reach into your drawer and grab your .45 caliber handgun and your flashlight—time to go and see what’s what.

Burglaries in the Home Can Happen at Any Time

For most people, this scenario is one of the most dangerous things you will ever do. Slipping through your home in the middle of the night to confront an unknown threat is not only hazardous it’s potentially deadly. Some would argue that the best thing you can do in this situation is try to escape, or lock yourself away and wait for the police to eventually show up and write a report. While I have nothing but respect for the impossible job the police are burdened with, in most cases, they simply can’t get there fast enough. If you live in a rural area, it may take half an hour for a squad car to arrive in your driveway. It is my opinion that the best course of action is to clear the house yourself, and eliminate the threat. The burglar may only be there for your television, but they are going to have to get through you to take it. In most places in the United States, you have the right to protect your property without having the obligation to attempt to flee.

Unfortunately, the majority of people who buy a gun for home defense take it to the range once, and never really learn how shoot it. An even larger majority never learn how to fight with it. There is a lot more to gunfighting than just hitting a stationary target at 10 yards. When moving around a corner, deploy a basic maneuver call slicing the pie. The concept is simple, and it can save your life. The idea behind slicing the pie is that your target has minimal time to react to your presence before you get a chance to fire your weapon. To traverse a corner, simply do the following:

• Approach the corner as close to the wall as you can get without rubbing up against the wall and making noise. Giving away your position is the last thing you want in this situation.
• Put your eye on the corner and remember that the apex of the corner is your pivot point.
• Take a horizontal step away from the wall. Keep your elbows close to your body and don’t let anything poke around the corner ahead of you.
• Pause and scan the slice of the pie. Between each step taken, you should scan from the floor at the corner to the ceiling—scanning each slice in a vertical motion.
• Lean slightly toward the direction you are stepping to allow your head and eyes to be the furthest object, allowing you to see your target before he sees you.
• Shoot with either hand, if you can, using the hand closest to the direction you are moving.
• Do not cross your feet, since this is not a very stable stance for shooting. Remember that you may have to fire your weapon at any moment.
• Always point your firearm where your eyes are looking. This will allow you to react more quickly than if you have your firearm at low ready. Arms extended or high-compressed ready are both good options. With high-compressed ready, make sure that your non-firing hand is behind the plane of the muzzle.

This little maneuver is identical to the way police and military personnel traverse corners in tactical situations. Performing this act alone isn’t always the safest option, but if you have no other choice, you should at least do it correctly.

Tac-Med

Blow Out Kit information
3EIFRU members each carry a blow-out-kit. Below is a link that will teach you whats in it and what is needed

http://www.itstactical.com/medcom/medical/developing-a-blow-out-kit/

3EI has picked up a new case surveillance 24/7 for the next two weeks. This has been initiated by a celeb that can not be named. This is what we do cater to those who have specific need for our services with confidentiality and true ethic. POW!@ Proprio Sulla Bocca!!!