Thinking of practical first aid, there are several courses available at the local community college- any one taken courses similar to this? I'd like to broaden my knowledge on basic medical care, and wound treatment- but at the same time not throw money away.

I worked as an EMT, phlebotomist, and medical assistant when I was younger, and I think an EMT course would be more valuable than getting a degree in nursing.

If you can stabilize someone, you can always look up long term care protocols in medical books, assuming there are any around. We are talking about something akin post apocalyptic situation, right?

So if anything, get some fairly "down and dirty" street wound skills!

I would invest in some medical books as well, even if they are a little outdated. Anatomy hasn't changed and disease processes, outside of childhood diseases , colds, and influenza, can't be committed to memory.

I had basic and surgical medical classes when I worked as a volunteer in red cross. In most of the charity organizations like red cross volunteers would receive free medical training which may be crucial for saving life of the people.

I was a lifeguard when I was younger, so I had lifesaving, CPR, first aid, etc.

My dad wouldn't let me have a little boat of my own till I passed senior lifesaving (he thought I wouldn't do it). I got my little sailboat!

I have only had the classes I was taught in boot camp.

They were pretty basic, but did have good info on CPR, stopping bleeding and treating shock.

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Hope for the best, but plan for the worst.

NRA Certified Instructor for Basic Handgun and Personal protection in the Home.
V.F.W. Life Member
NRA Member
U.S. Army Veteran

Advice from a ER nurse at a Level three Trauma Center:

Got find and complete a certified first responder course. A certified first responder is a person who has completed forty to sixty hours of training in providing prehospital care for medical emergencies. They have more skill than someone who is trained in basic first aid but they are not emergency medical technicians.

A good place to start...

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Cry tomorrow, today we have work to do.

actually i am planning to enroll on practical first aid in my locality..not in school but in red cross itself..much cheaper i guess if you invite friends as well to join you..

Take the Basic EMT or First responder classes.
The Basic EMT class I took covered delivering babies in emergency conditions.
Might be a valuable skill post-Schumer.

It also covered things like gunshot and knife wounds.

Some good reading on this topic is:
"Where There is no Doctor"
This is NOT EMS training. It is down and dirty 4th world stuff.
The series is available online in PDF or you can order the hardcopies.

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"Life is what you make of it friend" ~ Linda Hunt in Silverado
"When one is in danger of being mobbed by squadrons of passionate Zulus, one shot stops are entirely satisfactory." ~ Jeff Cooper

The book that Imaginos mentioned can be found at Amazon.com here:

http://tinyurl.com/ybo5fk8

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If it's in your pack, but you don't know how to use it...it's useless. So, always test your skills as a form of preparation...Don't wait until your life depends on it. That's a lesson you don't want to learn the hard way.

The local YMCA usually offers first aid and live guard classes. I took CPR classes there before the kids were born. I don't remember much now, but I felt a little more prepared then. Give them a try. I don't think they are very expensive either.

Sam
Medical Insurance