FASTER Day Two – Medical and Night Training

In Part One, I talk about the first day of the FASTER class I attended.

Day Two of our Faculty/Administrator Safety Training and Emergency Response class started at noon the second day, which turned out to be unfortunate timing: we had the medical portion of the training immediately after lunchtime.

Andy, an EMT from Denver Health with over a decade of experience walked us through a presentation on “Tactical Combat Casualty Care”, which can basically be summed up in 3 words: STOP THE BLEEDING.

Andy took us through an extensive discussion on the importance of rendering immediate first aid in a mass casualty situation. We reviewed the Columbine shooting, where the first responders established a perimeter but nobody went in for a long time, which meant that many of the victims succumbed to blood loss.

Andy dispelled the myth that tourniquets should only be applied as a last resort, and discussed the fact that, while painful, tourniquets save lives. If the blood is pumping, use a tourniquet.

We looked at the difference between arterial bleeding and junctional bleeding and how to treat both. He showed us how to pack wounds, and how to use hemostatic gauze, which actually promotes blood clotting.

We learned about sucking chest wounds and how to treat them. We watched several short videos that showed how to use tourniquets, pack wounds, treat other chest wounds and more.

Andy walked us through how to do triage. The sad fact is sometimes you can’t save everybody, so you have to save those who can be saved. The person bleeding profusely needs attention NOW, and the walking wounded can wait.

But most importantly, Andy impressed on us that anytime, anywhere, we can find ourselves in the middle of a battlefield. Whether it’s a pressure cooker explosion at a marathon, a truck running into a crowd at a festival, a bomb exploding, a highway bridge falling, a psycho or a terrorist shooting up a crowded place, we should all be prepared for anything and to be our own first responders.

To further this theme, Andy reviewed how tactics have changed in the days since Columbine. I think the new protocols have a better chance of saving lives, but I’m not going into any further details, so as not to give potential bad guys any ideas.

Andy wrapped up by commenting on the importance of this training and emphasized the point by presenting each participant with an emergency medical kit including gauze, chest seals, a tourniquet and other supplies. For myself, I resolved to put together a couple of everyday carry (EDC) medical kits to take with me to work, keep in my car and take to the range. The key to saving lives is to stop the bleeding. (And in fact, of the Columbine victims who survived, they were the ones who were evacuated and on whom they could stop the bleeding.)

By now, it’s mid-afternoon and time to head back to the range. During the next few hours, we practiced the Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) qualification. Commander Gregory was the lead instructor for this portion, managing the commands and alerting us to timing. I won’t lie. It was challenging. The qualification consists of putting rounds on target from distances of one to twenty-five yards while moving forward, backward and side-to-side, clearing various malfunctions with time limits from three to fifteen seconds. To pass, one had to score a perfect 27 (two more than are required for law enforcement).

After a dinner break, we worked on more advanced combat techniques and marksmanship drills. We learned about drawing from concealment, a “dummy drill” to correct flinching problems, cover and concealment, shooting from different positions, multiple targets and long-range shooting.

We had an extended discussion and a drill surrounding how to handle the arrival of law enforcement. We stressed the importance of telling police dispatch (911) who the “good guy (or gal)” is, what they’re wearing, and to establish some sort of identification system, suggestions for which I will again keep confidential. The instructors discussed the importance of school districts working with law enforcement to develop protocols and practice the arrival of law enforcement. We walked through an “arrival of law enforcement” drill.

In this drill, we talked about the most important aspect of how to manage the arrival of law enforcement: Obey Police Commands. As with any encounter with law enforcement, acting calmly, politely and in a non-threatening manner goes a long way. If you are holding a firearm, holster it or put it on the ground. After talking about it, we practiced it. Pretty simple.

By now as the evening was growing darker we talked about flashlights. Sergeant Dunne gave us an overview showing us various types of flashlights and techniques for using them. Then he taught us a few different methods for shooting while holding a flashlight and the advantages and disadvantages of each. We wrapped up by shooting with nothing but the ambient light. For someone who’s never shot in the dark before, this was a lot of fun and proves that lack of light can be an advantage.

Why is shooting in the dark important? Because in a shooting scenario, the power can be cut. Things can happen at night. Home invasions can happen at night. Terrorists and criminals operate in the dark. One key take-away for me: get night sights!

We finally wrapped up at about 10:00 pm. As I was driving home, I thought about the new friendships I was developing and how appreciative I was of some of the FASTER sponsors.

Aaron Boyd is an IT professional who felt the call to do something after the recent school shootings. He went on to form Bullets Both Ways, an organization and a brand dedicated to expanding protection of our nation’s schools and public gathering spaces. As a sponsor, Aaron attended all three days of the class, passed the qualification and brought cool merchandise for people to buy to support the mission. Learn more about Bullets Both Ways by visiting their website and subscribing to their newsletter.

James Webb of 1776 Roofing in Westminster stopped by on the first day to talk about his “Get a Roof, Save a Life” program whereby 1776 Roofing will donate to FASTER for each new roof they install. Visit http://getaroofgetagun.com or https://www.1776roofing.com/about/ to learn more.

Tim Hackmeyer of Dangerlee Industries is another sponsor who was a participant in the class. In fact, he and I were shooting on the same lane as members of the two relays of shooters. Tim owns a phenomenal gun shop in Elizabeth, CO and provides full service gunsmithing, custom builds, cerakote application, and of course, a wide selection of firearms and accessories. Tim further showed his support of the FASTER program by donating a custom-built AR-15 rifle to be auctioned off at the Independence Institute’s annual Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms party on August 18, which sold for over $2,000 to raise enough money to train two educators in the next FASTER class. Visit Tim’s website at http://www.dangerleeindustries.com to learn more.