1. Contra Costa County CERT - Wound Management
11/17/2018
Contra Costa County CERT Program Unit 4A – Emergency Medical Operations Bandaging and Splinting
Released: 28 March 2016
Rev. 28 March 2016

2. Wound Care Objective of wound care: Control bleeding
Prevent secondary infection
Treatment of wounds:
Clean wounds – don’t scrub
Apply dressing to wound
Apply bandage to hold dressing in place
No Hydrogen Peroxide

3. Tourniquets
Tourniquets are an effective means of arresting life‐threatening external hemorrhage from limb injury.
Their use remains a subject of much debate.
Tourniquets are often discouraged in contemporary pre‐hospital civilian trauma care.
The Combat Application Tourniquet (C-A-T), has been found to safely and effectively occlude blood flow with a low incidence of adverse events.

4. Tourniquets
Tourniquets effectively stop blood flow and all tissue beyond the tourniquet should be considered forfeited due to loss of oxygen to the cells.
Once applied, write date and time on the skin and leave the tourniquet in place.
Israeli Bandage

5. Rules of Dressing
In the absence of active bleeding, remove dressing and flush, check wound at least every 4-6 hours, redress as necessary
If there is active bleeding, redress over existing dressing and maintain pressure and elevation

6. Contra Costa County CERT - Wound Management
11/17/2018
Treating Amputations
Control bleeding and elevate part
Treat for shock if present
Save tissue parts, wrapped in clean cloth
Place in baggy w/ patient’s name, date, and time
Keep tissue cool, not frozen
Keep tissue with the victim
Duct tape to body, out of victim’s sight
Rev. 28 March 2016

7. Treating Impaled Objects
Immobilize
Don’t move or remove
Control bleeding
Clean and dress wound
Wrap

8. Guidelines for Splinting
All fracture & suspected fractures require splinting
Support the injured area
Assess color, warmth and sensation
Splint injury in the position that you find it
Don’t try to realign bones
Immobilize above and below the injury
After splinting, recheck for color, warmth, and sensation below the injury site

9. Treating an Open Fracture
DO:
Cover wound
Splint fracture without disturbing wound
Place a moist 4" x 4" dressing over bone end to prevent drying
DO NOT:
Draw exposed bones back into tissue
Irrigate wound

10. Contra Costa County CERT - Wound Management
11/17/2018
Nasal Bleeding
Causes: blunt force, skull fracture, non-trauma related conditions
Blood loss can lead to shock
Victims may become nauseated and vomit if they swallow blood
Treating Nasal Bleeding
Pinch the nostrils together, lean forward
Put pressure on the upper lip just under the nose
Use hemorrhagic nasal packing such as Celox
Rev. 28 March 2016

11. Contra Costa County CERT - Unit 4
11/17/2018
Exercise
Anyone who is unconscious is “Immediate”
Rev. 28 March 2016