Tactical First Aid Training

Lesson 1 • Casualty Assessment Overview

Introduces the rapid primary survey adapted for tactical environments. Links systematic assessment to immediate life-threat identification.

Lesson 2 • Legal and Ethical Responsibilities

Addresses duty to act, scope of practice, and documentation obligations in tactical settings. Prepares responders to act decisively within professional boundaries.

Lesson 3 • Anatomy and Physiology Essentials

Reviews circulatory, respiratory, and neurological basics relevant to trauma. Provides the physiological foundation needed to understand injury mechanisms.

Lesson 4 • The Tactical Care Continuum

Introduces the three phases of care: care under fire, tactical field care, and evacuation care. Anchors all subsequent skills to phase-appropriate decision-making.

Lesson 1 • Tourniquet Application Techniques

Teaches correct placement, tightening, and time-marking for commercial and improvised tourniquets. Emphasizes speed and proper positioning to prevent limb loss.

Lesson 2 • Pressure Dressings and Wound Sealing

Instructs application of pressure dressings to maintain packing integrity and seal wounds. Reinforces hemorrhage control as a layered, sustained intervention.

Lesson 3 • Hemorrhage Control Skill Integration

Combines tourniquet, packing, and dressing skills into timed, scenario-based drills. Builds the muscle memory and decision speed required in live incidents.

Lesson 4 • Wound Packing and Hemostatic Agents

Covers junctional and non-compressible wound packing using gauze and hemostatic agents. Connects packing technique to hemorrhage sites where tourniquets cannot be applied.

Lesson 1 • Supraglottic Airway Devices

Introduces supraglottic devices as advanced airway options during tactical field care. Prepares students to deploy these tools when NPA is inadequate.

Lesson 2 • Nasopharyngeal Airway Insertion

Covers sizing, lubrication, and insertion of nasopharyngeal airways in unresponsive patients. Connects NPA use to scenarios where manual maneuvers are insufficient.

Lesson 3 • Airway Anatomy and Obstruction Causes

Reviews upper and lower airway structures and common obstruction mechanisms in trauma. Establishes the anatomical basis for all airway interventions taught in this chapter.

Lesson 4 • Manual Airway Maneuvers

Teaches head-tilt chin-lift, jaw thrust, and recovery positioning for unconscious casualties. Prioritizes non-invasive techniques appropriate for care under fire.

Lesson 1 • Chest Injury Mechanisms and Types

Explains penetrating and blunt chest trauma, including rib fractures, hemothorax, and pneumothorax. Provides the injury-pattern knowledge needed to guide treatment decisions.

Lesson 2 • Ventilation Support Techniques

Covers bag-valve-mask use and rescue breathing for apneic or hypoventilating casualties. Connects ventilation support to airway management skills from the previous chapter.

Lesson 3 • Tension Pneumothorax Recognition

Covers clinical signs of tension pneumothorax and the urgency of rapid decompression. Prepares students to distinguish tension from simple pneumothorax under field conditions.

Lesson 4 • Needle Chest Decompression

Instructs needle decompression technique at the second intercostal space and midaxillary site. Builds procedural confidence through anatomical landmarks and step-by-step practice.

Lesson 1 • Intravenous and Intraosseous Access

Covers peripheral IV insertion and intraosseous access as alternatives when veins are inaccessible. Prepares students to establish vascular access rapidly under operational stress.

Lesson 2 • Fluid Resuscitation Strategies

Explains permissive hypotension, fluid type selection, and volume titration for hemorrhagic shock. Balances aggressive resuscitation against the risk of clot disruption.

Lesson 3 • Vital Signs Assessment in the Field

Teaches manual pulse, respiratory rate, skin assessment, and mental status checks without monitors. Adapts standard vital sign assessment to resource-limited tactical environments.

Lesson 4 • Casualty Positioning and Thermal Protection

Addresses shock positioning, hypothermia prevention, and the lethal triad of trauma. Integrates positioning and thermal management as adjuncts to fluid resuscitation.

Lesson 1 • Traumatic Brain Injury Recognition

Covers mechanisms, signs, and severity grading of traumatic brain injury in the field. Prepares students to identify TBI and adjust care priorities accordingly.

Lesson 2 • Fracture Assessment and Splinting

Instructs identification of open and closed fractures and application of improvised and commercial splints. Connects splinting to pain reduction and prevention of further vascular injury.

Lesson 3 • Spinal Injury Assessment and Precautions

Teaches mechanism-based spinal injury suspicion and selective immobilization principles. Balances spinal precaution against the need for rapid movement in tactical settings.

Lesson 4 • Eye and Facial Trauma Care

Addresses ocular injuries, facial fractures, and airway implications of maxillofacial trauma. Integrates facial trauma management with airway skills from earlier chapters.

Lesson 1 • Hazardous Material Exposure Response

Covers recognition of chemical, biological, and radiological exposure signs and decontamination priorities. Integrates hazmat response with personal protection and casualty extraction.

Lesson 2 • Heat and Cold Emergencies

Distinguishes heat exhaustion, heat stroke, hypothermia, and frostbite by signs and treatment. Prepares students to manage environmental emergencies across operational climates.

Lesson 3 • Blast and Explosion Injury Patterns

Explains primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary blast injury mechanisms and presentations. Prepares students to conduct systematic assessment after explosive events.

Lesson 4 • Burn Assessment and Classification

Teaches burn depth classification, total body surface area estimation, and inhalation injury signs. Provides the assessment framework for all burn treatment decisions in this chapter.

Lesson 1 • Triage in Multi-Casualty Incidents

Applies START and SALT triage systems to prioritize care when casualties exceed resources. Develops the decision-making discipline required in mass casualty events.

Lesson 2 • After-Action Review and Skill Sustainment

Establishes after-action review processes and sustainment training schedules for tactical first aid skills. Closes the training cycle by embedding continuous improvement habits.

Lesson 3 • Casualty Extraction Techniques

Teaches one- and two-rescuer drags, carries, and litter use for moving casualties under threat. Builds on all prior assessment skills to execute safe, rapid extraction.

Lesson 4 • Evacuation Planning and Coordination

Covers landing zone preparation, casualty handoff protocols, and communication with evacuation assets. Connects field care to the broader medical evacuation chain.