Post by Cartwright on Jul 1, 2008 9:17:22 GMT -5
PURPOSE
The Combat Lifesaver (CLS) is a non-medical Marine who provides emergency care as a secondary mission as his primary (combat) mission allows. The combat lifesaver may also assist the combat medic in providing care and preparing casualties for evacuation when the combat lifesaver has no combat duties to perform.
Normally, one member of each squad, team, crew, or equivalent-sized unit will be trained as a Combat Life Saver.
A major advantage of the combat life saver is that he or she will probably be nearby if a member of their squad or team is injured. It may take a combat medic several minutes or longer to reach the casualty, especially if there are several other casualties and/or the medic is at another location. The combat life saver is trained to provide immediate care which can save a casualty's life, such as stopping severe bleeding and administering intravenous fluids to help control shock.
TASKS
Combat life saver skills are a bridge between the self-aid/buddy-aid (first aid) skills, including the Marine health maintenance (preventive medicine) tasks, given all soldiers during basic training and the medical training given to the combat medic.
The combat life saver is proficient in all buddy-aid tasks and can perform other tasks that are medical in nature and would normally be performed by the combat medic, such as providing care to a frostbite casualty, treating trench foot and generalized hypothermia, and initiating an intravenous infusion (I.V.) as treatment for hypovolemic shock.
Although the combat lifesaver is trained to perform certain medical tasks, he or she is not trained in all of the tasks that a combat medic performs. For example, the combat medic is trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while the combat lifesaver is only trained in performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Self-Aid-Buddy-Aid-Tasks
Clear an object from the throat of a conscious casualty
Perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
Put on a field dressing, pressure dressing, and tourniquet
Apply a dressing to an open chest wound
Apply a dressing to an open abdominal wound
Apply a dressing to an open head wound
Prevent shock
Splint a suspect fracture
Give first aid for burns
Recognize and give first aid to heat injuries
Administer first aid to a nerve agent casualty
Transport a casualty using a one-man carry
Transport a casualty using a two-man Tactical Extraction Device
Transport a casualty using a two-man carry or an improvised litter
Protect yourself against heat
Protect yourself against cold
Protect yourself against biting insects
Protect yourself against diarrhea and dysentry
Practice personal hygiene to maintain fitness
Combat Life Saving Tasks
Evaluate a casualty
Initiate an intravenous infusion (I.V.) as treatment for hypovolemic shock
Measure and monitor a casualty’s pulse
Measure and monitor a casualty’s respiration
Apply a compression cuff to splint a fractured limb
Apply a compression cuff to stop an arterial or venous bleed
Apple a compression cone to a partial or total amputation
Apply a compression cap to stop a bleed from an open head wound
Insert an oropharygneal airway in an unconscious casualty
Administer first aid to chemical agent casualies
Identify and treat cold injuries and give first aid for frostbite
Manage combat stress reaction (battle fatigue)
Administer stimulants
Transport a casualty using military vehicles
LOADOUT
The combat lifes aver carries the Advanced Medical Kit (aid Bag) containing supplies for dressing wounds, splinting fractures, initiating intravenous infusions, and treating certain minor problems such as the common cold.
The combat lifes aver's aid bag (with contents) weighs a little over nine pounds and occupies about 0.44 cubic feet. The combat lifes aver must be familiar with the contents of his aid bag and how they are used.
During combat, the combat life saver will need to be resupplied rapidly as his supplies can be quickly depleted. The combat life saver can obtain additional supplies from combat medics, from mobile aid stations, APC medical kits or other nearby medical treatment facilities, and from ambulances evacuating casualties.
The Combat Lifesaver (CLS) is a non-medical Marine who provides emergency care as a secondary mission as his primary (combat) mission allows. The combat lifesaver may also assist the combat medic in providing care and preparing casualties for evacuation when the combat lifesaver has no combat duties to perform.
Normally, one member of each squad, team, crew, or equivalent-sized unit will be trained as a Combat Life Saver.
A major advantage of the combat life saver is that he or she will probably be nearby if a member of their squad or team is injured. It may take a combat medic several minutes or longer to reach the casualty, especially if there are several other casualties and/or the medic is at another location. The combat life saver is trained to provide immediate care which can save a casualty's life, such as stopping severe bleeding and administering intravenous fluids to help control shock.
TASKS
Combat life saver skills are a bridge between the self-aid/buddy-aid (first aid) skills, including the Marine health maintenance (preventive medicine) tasks, given all soldiers during basic training and the medical training given to the combat medic.
The combat life saver is proficient in all buddy-aid tasks and can perform other tasks that are medical in nature and would normally be performed by the combat medic, such as providing care to a frostbite casualty, treating trench foot and generalized hypothermia, and initiating an intravenous infusion (I.V.) as treatment for hypovolemic shock.
Although the combat lifesaver is trained to perform certain medical tasks, he or she is not trained in all of the tasks that a combat medic performs. For example, the combat medic is trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while the combat lifesaver is only trained in performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Self-Aid-Buddy-Aid-Tasks
Clear an object from the throat of a conscious casualty
Perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
Put on a field dressing, pressure dressing, and tourniquet
Apply a dressing to an open chest wound
Apply a dressing to an open abdominal wound
Apply a dressing to an open head wound
Prevent shock
Splint a suspect fracture
Give first aid for burns
Recognize and give first aid to heat injuries
Administer first aid to a nerve agent casualty
Transport a casualty using a one-man carry
Transport a casualty using a two-man Tactical Extraction Device
Transport a casualty using a two-man carry or an improvised litter
Protect yourself against heat
Protect yourself against cold
Protect yourself against biting insects
Protect yourself against diarrhea and dysentry
Practice personal hygiene to maintain fitness
Combat Life Saving Tasks
Evaluate a casualty
Initiate an intravenous infusion (I.V.) as treatment for hypovolemic shock
Measure and monitor a casualty’s pulse
Measure and monitor a casualty’s respiration
Apply a compression cuff to splint a fractured limb
Apply a compression cuff to stop an arterial or venous bleed
Apple a compression cone to a partial or total amputation
Apply a compression cap to stop a bleed from an open head wound
Insert an oropharygneal airway in an unconscious casualty
Administer first aid to chemical agent casualies
Identify and treat cold injuries and give first aid for frostbite
Manage combat stress reaction (battle fatigue)
Administer stimulants
Transport a casualty using military vehicles
LOADOUT
The combat lifes aver carries the Advanced Medical Kit (aid Bag) containing supplies for dressing wounds, splinting fractures, initiating intravenous infusions, and treating certain minor problems such as the common cold.
The combat lifes aver's aid bag (with contents) weighs a little over nine pounds and occupies about 0.44 cubic feet. The combat lifes aver must be familiar with the contents of his aid bag and how they are used.
During combat, the combat life saver will need to be resupplied rapidly as his supplies can be quickly depleted. The combat life saver can obtain additional supplies from combat medics, from mobile aid stations, APC medical kits or other nearby medical treatment facilities, and from ambulances evacuating casualties.
