74novaman wrote:First off, thanks to RoyGBiv for his hard work in putting the class together, and to MedStar and our instructor for a good class.
My medical knowledge is limited. I have a first aid/CPS course under my belt, but nothing beyond that. With that background, this class was incredibly useful to me.
I now feel very confident in my ability to properly assess and work a trauma situation and at a minimum limit the damage until the real professionals get there to do their thing. I also have a good idea of what my "shooter's med kit" should look like, and will be putting one together soon based on what we learned in this class.
For 1 day and $50, I couldn't have asked for a better course. It wasn't incredibly in depth, but that wasn't the intent. If you're an EMT or a Doc....this class isn't for you. If you're the average CHL holder who would like to be a little more prepared for anything life can throw your way (an accidental shooting at the range, a car wreck, a coworker's heart attack), this is the best ~8 hours and $50 you can spend to get prepared for medical traumas.
If they hold another course, I'd highly recommend anyone who was on the fence about taking this find the time to do so. It could very well save a life.
Also, lunch was fantastic. The folks who weren't adventurous enough to wander over to the Caribbean place with us missed out on a great meal.
I found the class very much worthwhile, hats off to RoyGBiv for getting this done! Except for a one hour CPR unit in high school PE (back in the 80's) my previous education and experience was nil. The instructor was great at explaining things in layman's terms and giving real world examples of handling trauma cases. If I ever come across a trauma situation I feel I'll be able to assess and prioritize the steps to take to help stabilize a victim until EMT's or Paramedics arrive. I was expecting a bit more hands on training on the floor, per the course description: "INTERACTIVE SKILL STATIONS ( 4 rotating 30 minute stations )." All in all though I was very satisfied with the class, especially for the price. I also highly recommend the class. If anything it teaches you how to think like an effective first responder and gives you a sort of mental checklist to go through.
I have been researching FAK's in general, and trauma kits in particular, for several months. I'm glad I was able to get specific questions answered about specific items, as well as hearing the Q&A from other class members. I'll be able to put together a better all around FAK that I can keep in my car as well as a smaller trauma kit I can keep handy anywhere from a range trip, a bike ride, or wherever.
That Caribbean restaurant was great and the curried goat was amazing. Those plantain strips were pretty darn good too.