Tactical Decision Game - Wounded Warrior

[JimFloyd]

Copyright 2009 by James M. Floyd, Jr. All rights reserved.

Tactical Decision Games (TDG) are utilized by the military and public safety agencies as a low tech, yet effective, means of experiencing and discussing the practical application of decision making skills to situations.

Below is a TDG I created to stimulate your thinking. To participate, please read the TDG, and then make your decision, based only on the (intentionally limited) information provided, within 10 seconds. Then post a reply stating your decision and your rationale.

The goal of a TDG is not to seek "the only" or "the correct" answer but instead is intended to create a social learning environment, so please do not hesitate to participate.

Here is the scenario:

Wounded Warrior

TIME: 11:30 p.m.

PLACE: Outside on ground

WEATHER: Clear, 55 degrees Fahrenheit

LIGHTING: Dark

SITUATION: You are a legally armed citizen who has been involved in a defensive lethal force situation in which you have shot the attacker multiple times and he is down. However, you have been shot once in the left chest. You are bleeding heavily and are having difficulty with breathing. You have no supplies other than what you normally carry on you and are 150 feet from your vehicle. You recall that the average response time for an ambulance in Indiana is over 6 minutes.

[FONT=&quot]What is your selected course of action? Make a decision within the next 10 seconds.[/FONT]

 

[Bubbajms]

Without knowing exactly where this has happened, I'm going to assume offhand that I'm at home, work, or somewhere between..

At work, in West Lafayette, I'm only about 1000 feet from the local fire/EMS station, so I'm pretty good there.

At home, there's lots of older folks around who would have heard gunfire and come running. There are 3 EMTs within a half-mile, my neighbors are all trained in first aid and have access to an AED and other medical supplies.

Depending on which way I'm going to or from work, I pass the ISP Police Post at SR43 and US65, and the police/fire in Brookston or Battleground. Chances are I'm close to ONE of them..

I've also got a full first-aid kit with lots of supplies in my everywhere-bag with a basic first aid flipbook. If I can treat myself, great, if not, hopefully I could get that stuff out for a bystander to find should I lose consciousness in the meantime..

 

[Rookie]

Stay as calm as possible and try to control my breathing/heart rate (which is going to be difficult considering I have a ton of adrenaline running through my system). I would use my shirt to slow the bleeding, try not to move, and hope that the ambulance arrives faster than six minutes.

 

[RogerB]

would be aware of my ammo situation and reload if needed. Try to control my breathing, stay as calm as possible, and attempt to slow or stop my bleeding.

Left chest wound, I'd probably start making peace with my maker too.

 

[indytechnerd]

Well, hopefully I was defending my family. If so, my wife will take care of me until the ambulance arrives. 14yrs as an ER nurse in trauma centers should help.

If I'm alone, sucks to be me. Dial 911 and hope I've got 6mins worth of fight left. Plug the hole with a finger and begin a rather meaningful conversation with my Savior. My only hope is that my actions resulted in a net plus, one BG down, more than one GG/innocent saved.

 

[Archbishop]

calling 911, which was hopefully done before the gun fight might make my wait shorter. But the key would be plugging the hole and waiting for the ambulance.

 

[jdhaines]

If Capable: I would grab my cell phone and dial 911, then lay the phone on the ground. Take off my shirt, wad it up, put it over the wound and turn over face down to keep heavy pressure on the wound with the shirt. Then grab the phone and try to describe what is going on.

I'm no good driving, and I couldn't hold the pressure on my chest enough with my arm (probably). Better off trying to slow the blood and wait for an ambulance.

 

[WETSU]

Scan, reload, call 911, stay in the fight. Then I'd apply direct pressure and hope it didn't nick a big pipe.

NONE of you mentioned keeping your eyes down range on the threat and maintaining 360 degree situational awareness.

 

[r3126]

Left chest - bleeding heavily. Obviously (well maybe not obviously) didn't hit the heart.

Call 911 for medical.

Very probably a lung shot - sucking chest wound. Exhale - attempt airtight seal to wound. Check for exit wound - if there, treat same. Use as much pressure as possible to slow/stop bleeding.

Treat for shock. elevate feet - try to insulate body to preserve body temperature.

Continue dialogue with your personal Supreme Being.

Keep an eye on the bad guy. If he so much as twitches, gut shoot him.

 

[zip]

Find a way to treat the sucking chest wound... probably with a credit card if a baggy and tape are not availible, dial 911 try to control breathing.

 

[Hammer]

call 911 if not already on the way, shoot bad guy one more time just for the hell of it. Treat the wound accordingly and pray heavily.

 

[dburkhead]

Call 911 on my cell, if I haven't already, "shots fired" and "gunshot wounds" should get the ambulance and police on the way as quickly as possible. (Note: in research I did for my webcomic, I learned that if the ambulance arrives first in such a situation, they will wait, usually a bit of distance away, until the police arrive before approaching the scene.)

Note: the person at the other end (or someone they may transfer me to) may have instructions relevant to my staying alive until help arrives. If so, follow directions. Otherwise:

Blood loss and shock are my biggest worries, so clamp a hand over the wound and press hard. No mention was made of an exit wound, so I'll presume the bullet is still inside.

I keep the phone line open and report each action as I take it. Using my off hand, cut/tear my shirt into the makings for a bandage to tie over the wound (note, I normally have a Leatherman on my belt so this is not a problem). Tie it as tight as possible and apply as much pressure to the wound as possible to attempt to staunch the bleeding. Depending on how much strength I have, I make my way to my vehicle (usually either an SUV or a Wagon). Inside the vehicle I will be out of the elements (first treatment for shock: keep the victim warm). My daughter likes to ride with a blanket draped across her lap, so there is a blanket in the car I can cover myself with (more keep the victim warm). I can also lay in the bed in the back with my feet up on the seat backs (second treatment for shock, elevate the feet.) So long as I'm not suffering from nausea, I can drink some of the water I keep in the car which might help a little in restoring some of the fluids I've lost and might mitigate the shock.

And then I wait until help arrives.

 

[dburkhead]

Scan, reload, call 911, stay in the fight. Then I'd apply direct pressure and hope it didn't nick a big pipe.

NONE of you mentioned keeping your eyes down range on the threat and maintaining 360 degree situational awareness.

I went with two presumptions:

1) bleeding to death is a very, very high priority to deal with and you don't have a lot of time.
2) If the bad guy is still in the fight, or can become so, after being shot multiple times, with a .45 ACP (my primary carry gun), then I'm SOL anyway.

 

[mikea46996]

Neutralize badguy (I would rather be judged by 12 then carried by 6).

Call 911.

Use my training as a first responder to stabilize myself and control bleeding, try to remain standing or prop myself up wanting to raise the wound as high as possible.

Pray!!

Call my mother and tell her I love her.

If the EMTs haven't gotten there by now try to place my head between my legs so that I can kiss my ass goodbye!

 

[Hammer]

I can drink some of the water [/U]I keep in the car which might help a little in restoring some of the fluids I've lost and might mitigate the shock.]

Big no no here. If you have called 911 and they are on the way with the injuries described, do not drink anything. The injuries sustained may allow the fluid to enter the body cavity in which it may cause infection from not being sterile. Also thirst is a symptom and should be reported to the EMS crew upon their arrival.

 

[JimFloyd]

I'm sorry, but I can't keep quiet any longer.

In reading the replies, I am curious (and concerned) why there is tendency in this scenario to give up and prepare to die? I am going to attribute it to either a lack of knowledge or incorrect perception.

The truth is that gunshot, stab, and cutting wounds are HIGHLY survivable!

In the Point of Wounding Care course I researched and created, I teach police officers and armed civilians that in over 100,000 annual firearm assaults, at least 75% of the victims survive! Folks, if we could win 75% of every bet placed we would all be in Vegas! The Hollywood myth of instant death from a bullet is a (dangerous) misnomer.

The most common location of gunshot wounds (GSW) is the extremities, followed by the torso.

The priorities of care are the A, B, C's

1. You must have an Airway.
2. You must Breathe (which means sucking chest wounds must be treated).
3. You must have Circulation (which means you must control bleeding).

If you are still conscious, still breathing, and still feeling pain, that means you are still alive. If you do not die immediately or soon after sustaining a GSW, the odds are that the wound is survivable, especially if YOU provide emergency medical care to yourself prior to the arrival of EMS.

So, I offer two points to contemplate:

1) Many people carry a firearm for personal protection because they feel they cannot depend on a LEO to respond fast enough to save them from crime. So why would you feel that you can depend on EMS to arrive fast enough to save you?

2) FBI Special Agent Patrick in his "Handgun Wounding Factors and Effectiveness" report states that psychological incapacitation can be more devastating than physiological incapacitation. He's right. Never, ever, under any circumstance, GIVE UP!

THE MAN WHO THINKS HE CAN

by Waler D. Wintle

IF YOU THINK YOU ARE BEATEN, YOU ARE
IF YOU THINK YOU DARE NOT, YOU DON’T
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WIN BUT YOU THINK
YOU CAN’T
IT’S ALMOST A CINCH YOU WON’T


IF YOU THINK YOU’LL LOSE ,YOU’RE LOST
FOR OUT IN THE WORLD WE FIND,
SUCCESS BEGINS WITH A FELLOW’S WILL,
ITS ALL IN THE STATE OF MIND


IF YOU THINK YOUR OUTCLASSED, YOU ARE
YOU’VE GOT TO THINK HIGH TO RISE
YOU’VE GOT TO BE SURE OF YOURSELF
BEFORE YOU CAN EVER WIN A PRIZE.


LIFE’S BATTLES DON’T ALWAYS GO TO THE
STRONGER OR THE FASTER MAN,
BUT SOONER OR LATER, THE MAN WHO WINS
IS THE MAN WHO THINKS HE CAN.


Regards,

Jim

 

[dburkhead]

"If you absolutely must give up, do it ten minutes after you've drawn your last breath, and not a moment before."

Words of wisdom from Oliver Queen to Dinah Lance.

 

[dburkhead]

Big no no here. If you have called 911 and they are on the way with the injuries described, do not drink anything. The injuries sustained may allow the fluid to enter the body cavity in which it may cause infection from not being sterile. Also thirst is a symptom and should be reported to the EMS crew upon their arrival.

Hmm. Hadn't thought of that. The described wound location was well away from the alimentary canal, but I suppose hydrostatic shock could have damaged the esophagus.

 

[JimFloyd]

"If you absolutely must give up, do it ten minutes after you've drawn your last breath, and not a moment before."

Words of wisdom from Oliver Queen to Dinah Lance.

 

[WETSU]

Jim Floyd said: "In reading the replies, I am curious (and concerned) why there is tendency in this scenario to give up and prepare to die? I am going to attribute it to either a lack of knowledge or incorrect perception"

That why my reply was EXACTLY as I meant it. It took me less than 10 seconds to think of the reply, it took me less than 3 seconds actually. That is my standard reponse to a gunfight. Staying in the fight and keeping my head on a swivel are more important than plugging holes at that point. Solve the tactical problem first, get ready to fight again, communicate and then treat wounds. It all only takes seconds.

The "give up and die" seems to be a common thread. bro.