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Looking for recommendations/suggestions on a good first aid course to take. As an instructor, I want to be as prepared as possible should things go bad at the range.

I saw a comment in a magazine article about a BLS course - Basic Life Support - and found one through the Red Cross called "Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers". It seems to be a good option, but I'm not sure if the "for Healthcare Providers" indicates it's not really what I'm looking for.

Any thoughts?

Can't say enough good things about Lone Star Medics:

http://lonestarmedics.com/lsm-schedule/

BLS is a good course -- for what it is. It doesn't really get into traumatic wound care (stopping the bleeding) or dealing with sucking chest wounds. For shooting sports activities you may want to pursue a course designed to address these topics. In our county, the Montgomery County Hospital District conducts a shooting sports wound care class and it is free. This is a reasonably basic class with a lot of good information -- particularly for the price. I have also attended two other more extensive training sessions with other providers and got more hands-on experience in them.

Funny this comes up just now. I was looking for TECC training recently and hadn't been able to finish my search... subscribed.

Plus 2 for Lone Star Medics

Deb & I took their traumatic first aid class last year both of us recommend it.

I recently took a First Aid class given by an American Heart Assoc certified instructor. Locations vary so you have to go to their web site to look them up. This one was at the Georgetown EMS building. It was pretty good, lasted four hours and included some hands-on exercises. Certification lasts two years and you get a wallet card verifying your proficiency.

tomneal wrote:Plus 2 for Lone Star Medics

Deb & I took their traumatic first aid class last year both of us recommend it.

I saw a "Dynamic First Aid" and a "Range Response" class listed on their website. The Range Response class is described as "If you are a firearms instructor, range officer, a match director, or just someone that spends their weekend out on the range; this course is for you! " I think I'll send them an email about a schedule; I didn't see this course listed on their up-coming calendar.

Thanks for the tips. I knew this group would come up with a good answer.

[Pre-paid legal service] provided all of their instructors a Tactical Combat Casualty Care 8 hr course for free last year. I had previously taken a similar course a few years before. This goes ways beyond American Red Cross basic courses and are highly recommended. Having said that, Lone Star Medic is a great a great class to take.

Lone Star Medic puts on a good class. But, it made me realize that 8 hours of training is not enough.

He spent a good amount of time on heat related problems - which is probably a lot more common on the range than a gun shot wound. But, he also covered bleeding, chest wounds, and sprained/broken limbs.

Having done the Texas LTC thing for almost 20 years now, I can say we have never had a gun shot wound on the range. (And hope we never do!)

But, we have had a diabetic related fainting, a couple of bee and wasp stings, more than a few heat related problems, and more slide bites than I can count. (Only one requiring further medical attention. Who knew you could manage to get a slide bite bad enough to need stitches?)

So, the class is good. Definitely better than nothing, and probably more attuned to your needs than a standard Red Cross First Aid class. But, still not enough, unless you practice what you learned.

Bitter Clinger wrote:Can't say enough good things about Lone Star Medics:

http://lonestarmedics.com/lsm-schedule/

I agree. I took their Medic 1 course. I would highly recommend his classes.

Try looking at a CERT class. I really learned a lot in there and the final drill is always challenging.

Community Emergency Response Team

It's a FEMA course put on through the fie department.

Bitter Clinger wrote:Can't say enough good things about Lone Star Medics:

http://lonestarmedics.com/lsm-schedule/

Exactly. Take their 2-Day "Medic 1" class. I am a much better prepared person for having done so.

ktfiend wrote:Try looking at a CERT class. I really learned a lot in there and the final drill is always challenging.

Community Emergency Response Team

It's a FEMA course put on through the fie department.

CERT is a good program, but it's very remedial first aid. Great if you've never had anything but a bit lacking.