The Louisiana Firearms Podcast | Episode 3 | The Medical Side of Things

Published on March 27, 2026
Duration: 44:05

This episode of The Louisiana Firearms Podcast focuses on the critical medical aspects often overlooked in the firearms community. Guest Elijah, an experienced firefighter and EMT, emphasizes the importance of carrying medical gear and knowing how to use it, drawing from real-world trauma scenarios. The discussion covers essential life-saving techniques like hemorrhage control, wound packing, and the use of tourniquets and chest seals, stressing preparedness for unexpected emergencies.

Quick Summary

Firearm owners should carry essential medical gear like tourniquets, packing gauze, and trauma shears. This preparedness is crucial because if you're ready to carry a gun for safety, you should also be ready for potential injuries. Basic medical knowledge and equipment can save lives in emergencies, making it a vital part of responsible gun ownership.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction: Medical Side of Things
  2. 00:26Meet the Hosts and Guest
  3. 00:39Why Medical Preparedness Matters
  4. 01:01Gun Owners Should Carry Medical Gear
  5. 01:20Knowledge vs. Gear: Using Medical Kits
  6. 01:54Elijah's Firefighter/EMT Background
  7. 02:11Early Career in Rural Livingston Parish
  8. 02:34Experience with MCIs and Shootings
  9. 02:47Professional Firefighting Career
  10. 03:07EMT vs. Paramedic vs. Firefighter
  11. 03:14Medical Certifications Explained
  12. 04:01Fire Trucks Responding to Medical Calls
  13. 04:12Firefighters Stabilize, Ambulances Transport
  14. 04:44CPR in a Squad Car Story
  15. 05:03Connecting Firearms and Medical Preparedness
  16. 05:24Everyday Nature of Medical Emergencies
  17. 05:43Elijah's Trauma Experience
  18. 06:03What Medical Gear Do You Carry?
  19. 06:15Brandon's Daily Carry Medical Gear
  20. 06:26Snake Systems ETQ Tourniquet
  21. 06:48Brandon's IFAK Contents
  22. 07:07Carrying Medical Gear on Person
  23. 07:24Mindset for Gunfights and Stabbings
  24. 07:51Colin's Daily Carry Medical Gear
  25. 08:15Wesley's Medical Gear Approach
  26. 08:34Wesley's Truck Medical Kit
  27. 08:48Balancing Gear and Accessibility
  28. 09:01Wesley's Full Medkit in Backpack
  29. 09:33Importance of Sterile Gloves
  30. 09:44Benchmade Knife EDC
  31. 10:00Elijah's Disclaimer and Approach
  32. 10:31Not Expecting Medical Gurus
  33. 10:39Elijah's BLS Level Duffel Bag
  34. 10:55The Core Message: Carry Something
  35. 11:12Saving a Life is Rewarding
  36. 11:22Tourniquet Prevalence in the Group
  37. 11:58War Stories to Open Eyes
  38. 12:05Guns vs. Medical Gear Spending
  39. 12:13Knowledge is Key
  40. 12:21Tourniquet Carry Discussion
  41. 12:31Applying the Mini TQ in the Field
  42. 12:43SOPs vs. Volunteer Firefighting
  43. 13:06Reason for Carrying a Bag in Truck
  44. 13:13Snake Saf Tourniquet Mention
  45. 13:17Tourniquet Usage Experience
  46. 13:30Tourniquet Width Comparison
  47. 13:52Tourniquet Research and Pressure
  48. 14:00Applying Tourniquets for Arterial Bleeding
  49. 14:17Graphic Injury Examples (HIPAA)
  50. 14:30ATV Accident and Tourniquet Use
  51. 14:57Improvised Tourniquet (Belt and Stick)
  52. 15:20The Golden Hour in Trauma
  53. 15:44Double Tourniquet Application
  54. 16:04Carrying Multiple Tourniquets
  55. 16:19Probability of Multiple Gunshots
  56. 16:30Elijah's Shooting Incident Experience
  57. 16:40Types of Shootings Encountered
  58. 17:04Gas Station Drive-By Shooting Story
  59. 17:26Trauma Activation and Response
  60. 17:36Understanding Traumatic Events and Shock
  61. 17:52Treating Multiple Gunshot Wounds
  62. 18:07Applying Chest Seals and Improvisation
  63. 18:22Improvisation with Duct Tape
  64. 18:25Brandon's Chest Seal Carry
  65. 18:37Spear Gold Ammunition Mention
  66. 18:43Improvised Chest Seal Techniques
  67. 18:54Patient Loss of Pulse and CPR
  68. 19:01IGEL and Intubation
  69. 19:05Arrival at Level One Trauma Center (AR Lake)
  70. 19:11Trauma Activation Experience
  71. 19:24Hospital Trauma Room Environment
  72. 19:37Trauma Team and Head-to-Toe Assessment
  73. 19:56Imaging for Bullet Location
  74. 20:11Body Exposure in Trauma Care
  75. 20:29Importance of Trauma Shears
  76. 20:36Exposing Wounds for Blood Sweep
  77. 20:57Accidental Self-Inflicted Shooting Story
  78. 21:24Accidental Shooting Scenarios
  79. 21:30Dry Firing and Gun Cleaning Safety
  80. 21:57Fireman's Accidental Shooting Story
  81. 22:19Know Your Gear, Know Your Actions
  82. 22:30Top Medical Items to Carry
  83. 22:33Trauma Shears vs. Other Gear
  84. 22:45Civilian Carry Considerations
  85. 23:20Top 3 Essential Medical Items
  86. 23:36Using Clothes as Medical Supplies
  87. 23:53Improvising Medical Gear in the Woods
  88. 24:14Medical World Improvisation
  89. 24:36Gauze for Packing Wounds
  90. 24:45Common Cuts in Gunsmithing/Shops
  91. 25:06Trauma Shears for Exposure
  92. 25:10Packed Gauze vs. Hemostatic Gauze
  93. 25:20Hemostatic Agent Explanation
  94. 25:54Hemostatic Agent in Non-Shooting Trauma
  95. 26:19Cost of Medical Supplies
  96. 26:30Improvising Packing with Toilet Paper
  97. 26:39Why Carry Medical Gear if EMS is Available?
  98. 26:56Bleeding Out Time
  99. 27:10Importance of Knowledge and Training
  100. 27:14YouTube Resources for Medical Training
  101. 27:19CPR Training Importance
  102. 27:46Airport CPR Training Encounter
  103. 28:02Forgetting CPR Skills
  104. 28:09Misconception About Breaking Ribs in CPR
  105. 28:16Effective CPR Depth
  106. 28:28Hearing Ribs Break During CPR
  107. 28:35The Feeling of Performing CPR
  108. 28:53Stopping CPR Due to Fear
  109. 29:02Importance of Continuing CPR
  110. 29:19Narrowing Down to EDC Medical
  111. 29:22CPR for the Average Person
  112. 29:35CPR Scenario: Gunshot to the Chest
  113. 29:54Checking for Pulse and Breathing
  114. 30:03Cardiac Arrest vs. Heart Attack
  115. 30:17What CPR Is: Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation
  116. 30:24BLS CPR Ratio: 30 Compressions to 2 Breaths
  117. 30:37Continuous CPR Trend
  118. 30:41Perfusion During CPR
  119. 30:59Boat Wreck CPR Story
  120. 31:15CPR's Importance in Perfusion
  121. 31:41Stopping Blood Flow During CPR
  122. 31:48Trauma Shears: Third Essential Item
  123. 31:52Exposing Wounds with Trauma Shears
  124. 32:02Body Mass and Wound Exposure
  125. 32:27Trauma Shears Above All Else?
  126. 32:38Leatherman Raptor Trauma Shears
  127. 32:40Cost of Leatherman Raptor Shears
  128. 33:17Knives vs. Trauma Shears for Cutting Clothes
  129. 33:30Trauma Shear Design for Cutting Clothes
  130. 33:48Amazon Shears vs. Leatherman Raptor
  131. 34:06Multi-Use of Trauma Shears
  132. 34:10TSA Incident with Leatherman
  133. 34:15Cutting Clothes with Shears
  134. 34:19Shears for Makeshift Tourniquets
  135. 34:31Raptor Shears Foldability
  136. 34:54Bulkiness of Cheap Shears
  137. 35:09Top 3 Takeaways
  138. 35:13Future Video Topics
  139. 35:33Demonstrating Tourniquet Application
  140. 35:39Tourniquet Application Debate
  141. 36:02Opened vs. Sealed Medical Equipment
  142. 36:11Opinion on Opened Medical Gear
  143. 36:26Working on Friends and Family
  144. 36:35The Unknown of Real-Life Situations
  145. 36:42Gun World vs. Real-Life Scenarios
  146. 37:06Training vs. Real-World Performance
  147. 37:11The Hardship of Medical Professionals
  148. 37:31PTSD and Mental Health Impact
  149. 37:42Appreciation for First Responders
  150. 37:51Medical Field Affects Individuals
  151. 37:57Summing Up the Video's Message
  152. 38:00Gear vs. Knowledge
  153. 38:09Do Your Research
  154. 38:13Louisiana Firearms Recommendation
  155. 38:15General Public Medical Preparedness
  156. 38:26Saving Lives with Medical Knowledge
  157. 38:38Importance of Carrying Medical Gear
  158. 38:41Need for Training
  159. 38:46Not a Medical Guru
  160. 38:54Appreciation for First Responders' Experience
  161. 39:01Unheard Stories
  162. 39:04Everyday Trauma for First Responders
  163. 39:06Anyone Can Be in This Situation
  164. 39:12Biggest Takeaways: Medical Gear and Training
  165. 39:16Medical Preparedness for Non-Gun Owners
  166. 39:22Training and Practice
  167. 39:28Gear in the Truck
  168. 39:37Surrounded by Prepared People
  169. 39:53Having Gear is Better Than Nothing
  170. 40:06Have Something, Get Knowledge
  171. 40:09Medical Side of Gun World
  172. 40:13Pushing for Medical Carry
  173. 40:16Friend's Tourniquet Saved His Life
  174. 40:22If You Carry a Gun, Be Prepared to Get Shot
  175. 40:33Guns vs. Medical Gear Spending Disparity
  176. 40:40Range Trips and Preparedness
  177. 40:48Medical Section in Store Idea
  178. 41:01Simple Medical Gear: Hyfin
  179. 41:04Basic Gear Recommendations
  180. 41:07Consulting Experienced Individuals
  181. 41:14Viewer Input for Future Videos
  182. 41:20Training Scenarios
  183. 41:32Trading Gun Skills for Medical Skills
  184. 41:35Medical Episode Series Idea
  185. 41:42Teaching a Noob Medical Skills
  186. 41:47Needle Decompression Demo
  187. 41:50Wesley as Guinea Pig
  188. 42:04Fear of Legal Ramifications
  189. 42:10Good Samaritan Act in Louisiana
  190. 42:25Wondering About Good Samaritan Act
  191. 42:27Asking for First Aid Consent
  192. 42:39Informed Consent for Unresponsive Patients
  193. 43:02Offering Help on the Interstate
  194. 43:26Laws Covering Assistance in Louisiana
  195. 43:34Lines of Intervention
  196. 43:42Be a Good Human Being
  197. 43:50Buy a Gun from Louisiana Firearms
  198. 43:54Outro

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the top three essential medical items for civilians to carry?

The top three essential medical items for civilians to carry are a tourniquet for severe bleeding, packing gauze for deep wounds, and trauma shears or a cutting device to expose injuries. These items provide immediate capabilities for life-threatening situations.

Why should firearm owners carry medical gear?

Firearm owners should carry medical gear because if they are prepared to carry a firearm for self-defense, they should also be prepared for the possibility of being shot or encountering someone who is. Basic medical supplies and knowledge can save lives in emergencies, whether related to firearms or not.

What is the 'Golden Hour' in trauma care?

The 'Golden Hour' in trauma care refers to the critical period from the time of injury to the time a patient receives definitive medical treatment, such as surgery. Actions taken within this hour significantly influence the patient's chances of survival and recovery.

What is the Good Samaritan Act in Louisiana regarding medical aid?

Louisiana's Good Samaritan Act protects individuals who voluntarily provide emergency first aid to someone in need. It shields them from civil liability, provided their actions are not grossly negligent or willful, encouraging people to help without fear of legal repercussions.

More Training & Techniques Videos You Might Like

More from Louisiana Firearms

View all →