What Do I Need to Train For?
Speaking to people at the range, at social events and through this site and its associated social media pages I have come to the conclusion there is a few types of gun owners. Unfortunately many people who own or carry a weapon do not make training a larger part of their lives. When you are carrying an item capable of taking a persons life it is a serious responsibility. It also requires training to use the weapon effectively and then handle the aftermath once the weapon has been used.
We have spoken about the importance of training in the past. There are many very qualified instructors in the great State if Michigan and honestly going to any of them is better then not going. We have been doing more and more work with Brad at Patriot Defense Training due to his location and the great experience we have had with him. In our long talks between classes one of the topics that have come up repeatedly has been medical training and the huge lack of such in the CPL and EDC community.
As CPL holders and gun rights activists we often preparing for the worst case scenarios while hoping to never need to use our skills. However all to often we don’t train for the most likely of scenarios. If we are near a terrorist attack or active shooter our ability to save lives is more likely to involve our understanding of medical assistance then it is our skills as a marksman. Further as protectors of our family it would only make sense that we would want to know whatever we can learn to keep our loved ones alive in the event of a shooting or attack until help can arrive. Let’s look at some examples of what I am talking about.
On that tragic day in Boston back on on April 15th the lives of 5 people were lost, and 280 were injured. Carrying a gun on that day would not have necessarily helped those affected by the bombing. However the rush of citizens to assist the wounded saved many lives. Tourniquets were made out of shirts rags and anything people could get their hands on. If you ask people what they remember from that day Carlos Arredondo the man in the cowboy hat helping the man who lost his legs is one of the most vivid scenes. Without the help of active citizens like Carlos more lives and limbs would have been lost. Are you prepared to assist your family through such an event?
If you look at other events like school shooting mall shootings and the like in most cases there is far more wounded then killed. Of those killed it is often not a one shot kill like in the movies, the victim dies due to the delay between the shooting until the building is secured for EMS to enter. In cases like this knowing how to treat a traumatic wound and having the supplies to do so becomes a life saving skill.
Due to the recent events and lack of importance placed on medical training from the CPL community Brad at PDT has decided to encourage medical training for all of us who carry or who care for our families. From Saturday, January 25, 2014 at 8:00am till Sunday, January 26, 2014 6:00pm Brad and his team of trainers will conduct 20 hours of instruction on the follwoing topics:
- Physiological and Psychological reactions to stress and the importance of having a combat mindset.
- Basic anatomy and physiology.
- Patient assessment.
- Individual Med Kit components, carry, and employment.
- Airway management.
- Assessment and treatment of chest wounds such as pneumothorax, sucking chest wound and flail chest.
- Use of tourniquets and hemostatic agents.
- Recognition and Treatment of various injuries (Gunshot, Laceration, Burns, Orthopedic).
- Environmental injury.
- Patient movement and positioning.
- And much, much more!!!
Included in the cost of the class is a trauma kit that will include the supplies you will be trained with. This kit includes all the necessary tools to handle even severe trauma.
This is a hands on opportunity to learn. This is not just a basic classroom or YouTube level class. You will not only learn the knowledge and facts behind the tolls you will use but you will get to work with dummies and other students to get a hands on feel of what is needed. As with any class the instruction can only be as good as the teachers. Let’s take a look at who you will be learnign from. I have assembled bio’s from the lead instructors and would like to share them with you.
Will Caruso
Medical Division Lead Instructor/Program Coordinator
Will started my career as a Fire Fighter and Paramedic as a reserve Fire Fighter with the City of Ecorse in the spring of 2000. He was quickly picked up by the City of Taylor in the summer of that same year. Will would spend the next 11 years with the City of Taylor Fire Department responding to thousands of emergencies every year. During his time there he had the opportunity to serve 8 years with the Downriver Mutual Aid SWAT Team as a Tactical Medic, Will was one of two original Paramedics selected to develop the teams medical division from the ground up.
During his time as a SWAT team medic Will attended Rescue Training Incorporated’s Tactical Medic program. After the time in Taylor he moved on to the Charter Township of Northville Fire Department in the fall of 2012 where he is currently employed. In addition to working for the Fire Department Will also has spent a combined 4 years employed at different hospital systems including The University of Michigan’s Adult Emergency Department which is a regional level 1 trauma center, and DMC’s Sinai-Grace Hospital on the west side of Detroit in the ED as well.
Will’s EMS education experience began in 2005 and since then he have gone on to become a State of Michigan licensed EMS Instructor, teaching EMT and Paramedic students. In addition he is also an instructor for the American Heart Association. Will spends a great deal of his time away from the Fire Department educating all levels of medical providers including physicians, nursing staff, and EMS providers as well as law enforcement. Will’s firearm training has been not only through the SWAT Team but also with instructors such as Travis Haley, Ron Avery, as well as attending classes here with PDT. He brings tens of thousands of patient contact hours and experience blended with firearms and tactical training to create a cutting edge, fun, and very informative medical class to law abiding citizens who see the importance of being able to care for themselves, loved ones, and bystanders should they ever be faced with the task of caring for the wounded or ill.
Licenses and Certifications
- State of Michigan licensed Paramedic and EMS Instructor
- State of Florida licensed Paramedic
- Certified EMT-Tactical
- American Heart Association BLS, ACLS, and PALS Instructor
- Pre-hospital Trauma Life Support Certified-Advanced level
- State of Michigan certified Fire Fighter I & II
- Hazardous Materials operations level certified Haley Strategic Disruptive Environments-Handgun graduate
Justin Day
Justin Day was born and raised in Mason, MI. He grew up shooting and hunting the local farms, which was taught to him from his mother. Justin quickly latched onto the shooting sport and long range varmint hunting at a young age, reloading his own ammo well before he left high school. He enjoys all things outdoors. Obtained his CPL years ago, and that is where his hunger for training started and continues to drive him as a constant student to this day. Justin like most kids wanted to be a cop or fireman, but in that endeavor he fell into the medical field kind of by accident. It wasn’t until a few years in, that he realized that he was not only good at what he did, but developed an intense passion for what he was doing. That lend Justin to realize that he wanted to make a career of being the best paramedic there could be. Quickly he saw that the work that he was doing was REALLY worth doing! It continues to be very rewarding in many ways every day even after 10 years now. Justin looks forward to interactions with students as an instructor, because he has just as much knowledge to gain teaching a class as he do attending one. Justin has taken numerous classes with PDT, and have trained with Travis Hailey and Ron Avery.
Licenses and Certifications
- Current State of Michigan Paramedic
- Current CPR Instructor
- Current Pre Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) and TFR Instructor
- Current Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Instructor
- Current Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certified
- Current CPR certified
- Assist paramedic students in class with scenarios.
- Current Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certified
- Current PALS certified
- Current Tactical Causality Combat Care (TCCC) Certified
- Current NTOA S.T.O.R.M Operator certified
- Recipient of Ingham County Sheriffs Department Life Saving Award in 2012
- Various handgun, shotgun, carbine classes with PDT
- Handgun, Vehicle, Darkness with Hailey Strategic and Ron Avery
- Adaptive Carbine with Hailey Strategic and Ron Avery
With 24 years of advanced training for trauma cases and first responder scenarios you can see the value in the instruction that will be provided. Lets also take into account that as a CPL holder, Hunter, competitor or other gun related hobbyist the chance of you being near a gun shoot wound is increased. Knowing this and knowing that the life you save may be a a friend, family member or yourself it becomes imperative that you know what to do when a crisis arises.
Signups for the class is located here: https://www.facebook.com/events/774860939195881/?ref=3&ref_newsfeed_story_type=regular
Depending on your job you may even qualify for this class to be tax deductible. Even if it is not this is a class worth taking the time to go to. While the next Iphone will be replaced soon and a new HD TV is always going on sale no investment has a better return then the one you make in yourself to protect the ones you love.
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