Airsoft first aid

[the_firing_dutchman]

Hey guys, short clip here showing a couple of injuries you can come across on the BB field.

What are the biggest mistakes made here? More importantly, what went well?


Would you be interest in a one day first responder course designed specifically for airsofters offered by those who served at the sharp end of the spear?

[McKillmore]

Re: Airsoft first aid

Owies and boo-boo's! A bit of claret is nothing a bit of bog roll and duct tape can't fix

[Tiercel]

Re: Airsoft first aid

And this is why most sites wont let you climb on things! :P Lots of trips and falls. Some seriously cool looking sites though! :D Im always worried about getting impaled on a tree branch cheap horror movie style, thankfully not happened yet!

As for first aid courses, I'm a paramedic so not for me thanks! though I can see the appeal of it to your average 'softer.

(though it does make me laugh when I see people carrying round full combat trauma kits when its not part of a milsim costume. What on earth are you planning on doing with that chest seal and pack of cannulas? All you need is a pair of gloves and maybe a dressing or two!)

[the_firing_dutchman]

Re: Airsoft first aid

Owies and boo-boo's! A bit of claret is nothing a bit of bog roll and duct tape can't fix

Excellent point. Those who think themselves adequate please deter.

- - - Updated - - -

And this is why most sites wont let you climb on things! :P Lots of trips and falls. Some seriously cool looking sites though! :D Im always worried about getting impaled on a tree branch cheap horror movie style, thankfully not happened yet!

As for first aid courses, I'm a paramedic so not for me thanks! though I can see the appeal of it to your average 'softer.

(though it does make me laugh when I see people carrying round full combat trauma kits when its not part of a milsim costume. What on earth are you planning on doing with that chest seal and pack of cannulas? All you need is a pair of gloves and maybe a dressing or two!)

Indeed. Not expecting high velocity penetrations any time soon as a BB warrior. But chest seals, H&H, combat gauze, airway management interventions do look the biz

Twists, sprains, cuts etc as shown in the video can occur. Knowledge what to do as first person on scene is wealth. I for one would like my buddies to have knowledge of what to do. But maybe even more importantly what not to do!

[blytm]

Re: Airsoft first aid

Twists, sprains, cuts etc as shown in the video can occur. Knowledge what to do as first person on scene is wealth. I for one would like my buddies to have knowledge of what to do. But maybe even more importantly what not to do!

Isn't that first aid anyway? What makes it specific for airsoft?

[Chewybacka]

Re: Airsoft first aid

In video rated no:4, I reckon as he fell he thought to himself, "oh god I hope my rifle don't break".

[the_firing_dutchman]

Re: Airsoft first aid

Isn't that first aid anyway? What makes it specific for airsoft?

Good question, well noted.


One, the situation you're playing. BB's, pyro's, an assault all may still be going on around you. When someone get's injured confusion is the rule not the exception.

Two, the severity. Contrary to household injuries someone may have tripped during a fast sprint, large burns, experienced a big fall leading to indirect fracture such as those at the base of the skull, eye trauma, collapse from dehydration, heat exhaustion or heat stroke. It is vital to recognize these and how to act fast.

Three, prolonged care. Once you've dressed the bleed, immobilised the fracture what are you going to do next? You may be at the arse end of the forest with paramedici needing time before they can take over. Once they've arrived, how do you pass over the casualty in a concise brief so the professionals have situational understanding and can crack on themselves?

Four, as seen in the video: you may have many people around you. Airsofters are all keen hands on people wanting to help, but may not have the level of training and hinder. Know how to make use of the extra hands, assign runners if comms are poor, coordinate the movement of a casualty. These things don't appear suddenly when you're in the midst of the situation. In fact, you'll sink to your lowest level of training rather than rise to the occasion.

Five, training should offer not only the right information but also the right amount. Too much information leads to lack of retention. In the same way if you learn to set ten different types of traps you're less likely to be able to remember how to set up two a year later than if you just practice setting two types of trap. A successful airsoft first aid course should teach specific knowledge that is needed on the BB field without burdening, confusing or irrelevant side steps.

Six, kit. Those will the knowledge are likely to be wanting to carry a small pouch with the relevant products. This means emphasis on training with the products specifically designed for the injuries rather than how to improvise. Chances are, contrary to civvy street, you will have the equipment on hand.

Seven, high stress. As seen above, confusion, low light, poor communications, loud noises, high physical exertion, cramped places, gats still be going off make it the sit more dynamic than one civvy street. I would expect an airsoft specific first aid course to train you up to function in these conditions - progressively. Building up the stress of coordination gradually in line with people's skills.

[colinjallen]

Re: Airsoft first aid

I suspect that you are over thinking this somewhat. In my time as a first aid trained player and marshal, I have only ever had to deal with minor cuts, small burns, twisted ankles, eye washes, minor blunt trauma etc.

We have 3-4 first aid trained marshals on the field (two of whom are military trained) and that is more than enough.

Training in dealing with agitated and trapped dear would be useful though.

[shamus5178]

Re: Airsoft first aid

[QUOTE=Training in dealing with agitated and trapped dear would be useful though.[/QUOTE]

What yous get up to on a night on the town is not airsoft related trauma

[colinjallen]

Re: Airsoft first aid

LOL Bloody auto-correct!!!! Deer, as in the animals. Stupid things seem to like getting caught up in camo netting on structures.

[aftershock]

Re: Airsoft first aid

Should see my most local site they have random quadbikers show up mid game. I had 2 a few feet from me on my respawn trespassing on the land.

I almost panic shot him as I was in my ghillie at the time

[colinjallen]

Re: Airsoft first aid

You should have nicked the quad bikes and mounted support weapons on them.

[aftershock]

Re: Airsoft first aid

Badlands airsoft havant shares a lease with a motor cross track so you get yobs on quads being awful sods haha. Jokes aside it's not what you want to see.

[the_firing_dutchman]

Re: Airsoft first aid

I suspect that you are over thinking this somewhat. .

May be so. Yet the video above still show that airsoft first aid can be much improved upon.


As for basic military first aid, don't raise it too much on the laurels. The guys I taught still took out their combat aide memoire when dealing with the simulated casualty. Individuals not in combat units even struggled putting on CAT's.