b. Expose the Wound. If at all possible, expose the wound first by pushing or
cutting away (bayonet, knife, etc.) loose clothing around the casualty's wound. This will
enable you to better view the extent of the injury.
(1) If clothing is stuck to the wound, do not try to remove the clothing. Cut
or tear the clothing, if possible, so that the stuck material remains undisturbed.
(2)
If there is debris in the wound, do not try to remove it from the wound.
WARNING
Do not remove protective clothing in a chemical environment.
Apply dressings over the protective clothing without exposing
the wound.
c. Check for Entrance and Exit Wounds. Examine the casualty to determine
if there is more than one wound. A missile may have entered at one point and exited at
another point. The exit wound is usually larger than the entrance wound. If there is an
entrance wound and an exit wound, both wounds need to be treated.
(1) If a missile penetrates and lodges in the body (fails to exit), do not
attempt to remove the object or probe the wound.
(2) If there is an object extending from (impaled in) the wound, do not
remove the object. Apply improvised bulky dressing material made from the cleanest
material available to build up the area around the object. This will stabilize the object
and help prevent further injury. Apply a bandage over the bulky materials to hold them
in place.
5-4.
APPLYING AN EMERGENCY BANDAGE
The emergency bandage (figure 5-1) can be used on any bleeding wound. It can
be used both as a field dressing and as a pressure dressing. The emergency bandage
consists of a sterile white pad with an elastic bandage (tail) and a pressure device used
to control the amount of pressure applied to the wound. The emergency bandage is
also known as the "emergency trauma dressing," "emergency trauma bandage," "Israeli
dressing," and "Israeli bandage." It has replaced the old field first aid dressing. Use the
following procedures when applying the emergency bandage to a wound on the
casualty's extremity.
IS0877
5-4
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