PSR ExpertPrimitive Survival Rating

Field First Aid

Bleeding control

Direct pressure remains the core of field haemorrhage control across military and wilderness medicine.

1 min readLow energyHigh reliability

At a glance

Energy investmentLow energyTechnique and materials matter more than strength.
ReliabilityHigh reliability
TimeImmediate action

Materials

  • Clean cloth
  • Improvised bandage
  • Tourniquet—a manufactured one if available; improvised only as a last resort

Steps

  1. 1Expose the wound and press hard directly on it with a dressing or clean cloth.
  2. 2For a deep wound, pack the cloth firmly into it, then keep pressing on top; do not peek repeatedly.
  3. 3For life-threatening bleeding from an arm or leg, apply a tourniquet straight away if you have one: 5–7 cm above the wound, not over a joint, tightened until the bleeding stops. Note the time and never loosen it.
  4. 4Keep the person lying down, warm and calm while you call for help.
Wilderness bleeding control kit: gauze, a bandage wound tight over a branch, an improvised windlass tourniquet, shears and clean water
Hard, held pressure stops most bleeding. For life-threatening bleeding from a limb, the tourniquet goes on first, not last.

Common mistakes

  • Removing pressure to “check” too often
  • Tourniquet used casually for minor bleeds
  • Ignoring shock

Other methods

Rate yourself

Take the PSR assessment and score this skill honestly.

Start the assessment All Field First Aid methods