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As a responsible CHL holder, I want to take a class learn how to save lives (possibly my own) during an emergency (shooting or other emergencies such as auto accident). In addition, I need to purchase an emergency first aid kit. Can someone recommend a good course and kit?

Check first with your county hospital district regarding a shooting sports first aid or similar class. This is a course available here in Montgomery county and is free, but they really want you to ensure 10 or more folks attend to justify the typically required after-hours time and effort. The primary focus of the class is of course on treatment of puncture wounds to minimize or stop bleeding until medical professionals can provide further treatment. One thing that a firearms instructor who had worked in the oil and gas industry once said struck home with me, "all leaks eventually stop, but it is usually easier to live with if we stop them sooner rather than later".

First... take a basic life saving class from a red cross certified instructor, including CPR and AED.
Now that you have some of the fundamentals..... the hard part is finding a class tailored to the shooting community that goes into detail about treating penetrating wounds, including hands-on time with tourniquets, seals, dressings, etc. And maybe one that covers a few things about mindset and tactics of dealing with such medical emergencies in an unsecure or even "hot" environment.

http://lonestarmedics.com/courses/
Specifically...
http://lonestarmedics.com/field-tactical-med-lab/

I took an abbreviated class with this guy a few weeks ago, excellent.

IFAKs and larger FAKs for the car, etc. depend on the types of problems you think you may encounter. I have a Boo-Boo kit in the car, next to a penetrating trauma kit for more serious injuries. There are also good belt pack and ankle holster kits available.... it really will depend on what you feel the need to plan for. A basic penetrating trauma kit should include gloves and scissors (or Benchmade 7 knife), a tourniquet (IMO the best choice is a SOFTT-W, but I'm not a medical professional so, feel free to disagree) and a battle dressing (Israeli or other). If you have the space, add Hemostatic powder and/or z-fold gauze with hemostatic agent, a pair of chest seals (suggest HALO) and some extra gauze. If you don't have the training to use this stuff, get trained. It's still good to have it on hand, to give over to someone who does have the training but not the gear.

RoyGBiv I am planning on taking the Lonestar guys Medic 1 course in April. Only problem is the OP is listed as being in El Paso, not for sure he wants to drive to Fort Worth. I'd have to agree with looking at local hospital or Red Cross for some stuff. May not be exactly what you want but they could get you some useful stuff still. Then you might want to look in New Mexico as well since there would be potentially closer teachers for the specific gun related/tactical first aid stuff. Crazy thing is you could take classes in California that would be closer than some in the Dallas area.

RoyGBiv wrote:First... take a basic life saving class from a red cross certified instructor, including CPR and AED.
Now that you have some of the fundamentals..... the hard part is finding a class tailored to the shooting community that goes into detail about treating penetrating wounds, including hands-on time with tourniquets, seals, dressings, etc. And maybe one that covers a few things about mindset and tactics of dealing with such medical emergencies in an unsecure or even "hot" environment.

http://lonestarmedics.com/courses/
Specifically...
http://lonestarmedics.com/field-tactical-med-lab/

I took an abbreviated class with this guy a few weeks ago, excellent.

IFAKs and larger FAKs for the car, etc. depend on the types of problems you think you may encounter. I have a Boo-Boo kit in the car, next to a penetrating trauma kit for more serious injuries. There are also good belt pack and ankle holster kits available.... it really will depend on what you feel the need to plan for. A basic penetrating trauma kit should include gloves and scissors (or Benchmade 7 knife), a tourniquet (IMO the best choice is a SOFTT-W, but I'm not a medical professional so, feel free to disagree) and a battle dressing (Israeli or other). If you have the space, add Hemostatic powder and/or z-fold gauze with hemostatic agent, a pair of chest seals (suggest HALO) and some extra gauze. If you don't have the training to use this stuff, get trained. It's still good to have it on hand, to give over to someone who does have the training but not the gear.

I have taken 2 courses with Caleb, he is an outstanding instructor. Planning to take another in Jan or Feb. Roy, were you in the class with me at Panther City last month?

Bitter Clinger wrote:I have taken 2 courses with Caleb, he is an outstanding instructor. Planning to take another in Jan or Feb. Roy, were you in the class with me at Panther City last month?

I crashed a HiTS class at Dallas Pistol Club where Caleb did a compressed tac-med class on Day 2 (I wasn't available for the shooting stuff on Day 1, unfortunately). It was exactly all the missing pieces for me, just too short a time (about 6 hours). I'd like to take his Hunters Medicine course...

Looking at course descriptions.... If I was starting from zero, his Medic 1, 2-day class looks pretty good. Covers CPR/AED too...
http://lonestarmedics.com/medic-1/

TacMed makes IFAKs for the military and law enforcement. They sell to civilians too. Among other things, they developed their own type of Israeli Bandage. They are a fairly new company, but have been very successful and grown very large. Probably one of the best companies for IFAKS.

RoyGBiv wrote:

Bitter Clinger wrote:I have taken 2 courses with Caleb, he is an outstanding instructor. Planning to take another in Jan or Feb. Roy, were you in the class with me at Panther City last month?

I crashed a HiTS class at Dallas Pistol Club where Caleb did a compressed tac-med class on Day 2 (I wasn't available for the shooting stuff on Day 1, unfortunately). It was exactly all the missing pieces for me, just too short a time (about 6 hours). I'd like to take his Hunters Medicine course...

Looking at course descriptions.... If I was starting from zero, his Medic 1, 2-day class looks pretty good. Covers CPR/AED too...
http://lonestarmedics.com/medic-1/

I just emailed Caleb about the upcoming Medic 1 class on April 2nd-3rd, 2016. My wife and I would like to attend, but we have a grandson due to enter this world on 4/2, so there is some chance that we could get called away from the class for the delivery. I asked him if we could raincheck our registration fees if we register in advance but have to leave, or can't come at all. Waiting to hear back from him.

There is a class called Emergency First Response taught through PADI (the scuba certifying organization). It really is a good course.

You can do much of the initial work online and then the hands on stuff later. Check with 5 star divers there in El Paso.

Best wishes to you.

Thank you all for the wonderful info. I will be checking them out.

Keep hearing extremely good reviews of all of Caleb's at Lonestar Medic courses. Plan to take one in 2016.

Had hoped to take before late January (none currently scheduled) due to our travel to Israel and the West Bank areas, where stabbings and gunshots are unfortunately too common. Like occurring every day for the past four months! Have prepared two compact specialized IFAK I'm carrying, each with a SWAT-T TQ (which can be used as a pressure dressing), two Quickclot Sponges, Chest Seal, two pair Purple Nitrile gloves, EMT shears (in RED, not black...since the IDF running to the scene of these incidents tend to shoot anyone holding things that may be mistaken as a knife). These IFAK will fit into jacket pockets - plan to have with me the entire trip. Have NOLS Wilderness First Aid, as well as the Red Cross Basics, CPR, AED, etc. Trying to go in prepared and eyes open.

One thing that I failed to mention - the first responder services are extremely good throughout Israel (...lots of practice) and response times are better than in the US for much of the country. My IFAK is hopefully not needed, but I will not go and stand watching someone bleed-out for lack of very basic supplies and fairly straightforward knowledge.