How to use the NATO Tourniquet

1. Use a tourniquet only as a last resort. Do not use a tourniquet unless you cannot control the bleeding by any other means.
2. Don’t use a tourniquet for bleeding from the head, face, neck, or trunk. Use it only on the limbs.
3. Always apply a tourniquet above the wound and as close to the wound as possible. As a general rule, do not place a tourniquet below the knee or elbow except for complete amputations. In certain distal areas of the extremities, nerves lie close to the skin and may be damaged by the compression. Furthermore, rarely does one encounter bleeding distal to the knee or elbow that requires a tourniquet.
4. Be sure you draw the tourniquet tight enough to stop the bleeding, but do not make it any tighter than necessary. The pulse beyond the tourniquet should disappear.
5. Don’t loosen a tourniquet after it has been applied. Transport the victim to a medical facility that can offer proper care.
6. Don’t cover a tourniquet with a dressing. If it is necessary to cover the injured person in some way, make sure that all the other people concerned with the case know about the tourniquet. Using crayon, skin pencil, or blood, mark a large T and the time the tourniquet was applied on the victim’s forehead or on a medical tag attached to the wrist.

A. Position the TQ above the wound; leave at least 5cm of uninjured skin between the TQ and the wound.
B. You can turn the webbing two times around the arm/leg if needed.
C. Attach the end O-Ring to the middle of the TQ.
D. Twist the rod until the bleeding stops. When the tactical situation permits insure the distal pulse is no longer palpable.
E. Lock the rod in place with the last O-Ring