Tactical Decision Game - Wounded Warrior

[JimFloyd]

Copyright 2009 by James M. Floyd, Jr. All rights reserved.

Tactical Decision Games (TDG) are utilized by the military and public safety agencies as a low tech, yet effective, means of experiencing and discussing the practical application of decision making skills to situations.

Below is a TDG I created to stimulate your thinking. To participate, please read the TDG, and then make your decision, based only on the (intentionally limited) information provided, within 10 seconds. Then post a reply stating your decision and your rationale.

The goal of a TDG is not to seek "the only" or "the correct" answer but instead is intended to create a social learning environment, so please do not hesitate to participate.

Here is the scenario:

Wounded Warrior

TIME: 11:30 p.m.

PLACE: Outside on ground

WEATHER: Clear, 55 degrees Fahrenheit

LIGHTING: Dark

SITUATION: You are a legally armed citizen who has been involved in a defensive lethal force situation in which you have shot the attacker multiple times and he is down. However, you have been shot once in the left chest. You are bleeding heavily and are having difficulty with breathing. You have no supplies other than what you normally carry on you and are 150 feet from your vehicle. You recall that the average response time for an ambulance in Indiana is over 6 minutes.

What is your selected course of action? Make a decision within the next 10 seconds.

[Bubbajms]

Without knowing exactly where this has happened, I'm going to assume offhand that I'm at home, work, or somewhere between..

At work, in West Lafayette, I'm only about 1000 feet from the local fire/EMS station, so I'm pretty good there.

At home, there's lots of older folks around who would have heard gunfire and come running. There are 3 EMTs within a half-mile, my neighbors are all trained in first aid and have access to an AED and other medical supplies.

Depending on which way I'm going to or from work, I pass the ISP Police Post at SR43 and US65, and the police/fire in Brookston or Battleground. Chances are I'm close to ONE of them..

I've also got a full first-aid kit with lots of supplies in my everywhere-bag with a basic first aid flipbook. If I can treat myself, great, if not, hopefully I could get that stuff out for a bystander to find should I lose consciousness in the meantime..

[Rookie]

Stay as calm as possible and try to control my breathing/heart rate (which is going to be difficult considering I have a ton of adrenaline running through my system). I would use my shirt to slow the bleeding, try not to move, and hope that the ambulance arrives faster than six minutes.

[RogerB]

would be aware of my ammo situation and reload if needed. Try to control my breathing, stay as calm as possible, and attempt to slow or stop my bleeding.

Left chest wound, I'd probably start making peace with my maker too.

[indytechnerd]

Well, hopefully I was defending my family. If so, my wife will take care of me until the ambulance arrives. 14yrs as an ER nurse in trauma centers should help.

If I'm alone, sucks to be me. Dial 911 and hope I've got 6mins worth of fight left. Plug the hole with a finger and begin a rather meaningful conversation with my Savior. My only hope is that my actions resulted in a net plus, one BG down, more than one GG/innocent saved.

[Archbishop]

calling 911, which was hopefully done before the gun fight might make my wait shorter. But the key would be plugging the hole and waiting for the ambulance.

[jdhaines]

If Capable: I would grab my cell phone and dial 911, then lay the phone on the ground. Take off my shirt, wad it up, put it over the wound and turn over face down to keep heavy pressure on the wound with the shirt. Then grab the phone and try to describe what is going on.

I'm no good driving, and I couldn't hold the pressure on my chest enough with my arm (probably). Better off trying to slow the blood and wait for an ambulance.

[WETSU]

Scan, reload, call 911, stay in the fight. Then I'd apply direct pressure and hope it didn't nick a big pipe.

NONE of you mentioned keeping your eyes down range on the threat and maintaining 360 degree situational awareness.

[r3126]

Left chest - bleeding heavily. Obviously (well maybe not obviously) didn't hit the heart.

Call 911 for medical.

Very probably a lung shot - sucking chest wound. Exhale - attempt airtight seal to wound. Check for exit wound - if there, treat same. Use as much pressure as possible to slow/stop bleeding.

Treat for shock. elevate feet - try to insulate body to preserve body temperature.

Continue dialogue with your personal Supreme Being.

Keep an eye on the bad guy. If he so much as twitches, gut shoot him.

[zip]

Find a way to treat the sucking chest wound... probably with a credit card if a baggy and tape are not availible, dial 911 try to control breathing.