Celox Rapid Usage
I had my own “Makeshift Monday” It was a perfect day out on the Texas coast. I’m sitting on my surfboard in the back of the line up watching head high waves break and roll towards the beach. I think to myself how awesome it is I’m surfing and not at work. After about an hour in the water, I decided to start the almost half mile long paddle back to the beach for more sunscreen and water. At this point, I notice a board floating by itself in the break. As I made my way towards it, I realize someone is holding on to the upside down surfboard with their head just out of the water. I yelled out to the man and got no response. At this point I know something is wrong. I get closer only a few feet away when I realize I’m swimming through blood. When I reach him I see a laceration on the top of his head from just above his left eye to his right ear. His eyes are open but he’s not talking or moving. It takes me a two other guys more than 20 minutes to swim him back to the beach through the breaking waves. We carry him up to the beach and call 911. Not realizing we are 10 miles away from the closest paved road in an area of the beach only accessible by four wheel drive. I ran to my backpack for my D.A.R.K mini kit, which were the only medical supplies anyone on the beach had. I ripped open the bag, put on the gloves and started filling the wound with the Celox Rapid Ribbon. Then I wrapped his head with the SWAT-T and applied pressure with an ice pack. The man was in shock and going in and out of consciousness but at least we had the bleeding stopped. More than 45 minutes passed before the EMS arrived to transport him to the hospital. From the time of his injury to the time help arrived was well over an hour.
