01/15/2026
A police officer is shot and alone.
Can they get a tourniquet on themselves before losing consciousness?
Turns out...maybe not.
A new study simulated hemorrhagic shock in law enforcement officers to see if they could successfully self-apply a tourniquet under real physiologic stress.
These were trained officers wearing full tactical gear, using standard CATs, in a controlled environment. The results werenโt encouraging.
Under normal conditions, 10 out of 12 officers successfully applied the tourniquet. But under simulated hypovolemic shockโmimicking blood loss from major traumaโthat number dropped to 8 out of 12. One officer passed out before completing the application. Another developed presyncopal symptoms.
All failures were due to inadequate tightening, not incorrect placement. And while average application time didnโt change much (around 30 seconds in both conditions), it became clear that physiological stress (low blood pressure, increased heart and respiratory rates, dizziness, paresthesia) had a meaningful impact on success.
Interestingly, officers from tactical units (like SWAT) generally performed better, likely due to frequent high-stress training. Patrol officers had more difficulty.
So why does this matter for EMS? Because weโre often the next link in the chain...or the only one.
These findings support a push for more realistic, stress-based TQ training for LEOs, especially solo officers. This is something worth bringing up at your next joint training day or during Stop the Bleed refreshers.
Bottom line: even a well-trained officer may struggle to apply a TQ under stress. EMS should be aware, ready to assist, and advocate for better prep on the law enforcement side.
Read the full study here:
https://www.handtevy.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Evaluating-Tourniquet-Application-in-Law-Enforcement-Officers-During-Simulated-Hemorrhagic-Shock.pdf
