Control the Bleed, Master the Wound

This session is designed for EMTs, paramedics, and prehospital professionals who operate in emergency, wilderness, disaster, and other resource-limited environments. It provides practical, field-ready strategies for bleeding control and wound management when standard equipment or timely transport may not be available. Attendees will review evidence-based irrigation techniques, the effective use of hemostatic agents such as chitosan, kaolin, and hydrogels, and realistic approaches to field wound closure using adhesives, staples, sutures, and bioactive dressings like medical-grade honey. The session also covers the role of local anesthetics in the prehospital setting, indications for antibiotic prophylaxis, and how to determine when a wound is appropriate for primary closure versus delayed management. Using the MARCH algorithm as an operational framework, the session emphasizes triage, prioritization, and decision-making under austere conditions. Participants will leave with actionable, field-tested techniques to manage bleeding and wounds effectively when evacuation is delayed, resources are scarce, or disaster conditions strain conventional EMS response.