Reviewed By: Friedrich Seiltgen
Copyright © 2023
Joe Dolio has published Volume 5, “First Aid,” of his “Tactical Wisdom” series. Dolio’s tagline, if you will, is “Tactical Training with a Biblical Foundation.” The series is preparation for what’s coming, and in some places, it is already here. If you haven’t kept up with this series, there’s still time to prepare, maybe, but the hour is very late.
JOE DOLIO
Let’s review Dolio’s bona fides. Joe Dolio is a USMC Veteran with over 20 years of experience in the protection industry. He has served both as an investigation professional and a Personal Protection Specialist. He draws from the experience and training gained over his career to develop the “Tactical Wisdom” book series. In addition to still working in the personal protection field, Joe is an NRA-certified defensive firearms instructor, a KyoSaNim (instructor) in the Korean martial art of Tang Soo Do, and a Krav Maga instructor. He also draws on his avid outdoorsman and hunter skills in this series.
“TW-05 FIRST AID”
The fifth installment of the “Tactical Wisdom” series is “First Aid.” Joe writes his books from a Without Rule of Law (WROL) perspective, and as Dolio states, “You’re Already in a Collapse.”
In “TW-05 First Aid,” Joe covers basic first-aid procedures that can occur during civil unrest, grid down, or natural disasters. As he has said, First Aid should be the first preparedness skill you learn because you can use it today. Having some skills and supplies will save lives.
Dolio covers first aid procedures in a WROL situation. You can’t just call for help and have the paramedics arrive. Joe points out that during civil unrest, police and paramedics were kept out of no-go zones and could not reach victims. The skills taught in “TW-05″ can also help you stay alive in a natural disaster.
You also need to be trained in using these items ahead of time. The day the WROL situation arrives in full effect is not the time to learn how to use all that first-aid kit you bought!
Joe starts with the basics and builds on them throughout the book, and the training standard at the end of each chapter summarizes the learning objectives.
THE BASICS
Dolio focuses hard on the basic skills needed for a WROL situation. The problem Dolio brings up is that the majority of first-aid manuals concentrate on being able to receive advanced care within the first hour after injury, aka the “Golden Hour.”
In a WROL world, that’s not going to happen. You are on your own, and he states that “the treatments in the book might seem contrary to medical advice, but they are effective.”
Another issue Joe brings up is the number of people buying first-aid supplies to treat gunshot wounds without knowing how to use them. At the beginning of his first-aid training classes, Joe asks for a show of hands of anyone who has been in a gunfight (nobody). Then he asks for a show of hands of people who have fallen (everybody). Obviously, Joe focuses on the basics. Basics include choking, wounds, bites and stings, muscle, bone and joint injuries, field sanitation, and more.
MEDICAL KITS
Dolio goes through the list of several types, including a Bleed Kit, an Individual First-Aid Kit (IFAK), a Vehicle First-Aid Kit, and a Team Aid Kit. Remember that you should already carry some first-aid equipment on your person and vehicle. Accidents happen, whether a vehicle accident, negligent discharge at the range, or an active shooter. As I write this, an active shooter situation is ongoing in Lewiston, Maine. The last report I read was that 60 people were shot, with 22 dead. Think about the need for first-aid supplies and training in that city.
MEDICATIONS
Also included is a medication list. You should assemble a stockpile of various over-the-counter medications, as well as prescription medications, for members of your team.
INITIAL ASSESSMENT
To treat a casualty, you must first know what’s wrong, but before that, you must ensure that the scene is secure. A scene safety assessment is a must before starting treatment. Is the location still hot, filled with the bad guys? Are there power lines down? Are there fires burning? If so, you are going to have to make a decision before treatment. You can’t help anyone if you get injured or killed in an unsafe scene.
For the initial assessment, Dolio recommends the MARCH algorithm.
- Massive Hemorrhage/Bleeding Control
- Airway Management
- Respiration Management
- Circulation/Shock Management
- Head Injury/Hypothermia
TOURNIQUETS
Joe covers the application of tourniquets. Simply put, the proper use of a tourniquet saves lives. Law enforcement agencies across the United States now issue IFAKs and extra tourniquets that LEOs carry on their person. The result has been a sharp increase in victims being saved. Get tourniquets, and Joe will teach you how to use them.
SPECIAL GUESTS
Dolio invited some special guests to share some insight into real-world first-aid applications. The section from Arctic Nurse was particularly informative. The Arctic Nurse is a rural nurse who has worked at the “literal frontiers of human habitation.” He pulls no punches and tells the readers that preventative medicine should be your focus, as fixing problems before you need medicine is easier than when you do.
He recommends making up “ABC” cards with basic patient information for you and your family. These cards can be handed to medical professionals when treating you. They are information on your Allergies, Basics, and Conditions, much like the paperwork you fill out at the hospital.
This information will make a big difference in your treatment. If you cannot communicate with the medical team, they will have to make some assumptions about treatment that may harm you.
THE “TACTICAL WISDOM” SERIES
The “Tactical Wisdom” series is a must for anyone serious about preparing for what’s coming. Written in an easy-to-read and understandable format, “TW-5” breaks it down for those who know little about First Aid and is an excellent refresher/update for those who do. The “Tactical Wisdom” series books are just the right size to fit in a ruck for reference in the field.
Even if you have prior experience with First Aid, “Tactical Wisdom 5” can show you some new techniques that can help get you up to speed.
Pick up several copies for yourself and your friends, and make sure you have hard copies of all essential books, as the internet is being purged of works such as these as we speak.
That’s all for now, folks! Please keep sending in your questions, tips, and article ideas. And as always – “Let’s Be Careful Out There.”
Friedrich Seiltgen is a retired Master Police Officer with 20 years of service with the Orlando Police Department. He conducts training in Lone Wolf Terrorism, Firearm, and Active Shooter Response. His writing has appeared in RECOIL, FloridaJolt.com, Off Grid, SOF, The Counter Terrorist Magazine, American Thinker, Homeland Security Today, and The Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International.
Contact him at [email protected]