Trouble Defense / Field guide 01
Gunshot wound first aid.
What can you do before the ambulance arrives? This gunshot wound first aid guide uses the emergency steps below, or take an online class to learn how to recognize severe bleeding and respond.
Online class by U.S. LawShield Institute · Trouble Defense referral link
01 / Emergency steps
While help is on the way
Every gunshot wound needs emergency care, and gunshot wound first aid is about buying time safely until EMS arrives. There can be serious injury inside the body even when you see very little blood.
Call from safety
Stay away from an active threat. Call 911 from a safe place, or point to one person and ask them to call. Give the exact location and tell the dispatcher someone has been shot.
Control heavy bleeding
Once it’s safe to help, press gauze or a clean cloth firmly against severe external bleeding. Keep steady pressure. If an object is stuck in the wound, leave it in place and press around it.
Watch their breathing
Stay with the person if it’s safe. Keep them warm. If they stop responding and aren’t breathing normally, tell the dispatcher immediately and follow their CPR instructions.
What counts as severe bleeding? Blood that spurts, keeps flowing, or quickly forms a pool is a warning sign. If someone has been shot, call even if you see none of these signs.
02 / Online class
First Aid for
Gunshot Wounds
If you opened this gunshot wound first aid guide to prepare, start here. U.S. LawShield Institute’s online class introduces how a gunshot injury affects the body, what first aid tools are used, and how to prepare for practice. You can start without a medical background.
- Learn on your phone or computer.
- Revisit the material with lifetime access.
- Earn a certificate of completion.
U.S. LawShield InstituteOnline training
$34.95
One-time course purchase
Enroll in the online classEnroll on the provider’s website using Trouble Defense’s referral link. Trouble Defense may earn a commission.
03 / Frequently asked
Gunshot wound
first aid questions
For general gunshot wound first aid learning only. For someone who has been shot, call 911.
Do I move someone who has been shot?
Not unless their current position is unsafe. If you must move them, move as little as possible and stop heavy bleeding first if you can.
What if I don’t know first aid?
Call 911, keep the person safe, and follow the dispatcher’s instructions. If you can do so safely, press a clean cloth firmly against severe bleeding.
What if I can’t see the bleeding?
A gunshot wound can have a small entry and a more serious internal injury. Call 911 even if you see no obvious blood. Do not try to find a bullet or move clothing that is stuck to the skin.
Does a tourniquet belong on the chest or abdomen?
No. A tourniquet is for a limb. For bleeding from the chest, abdomen, or other areas, call 911 and use direct pressure until responders arrive.
What should I tell the dispatcher?
Start with the exact location, then the number of injured people and whether bleeding is severe. Stay on the line and follow the dispatcher’s instructions.
04 / Prepare your team together
Prepare your team together.
Gunshot wound first aid practice is more effective when the people around you know the plan. Keep a kit nearby, show them where it is, and learn the basics before an emergency.
05 / Local training
Want to train together?
Trouble Defense offers firearm and safety training in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC. Get in touch to discuss a group class or a custom training event.
Sources and further reading: Stop the Bleed American Red Cross U.S. LawShield