We first mentioned counterfeit Combat Application Tourniquets back in 2010, and they had already been a problem for awhile. Recently, there has been a rash of these fake products showing up in various supply chains of law enforcement and first responder agencies. For example, this clinical bulletin was issued a few years ago by the New Hampshire Department of Safety.
Our friends at CTOMS conducted three tests in which they self-applied two counterfeit Combat Application Tourniquet (E-CAT or Element CAT) and one real C-A-T to a healthy thigh. Continuous Doppler ultrasound was conducted to assess the distal pulse. Tourniquets were tightened until failure or it was too painful to continue to tighten.
While this video is a few years old, it demonstrates how dangerous counterfeit tourniquets are.
According to North American Rescue, they’ve identified six different counterfeit CATs. While this link offers a great comparison between a genuine CAT and a counterfeit, the simplest thing to check is the windlass. If it isn’t stiff, ask for a real one.
The bottom line is, buy your tourniquets from approved sources. The buck you save, may cost a life.
