TrainingProduct instructions
ETQ Gen 2 instructions
Carrying, applying and replacing the ETQ Gen 2. The quick version is at the top; the reasoning is below it.
In a hurry
- Expose bare skin, two to three inches above the wound, never over a joint.
- Pull the strap as tight as you can by hand, then turn the windlass until the bleeding stops.
- Lock the windlass, write the time on the strap, and do not remove it.
The full procedure, with the reasoning behind each step, is below.
Before you carry it
Open the packaging and handle the tourniquet before it goes into a kit. Thread the strap through the buckle and back through the inside ring, tighten it on your own thigh, and turn the windlass until it is uncomfortable. Then put it back the way it came. A tourniquet you have never touched is one you will be reading instructions for at the worst possible moment.
Practise on a trainer, not on the one you carry. Repeated tightening cycles are exactly what a tourniquet you intend to rely on should not have had.
Applying the ETQ Gen 2
The sequence is the same as for any windlass tourniquet. The full step-by-step, including placement decisions and self-application, is in the guide linked in the sidebar.
- Expose bare skin. The band cannot generate pressure through layers or seams.
- Position two to three inches above the wound if you can assess it, or high-and-tight if you cannot. Never over a joint.
- Pull the strap as tight as you physically can before touching the windlass.
- Turn the windlass until the bleeding stops or the distal pulse is gone, then lock it.
- Write the time on the strap, and do not remove it. That decision belongs to a medical professional.
After use
A tourniquet that has been used on a casualty is single-use. Do not clean it and return it to a kit. Replace it.
Watch it done
Stay calm, check your surroundings, win the fight, or get to a safe location. If anyone is nearby, direct them to call 911. Identify any major bleed, apply pressure, and if there's something sticking out of the wound, do not attempt to remove it. Open up your tourniquet and put it around the limb. Place the tourniquet in between the wound and the heart as high as possible, but not on a joint. Before tightening down the tourniquet, remove anything from their pockets. Make sure the rod is facing you. Pull the strap as tight as you can and secure it. You want to make sure that you can't slide your finger underneath the strap. Next, pull the rod up and then twist as many times as you can. It doesn't matter which way you turn. And then put the rod into the carabiner. You're not done yet. Open your hands over the person looking for any additional wounds. Apply an additional tourniquet to the limb or direct pressure to the torso or neck. Check their airway to make sure that it is clear. Use whatever you can to keep them warm. Severe blood loss can lead to hypothermia, even if it's warm outside. When help does arrive, notify EMS that a tourniquet has been applied.
End card: Take a Stop the Bleed class, www.stopthebleed.org. Snakestaff Systems LLC, its employees, contractors, manufacturers, suppliers and instructors assume no liability for injury or damages arising from application and use of the ETQ or ETQ Wide. User assumes all risk of liability. Take a Stop the Bleed class and receive proper training before using any tourniquet. Snakestaff Systems is not affiliated with or sponsored by Stop the Bleed; we highly recommend their courses.
Hey guys, I'm Alex from Snakestaff Systems and today I'm going to be teaching you how to fold a tourniquet. First thing, you're going to want to rip this out, give yourself a little bit of slack on the top so that way you can pull your windlass out to the side where you want it to sit. I've seen a lot of people who actually will put their windlass inside of this gate. You don't want to do that because when you actually need to use it, you have a harder time getting this out and prepared to actually be using it. So what you want to do, put it to the side like this, and all I do is I feed the Velcro through and I bring it down about the same level about where I want that windlass to sit on the side of the tourniquet. See how they're pretty level. Next thing I do is I bring back the Velcro, put them all together, and then basically fold from this point at the bottom of that Velcro all the way up, all the way down, and then all the way up one last time. Twist it all together. I give it a little twist left to right, make sure that everything is nice and tight. And you have a tourniquet.
Important safety information
This information is provided for education and is not medical advice, a substitute for professional medical care, or a substitute for hands-on training. Snakestaff Systems products are intended for use by people trained in their application.
In an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number. Follow the direction of emergency medical services and of the protocols under which you operate. Product instructions describe intended use; they cannot anticipate every situation, and clinical judgment remains with the provider.
Last reviewed 2026-08-25