TCCC vs. TECC

TCCC stands for Tactical Combat Casualty Care, and if you’re in law enforcement, the military, private security, or take your personal defense seriously, you’re probably familiar with the term. The guidelines of TCCC have informed the personal-defense community for some time, about best practices, best types of gear, and the kind of awareness and training we might need in order to be able to render aid to ourselves or our loved ones if a defensive incident resulted in a stabbing or gunshot wound.

TCCC Is Combat Specific

You can apply this knowledge to wounds outside the tactical combat realm and use it to help people injured in a bombing, building collapse, or serious car accident. But the specific importance of TCCC to understand is that it refers to combat. What we’re seeing is an emerging body of evidence that says what we need to deal with in personal-defense situations, and even in spree killings and terrorist incidents, is very different than what people have been dealing with in regard to combat casualty care. That’s where TECC comes in.

What Is TECC?

TECC stands for Tactical Emergency Casualty Care. This is designed for the aftermath of incidents such as spree killings, terrorist attacks with mass casualties, or an active shooter. When the bad guy has left the area by one means or another, it’s time to help the injured.

There are some significant differences between what we have seen in TCCC situations and TECC situations. The number one change is the importance of dealing with chest wounds and problems with the airway. With more studies to work from, self-defense concepts can and should evolve in reaction to the evidence at hand.

Additions to EDC for TECC

Adding a chest seal, or better, two chest seals into your everyday carry defensive gear is highly recommended.