BLACKHAWK! Products Group, known worldwide throughout the law enforcement and military community as a tactical gear company dedicated to developing and manufacturing the best gear “as if someone’s life depended upon it”, proved it again in the fall of ’07 with the release of the Integrated Tourniquet System (I.T.S.) pants. Now, BLACKHAWK! completes the outer layer of clothing with the addition of the I.T.S. shirt complete with four integrated tourniquets.
Sixty percent of battlefield injuries are to the extremities and tragically ten percent of those injuries will prove fatal. With only minutes to stop the rapid loss of blood to an extremity, the lifesaving integral tourniquets allow for the individual or a team member to immediately access and operate the tourniquets. BLACKHAWK!’s I.T.S. pants and shirt meet the eight United States Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR) requirements for weight, size, easy-of-use, cost, and application. The I.T.S. system was developed by a former military surgeon, Dr. Keith Rose, and BLACKHAWK!’s R&D division to incorporate the life saving devices in clothing worn by operators and soldiers on the field or in the street. The tourniquets are always present and can be applied with a single-handed operation. The tourniquets can be immediately activated with a quick flip-pull-twist motion and lock down safely and securely. In the new I.T.S. shirt the four tourniquets are located on both sleeves on the upper arms as well as the lower arms offering primary protection for the brachial artery and distal placement at the wrist. The lower tourniquet can be adjusted to the wound site. The functionality of the I.T.S. components is not affected by the normal wear and care of the garment. It also features a zippered waistband pocket for safe stowing of money or important items, an elastic cord loop on the left hand chest pocket to hang glasses securely, and a concealed collar button. Like the I.T.S. pants, the new shirt has comfort built in for all day wear. The shirt will be available mid-year 2008 and has an MSRP of $79.99 in black or khaki. |
