MARCH organizes trauma priorities: Massive bleeding, Airway, Respiration, Circulation, and Hypothermia. Common mistakes include delaying bleeding control, inaccessible equipment, poor wound packing, skipping airway assessment, missing chest injuries, failing to reassess, overlooking hidden blood loss, and underestimating hypothermia. Act promptly, use trained techniques, keep equipment accessible, reassess continuously, and prevent heat loss.

Equipment shouldn’t be judged only under ideal conditions, but by how reliably it performs under stress, in wet or dark conditions, with gloves, one-handed, or when damaged. Key factors include predictable failure modes, fault tolerance, practical backups, and training. Good gear is part of a system involving the user, task, environment, and operation—and is designed for the moment when something goes wrong.