Training Testimonials
5/14/2021 Mara G
Shalom
I am writing to thank you all for my experience in the Dallas STB training. My intention was merely to gain some knowledge that I could take into the next phase of my life as I look to a far more rural lifestyle. This was surpassed in the first few minutes of the training.I learned important actionable techniques in a manner that far exceeded any expectation. Excellent pool of wisdom, from messengers who are excellent, patient teachers!So grateful Refuge Medical gave me the opportunity to obtain and synthesize new information amongst others who acknowledge the importance of self sufficiency and the desire to help people when the clock is on. I may have been able to learn some of these "stop the bleed" techniques local to me, however, it likely would have been sanitized and lowest-common-denominator, rather than the superior quality of content and delivery that you offered.Again, thank you.Blessings...Mara Gross, NYC
6/13/2021 Andrew J
Just got done with your 4 hour TCCC class. And wanted to let you know Twitch is a GREAT instructor. Excellent class
6/13/2021 Todd H
I just attended your Stop the Bleed training in Paola, KS. I was really impressed with the training! The primary instructors, Stephen and Richard (Twitch) did a great job! I've been a police officer for 19 years and I learned a lot. Even techniques I would consider a refresher from my past training, were updated and more efficient. Well done! I will highly recommend this training!
6/14/2021 Tony W
My daughter and l just took the KS paola stop the bleed class and we were impressed. I didn't know what to expect it was very professionally run and the instructors did a great job. We're looking forward to setting aside some time to take the 8 hour TCCC class when available. Thanks again from Wisconsin!!!
7/12/2021 Ernie M.
TJ and crew, I just wanted to let you know that my wife and I trained 16 people so far with the knowledge and training kits we got from taking your stop the bleed in Tallahassee last month. I have two more invites the train another thirty... Thanks again for all you do. Ernie Morrow
7/23/2021 Scott P
TOOK A CLASS IN SPRINGFIELD THANK YOU VERY MUCH, LEARNED SO SO MUCH ,THE CLASS ROCKED ALONG WITH THE INSTRUCTOR TWITCH SCOTT " FOG Fn ole guy" PETERSON
8/10/2021 Rachel R
My husband and I, along with three of our children, attended your Stop the Bleed class in Cleveland, OH this morning. We went in to this class with no experience or knowledge for treating traumatic bleeding. By the time we left, we all felt confident that we could handle such a traumatic event. The instructors demonstrated confidence in their expertise and were able to teach in a way that built confidence in the attendees. Thank you so much for doing what you are doing to share this valuable, life-saving, knowledge! We are all looking forward to going to the next level! Rachel Ranck
8/12/2021 Patrick C
I wanted to message you and express my great appreciation for the instruction I received during my course today from Bear and Phelps. The training was very informative, professional, and valuable. The course was more thorough than the traditional Stop The Bleed classes, and I am more equipped to be a first responder having undergone the training. Moreover, both of these men weāre very personable, courteous, and respectful (plus hilarious with great anecdotes and stories). Bear and Phelps were class acts all the way. I couldnāt have been more proud to met two great Americans helping our society be better prepared to help our fellow citizens in first responder situations.Thank you very much,Patrick Clark
8/15/2021 Steve M
Hey Guys, I wanted to leave a review for you so hopefully this is the right place. I attended the Responder 1 & 3 Classes in Philadelphia that Bear and Phelps were so gracious to teach themselves. Day 1 was a great introduction into properly working the MARCH-E algorithm as well as practical application for each item contained in an IFAK. The attitude was relaxed yet focused and their instructors were always making us think on our feet based on the situation presented. Day 2 is where things got exciting. Between casualty extrication, critical thinking under pressure and the scenarios that we were thrown into, there was never a dull moment. Breaking a sweat, dealing with all of the external stimuli, and the constant curve balls thrown at us added a realism that made us go into autopilot. I learned what my specific responses to stress are and I now have a standard that I can build upon. Overall, THANK YOU for blessing us with the opportunity to learn these critical skills, as well as the brief Scripture discussion & Fellowship during lunch. I'll be bringing these lessons back to my Fire Department to help educate our members!
8/15/2021 Chris and Allison S.
Hi Christopher & Bear,Thank you again for an outstanding experience @ Trauma Level 1 "Stop the Bleed" in Cleveland yesterday!! My wife has been on her school's "Safety Committee" for years and we are both on our church's "Safety/Security Comittee" and tourniquets/rendering aid have never been discussed! No training has been given, IFAKs and their application have never been discussed either. It was very eye opening for us to see how quickly a mundane situation can turn deadly and how any person, with enough knowledge, can potentially help to save another's life. We may be in touch regarding the purchase of some IFAKs/Trauma kits for our schools and church in the coming months.You both did an outstanding job presenting - you were funny, involved the audience and made us feel comfortable and welcome - that is no easy task, given the course content and intensity. My wife and I are both teachers, so we "present" for a living, and we were very impressed with the quality of your program! Please tell Bear that we were glad he was able to help instruct - I personally really enjoyed it after being a YouTube follower of his for several years.I have a couple of quick follow-up questions for you and TJ:1) When attaching the Cub Pro kits to our vehicle headrests, would you and Bear recommend that it go behind the passenger's seat (instead of the driver's headrest)? I originally placed mine behind the driver's seat, but then reconsidered in the event that I need to access it to apply to myself or a passenger in need of aid.2) Where can I (we) go to leave a written review for the class?Christopher - Please share our sentiments with Bear. Meeting both of you in person in Cleveland was very cool. I'm even more of a fan of Bear and what he's doing now after talking with him in person and really appreciate the spontaneous advice he gave my wife, Allison, on self defense training. I am now planning to subscribe to his Patreon as well.May The Father bless both of you and keep you safe in your travels to Philadelphia and home again and look over your families while you are gone.We look forward to training with you again if your travels bring you far enough East across the "Blue Line." Shalom! --Chris & Allison
8/30/2021 Robert G
Hello Bear & Team:I attended the Responder I class in Philly earlier this month.Early this morning, 30 August 2021, my step-son ran into my and my wife's room. He told us that we need to come downstairs quickly. My step-daughter's boyfriend had cut his wrist open several times with a seated knife. My Refuge Training kit was still on my nightstand. I grabbed the blue tourniquet from class and followed him downstairs.I found him on my step-daughter's bed, laying on his back, unconscious. There was a large amount of blood on her desk, on the floor, and there was a towel wrapped on his left wrist. My step-son applied pressure to the left arm while I applied the tourniquet high and tight. We confirmed there was no pulse in the left arm. He had a good pulse in his right arm.We realized that he had stopped breathing. My step-son immediately performed CPR, and got him breathing again. We then covered him in blankets to keep him warm. I then pulled the mylar blanket out of my BearFAK and added that to his covering. He had gone extremely pale. We confirmed that there were no other wounds, and monitored his breathing. We kept the wounds on his wrist covered.Both my wife, and step-daughter, called 911. Due to our location, it took police and EMS 15 minutes to arrive. I was able to direct them straight to my step-daughter's boyfriend and advise that a tourniquet was applied to the left arm approximately 15 minutes prior to their arrival.EMS remarked that they didn't need to worry about bleeding control due to the tourniquet. They examined the wound and redressed it. He regained consciousness long enough to briefly speak with EMS and get into the ambulance.We received word earlier today, from his mother, that surgery was successful and he was physically stable.If it weren't for Refuge Training, and the equipment from Refuge Medical, it could have been a very different story. I just wanted to thank you all. I hope you keep going. You are making a difference in peoples' lives.Bless you,Robert T. Graney
10/26/2021 Ashley I.
I appreciated how personable, informative, and patient the trainers were - especially with those of us that didnāt have a clue what we were doing. I also appreciated the fact that we were given plenty of opportunities for hands on practice in stressful conditions and that we were redirected and encouraged, instead of berated, whenever we messed up.
11/4/2021 Mary F.
Good morning! I took the level 1 course on 10/28/2021. This course has further inspired me to continue to educate myself in self sufficiency for me and my family. I have 4 special needs boys (2 are my adult sons and 2 are my nieces sons). I am a realist, I do see what is coming and history shows that it doesnāt fair well for those with disabilities. Iām doing everything I can to ānot go where the busses areā and the education your course offered contributed to the motivating force of doing my best, but most importantly to always remember the power of prayer. I am so grateful for the course and the inspiration it has given. Thank you so much for coming to Georgia! May God Almighty bless you and keep you close!
11/4/2021 Don S.
Chris,I thank you and Twitch for a great class, ironically Joe and I arrived on the scene of a car accident not 20 mins from the class. There were no serious injuries, but I did get to practice communicating with a 911 operator while Joe assessed the injuries. The things that Twitch went over about talking to 911 were going through my head as I was talking to them and working at calming myself down. Probably one of the best aspects of the class were the drills where Twitch was inducing stress and getting us to apply our tourniquets. Thanks again.Regards,Don Shaffer
11/19/2021 Jesse H.
Christopher,Thanks again for not canceling the class as I was the only one to attend I donāt believe any other company would have done that so very much appreciated that. The class was great you guys were awesome and it was a pleasure to meet and learn from you guys.Thank YouJesse Herring
11/28/2021 Richard G.
Used my Bear fake and the training I received in Indiana this last April for 2 people involved in a car rec today.In particular I remembered what brother twitch had said evaluating and keeping them calm until a higher level of care could get there.I applied a gaze pad from the bear fak to a head would that was just bleeding a little but mainly just kept them talking well I cleard a path for the rescue squad.It was difficult because the car was turned on its side and the roof was crushed .But we got them out. The male John was air lifted to the twin cities in Minnesota and the female Rachel was taken by ambulance to a local hospital.Wild ride and I am praying for the fathers healing hands.I need more training.The local rescue was under trained and had a hard time communicating with emts and it took almost an hour 8n 28 degree weather before everyone got there and got them out.I am grateful for the training I received from Refuge Medical but I know I need more training and will get it as soon as I can afford it.
12/16/2021 Josh M.
Phelps, I wanted to send you a message Thanking You for you coming and checking on me this morning and Praying for me with Twitch and JT. šš¼ I canāt put into words how deeply that touched my heart and soul. Seeing the compassion and you genuinely caring about my health really means a lot šš¼. Also I wanted to let you know how awesome and captivating yāallās curriculum and instruction is. šš»šš» If thereās anything I can help with in the future, please donāt hesitate asking me Yāall are truly inspirational. šš¼ it was my Honor to get to know you and get taught by you and I look forward to getting to do more of both in the future. Shalom Brother Josh Morris
3/7/2022 Brandon C.
Phelps/Twitch,I wanted to say thank you to you and Twitch for doing a great job with the Responder 1 training yesterday in Tulsa. You guys know the literature well and I can tell you are both passionate about teaching this information and doing what you love to do. Thanks again for making the class hands on, entertaining, sharing close stories and keeping us on our toes. I have been to plenty of training classes and first aid that are all boring and just a bunch of PowerPoint slides. This was one of the best training classes I have been to. I appreciate the effort the entire Bear team put into the format.I have been a Bear Independent Patreon follower for over two years now. The father brought the Bear crew into my life for a reason and I am truly blessed.Hope you guys have a blessed day and thanks again for actually caring about training people and having a real passion to do so.Thank you,Brandon Cheney
4/6/2022 Ruben R.
I just want to say how I enjoyed the responder 1 training class today in Indy. I thought it was highly informative. The instructors were helpful and nice. Now I feel confident that if a incident happens I will be able to handle it.
4/13/2022 Grant L.
I wanted to reach out with a cool story. I was the guy that brought my 15 year old step-daughter to the Waco Responder 1 class and was talking to Phelps about having stop the bleed training in high schools. Well, yesterday, the day after the Waco class, my step-daughter went to school and the local police were there to teach stop the bleed in one of her classes. They asked if anyone had any training and she was the only one to raise her hand. So they asked her to help demonstrate to her class and she was also able help her classmates directly, specifically with wound packing. She was also able to speak with the Officers about the differences between their training and Refuge and they were impressed with her knowledge and training level.It was a nice little "coincidence" that helped reinforce her training and more importantly, her confidence. Praise, Yah!I don't know if this is the best way to reach out, but I hope this story makes it to the training team.Thank you,Grant Libby
5/12/2022 Z Babbs
I attended your responder one training course in Branson on May first which I thought was awesome training. Saturday I was rear ended by a motorcycle, they went airborne, and landed in the median; because of your training I was able to not freeze up. I immediately assessed my passenger, my girlfriend who was unharmed praise yah, then got out of the car, grabbed my aid bag, and began doing a blood sweep on both of the people from the motorcycle. The driver had multiple broken bones in his right leg, was unconcious, but was still breathing with no bleeding. The passenger was unconcious with broken bones on nearly the whole right side of her body as well as a broken left arm, she was not breathing, had blue lips (a condition I found out is called cyanosis which I knew was an indicator of insufficient oxegyn in the blood), but still had a pulse with no major bleeding. I started doing chest compressions on her and had to trade off with another woman at the scene. While the woman was doing compressions the passenger vomited and started breathing again with agonal breathing (so I'm pretty positive she had closed pneumothorax) . The passenger ended up succumbing of her injuries on Monday night in the hospital.I guess why I'm sending this email, other than a conviction from the father, is to say thank you for all that every single member of refuge medical and refuge training do and that you all are the hands and feet of the father. Thank you for the training that I was given that helped prepare me to buy some time for two severely injured people. Although I did not have to conduct any bleeding control measures, the stress inoculation from training was indispensable for me along with all the knowledge that you passed on to me. I can't wait to take responder three when I get the opportunity to.At the end of the class, twitch and Phelps both asked for suggestions to improve training as well as what was valuable. My suggestion to add to the curriculum would be information on possible psychological effects after attempting to render aid, especially after someone you attempt to help ends up passing. I know that sending this email is helping me cope with the things I saw and some of the feelings I still have.Thank you for listening, have a blessed day, keep kicking ass in the Father's name.
6/18/2022 Jonathan B.
I attended the essential responder class in Atlanta. It was a life changing event. Thank you for the service you do as far as that, however the greatest service provided was a half hour conversation I was able to have about followers of Yeshua observing Torah. The infusion of your faith into the training moves this training to eternal impact.
Thank you
7/7/2022 John Billy R.
We were heading east bound on Hwy 24/27 in Moore County N.C about a mile east of Hwy 705 when a small sedan crossed lanes and hit the sedan directly in front of me. By the grace of the father we barley missed the two cars. I was driving a SUV with a fully loaded 6' x 12' trailer in tow with my wife and toddler in the SUV. Thank the most high we did not hit those two cars. We were able to stop about 60 meters from the first car I grabbed my military surplus ifac from the back of my SUV I do not own a bearfac at this time but I did take your stop the bleed class last year in Nashville TN with Twitch, Brother Richard and his wife when I made it to the first car the Driver was coherent and had no visible signs of injury thank the Father. I then went to check on the second vehicle that Driver also had no visible injury's but was very confused EMS took over when they got there thank the Father it was not worse. Although I did not have to render aid I'm very thankful for your class I was able to act quickly and decisively thanks to y'all's training I cannot thank y'all unuf for the training I hope to take lvl 3 next year y'all are doing God's work thank you again
7/11/2022 Tamara and Bear D.
Taking a few minutes today to say thank you for the abundance of blessings I received from your organization. It exceeded all my expectations and I grew in leaps and bounds in restoring belief within myself and working as a team with my service animal Bear.I want to give credit to the Father for sending me on this journey and seeing fit to let our paths cross. By the grace of the Father, I am getting stronger and rebuilding.Thank you Christopher (Phelps) for welcoming me and introducing yourself to me. Thank you Twitch for extending the opportunity to me to take this class, even though it was full and I had $50. Thank you for the porch chats with Bear and witnessing true people of God, the Father.May the Father Bless you all abundantly and continually. You do amazing kingdom work and it was the safest place I felt in a long time.I hope that in the near future I will be able to take the Responder II course.Until our paths cross again, Shalom.
7/18/2022 Wendy C.
I am so incredibly grateful to God for Refuge Medical. We took your class in Gainesville, GA. We brought 2 of our employees with us. One of our employees was injured this weekend at his home by a new hand gun exploding when he fired it. It injured his finger with lacerations but it took out a chuck of skin in his foot/ankle area and he began to bleed severely his tourniquet was in the car. He called 911 and grabbed a towel to cut off bleeding when he decided to hobble to car close by to get his tourniquet, the ambulance pulled up and asked him what was he doing! He told them he didn't know how long they were going to be, so he taken this stop the bleed class and his tourniquet was in his car. The bleeding was pulsing with his heart beat like you said it could. He was really glad he took the class because it prepared him to take what happened seriously and gave him a plan. He stayed frosty during the whole thing. Thank you Refuge!! He has 9-12 stitches in his foot and some stitches in his finger but he is alive and kept his cool... AND HIS appendages. You guys are awesome!!! Praising the Most High God!!! We gave him our shop wound care bucket, that thing is GREAT!!! Ordering 2 more today. You guys make a difference, thank you!
8/25/2022 Deb M.
Dear Refuge Medical:What a transformational experience!Thank you so much for the excellent training in your Responder 1 and Responder 2 Courses in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, this week.I have had an IFAC sitting on my dresser for a few months now and had no real way to utilize the materials it contains before this training. I was pleased upon my return home to see that I had properly staged my tourniquet as per your training video on Bear Independent, but I would not have had the confidence to use it without the practice your training program provides.The Refuge Medical TeamTwitch is an amazingly knowledgeable, engaging, and skillful presenter. His genuine enthusiasm and authentic commitment to this program reveals him to be a man who has a vocation in service to the Father and his Children. As a public school teacher, I have attended myriad trainings, and this one is exceptional. The lesson segments are well structured, fluidly organizing the content, the practice activities, and the feedback looping. The content balanced flawlessly between the why and how of the various procedures we learned to execute. Questions from the participants were encouraged and thoroughly addressed by the team.Phelps, JT, and the young man, whose name I forget now, were also excellent. They were welcoming, quick to offer assistance, and deeply knowledgeable. As the only woman in the Responder 2 Course, I never felt excluded or uncomfortable. During the last segment of training in Responder 2, "the scenario," I was awful. Phelps was so kind in his debriefing. His direct but gently delivered feedback allowed me to see how I could have performed better. This last experience allowed me to see differently and showed me next steps in my own journey of preparedness.Lastly and most magnificently, ya'll bring the Spirit of the Father with you. To close this experience with a baptism...awesomely beautiful and powerful.This was such a blessed experience, I am contemplating signing up for Responder 3 next year!Praise to the Father!Deborah McKenney
8/28/2022 Brett
Hi Christopher,Thanks again to you, Twitch, JT and the entire team for an awesome training in Tell City, IN.I feel like I leveled up in all of the areas I needed to, and can now effectively utilize the contents of my IFAKs. At the same time, the final scenario revealed areas of real weakness, and I'll be prioritizing addressing these in the weeks and months ahead via practice sessions in the home. If you have any specific suggestions on how to better prep for scenarios like this, I'm always eager to learn. (Shout out to JT for getting really tight groupings with that AirSoft pistol, I was able to cover each arm with a single BandAid š).As far as feedback goes, I just had a few thoughts to share (which I had begun sharing with our host, John, before the 'gunman' took him down in what turned out to be yet another challenging scenario):
We briefly discussed use of trauma sheers, but didn't actually break them out and use them. It would be great to get at least 1-2 reps in during training; perhaps if there was a way to secure some old/cheap hospital scrubs or PJs that trainees could put on over their clothing, that could be a way to incorporate them.
Similarly, we verbally covered use of gloves, but didn't actually break them out and incorporate them into a scenario. I'll definitely try this out on my own when practicing with my roommate/friends, but it might be good to do a few reps during training.
When running reps on the various types of wounds/areas of the body, I felt I didn't get quite enough practice with a couple of them (e.g., application of pressure + ETD to the neck & groin, for example). Not a huge deal, but it might be useful to set up some 'block time' for trainees to target specific areas where they don't feel as confident. This could be done via 'wound stations' targeting specific injuries & body areas, and the instructors could then 'float' from station to station to provide hands-on feedback and confirm proper technique.
Thanks again for everything you do, I've already shared the website with several friends and will continue to recommend Refuge Training and Refuge Medical to anyone and everyone I meet who could benefit from, and would be open to, leveling up their skills and gear to help save a life.Shalom,Brett
9/1/2022 Matt B.
Hello,
Itās Matt from the Philly class. Sorry itās taken this long to reach out. Hope all is well. I truly enjoyed the classes and am very grateful for the fellowships and networking that came from it. You guys are an awesome group of instructors and a blessing to the world and those you interact with.
Thank you for your time
Matt Bayes
9/12/2022 Elizabeth Chandler
Hello my name is Elizabeth Chandler and I took the responder 3 class in Boise. I am hoping someone can pass this message on to Twitch. Mr Twitch, I was upset when I left and I didnāt say thank you. Thank you to you and your team for all you taught me. I feel capable of rendering aid in an emergency situation. I will keep that with me forever. I was pushed harder than I ever have been in my life and ended up being more capable than I thought I was even if I had to leave. I also wanted to thank you for using the platform to lead people to Yeshua. You have made a deep impact on me and I appreciate it. Thank you again, Elizabeth
9/13/2022 Darren S.
Folks, I just attended the Essential Responder course in Nampa, Idaho. I drove 1300 miles to get here for this and it was absolutely worth every mile. Brother Twitch and Brother Phelps ran a true high speed course. They didn't just teach me and my classmates how not to die or to buy a little more time for someone we come into contact with. Brother Twitch also reminded me that I can go just a little bit further. That someone is counting on me not to give up, not to succumb to fear or fatigue. Brother Phelps I thank for the reminders that I can't help anyone if I don't "breathe" and take the time to assess my environment thoroughly before I commit. I got choked up writing this because your instructor team and role players invested of themselves in this program and they believe in it! And also, our class had one young man who asked to be baptized. All in all I just wanted to say thank you for being there for me so I can be there for someone else. Yours Sincerely Darren L. Shields "All The Way"
9/17/2022 Shannon C.
Aloha all,Jamse and I got back to Maui last night. We are not the same as when we left. Thank you for helping us shine our lights further, and strengthen ourselves in all ways. We appreciate what you do and will continue to practice and grow.Mahalo nui loa!! (Thank you so much)!!Aloha, Shannon
9/19/2022 Todd H.
Hey . The responder 1 course that I took in Waco Texas...My brain is like a sieve.... Don't use it - I loose it.Watch all the videos, and I don't do the things. Like pulling my kit out and practice the moves.I would pay to have a 1 hour refresher course.I'm signing up my wife to take the Dec 5 Responder 1Yep.Thank you all .For the holiday season. Buy 3 get one free .. wound care bucket.I don't know your margins.....and you do need to make a living.Todd Hammel. Crowley TexasP.S.The TVP location threw away a dumpster full of vitamins last week, the use by date was 15 months ago.....5-2021.I passed on them.Still keeping a look out for you all.
11/16/2022 Doug W.
Thank you so much. I appreciate you guys so much. Your training was invaluable for me. Yesterday, the day after training, we had a veteran with PTSD that had an episode at our church school in which he injured two of our staff guys. Total confusion and stress along with dangerous behavior reigned supreme for less than five minutes but, for the staff, seemed like a very long time. (Reminded me of your scenarios) Police and paramedics were on scene within 7 minutes and thank Our Precious LORD there were no bleeding injuries. But we were not ready with responder aids. I want to remedy this situation as soon as possible. Thank you for giving me a plan and actions to take. We will be changing some of our procedures for sure. Doug
12/8/2022 - Jason C.
Hello I finished up the complete responder training on the dec 5th with you guys in waco.During the last scenario I completely disconnected, railroaded as jt called it. Jt shot me with 2 clips full plus. What happened has obviously been on my mind since. Pondered it alot during my 11 hour drive home.When I got home I discussed it with my girl friend and she figured it out immediately. At the beginning of the year her son, who is also named Zac like my clumsy cousin, went through a break up of a long term relationship. He talked about suicide. We removed all weapons, etc. Eventually everything got back to normal and I pretty much forgot about it or so I thought....That is the reason he shot himself popped in my head. Obviously it rattled me deep. Very deep. The stress you guys put us through is to help inoculate us to it. That was a stress I was definitely not ready for. After much discussion we're gonna run drills, like you guys had set up, with all of us involved including her kids (14 year old daughter & 23 year old son). I can't think of a better way to help inoculate all of us to seeing a loved one wounded in an active shooter scenario and being able to take care of the situation properly. Doing something similar might be a great suggestion for future course participants. I can't thank you guys enough for the way you designed the course. I learned a ton but the last scenario was the absolute gold in it for me. Thank you for exposing my weaknesses. Absolutely the best money I've ever spent. You guys have improved my world drastically.Thank you Jason
April 23, 2023 - Barry B.
First of all, let me tell you guys how much Kim and I enjoyed our day together last week. The training was invaluable and much appreciated. One of our sons and his family are coming over for dinner tonight and weāll begin the process of āpassing the torchā along to them. One thing that occurred to me after the class was the difficulty I had in reading the text on the presentation charts. During a break, I went out and retrieved my glasses from the truck so I didnāt have to squint to read the text. If possible, I would suggest you enlarge the text (I could read the titles and major bullets OK) size.
Grace & Peace - Barry
April 24, 2023 - Christopher T.
Just a quick Big THANK YOU! I recently took the Emergency Responder 3 in PA. Had an Awsome experience. The Staff was great! I love how you guys incorporate the force on force with the medical. Learned a ton and feel like I failed the force on force but I learned what not to do and your staff helped a lot on the debrief. Iāve bought a lot of product through you guys and am super stoled I got a chance to learn how to use it properly. I left my note pad & notes pens etc, along with a checkbook in the class room. You guys returned this to me in the mail to my house with mo questions. You guys are such professionals. THANKS Again So Much for what you do! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
April 27, 2023 - Andrea S.
Hey Y'all- My name is Andrea Snow and I was lucky enough to be able to take part in the bad assery that is Responder 1 & 2 in Waco, Texas this past Monday, April 17th . This was a HUGE step out of my comfort zone, but one that was greatly needed. My awesome husband invited a couple of dudes to come to our farm and put on a farm/child style First Aid class. It was a great refresher from that First Aide class that I had in college many years ago. After talking with our friend (and your friend) Kyle Minyard, I was convinced that I needed more so I told my husband that I still felt a sense of urgency to take Responder 1. My friends I visited with prior to the classes asked me why I needed to take them and I said it was because we live in a rural area on a farm about a 45 minute ambulance ride from the nearest hospital in 3 different ways. Coincidentally, the class location was also a 48 minute ambulance ride. Two individuals had episodes that required EMT service. The staff was amazing, and gave the students jobs (get out and wait) while work was being done. Each Refuge team member remained calm, cool, and collected. Professional to a t. Because of the events of the morning, the class ended later than expected but Bob graciously offered for me to stay through the rest of the Responder 1 training and to continue on for Responder 2. This was an unexpected blessing that I will do my best to pay forward by training as many people as I can about how to properly use a tourniquet starting with my two teenage daughters! They have med kits in their cars, but no idea how to use them. I cannot fully express how impressive these two classes were and how much of an impact this experience has made on my life. I am even contemplating serving for our local branch of the Volunteer Firefighter Branch because I know my newly acquired skills could be put to use there. Keep up the freaking awesome work that y'all are doing in all areas from training civilians to med kits to saving those precious kids. I am anxious to hear from Bob and Hannah when the next Responder 3 class will be in OK so that I may complete my training. If there is anything that I can do to help, please let me know. Andrea Snow
May 3, 2023 - Patricia and David W.
Hi Guys. I just wanted to send you this email to THANK YOU for the incredible experience me and my husband had at your March 16/17 training. What an incredible time we had. We have not had to use any of our new found knowledge and pray we never will but you never know. We have held a small class which consisted of our children and their significant others and will continue to expand on our medical knowledge. I can't thank you enough for having these classes. If funds permit in the near future we would like to send our kids (all adults) to your courses. I finally got the water out of my ear!! I was sick for a week but would not have changed one thing.
Thank you again..so much!
Shalom,
Patricia and David Wright
May 10, 2023 - Miguel M.
Shalom Refuge Medical Instructors,
I would like to open this message by saying that I am grateful beyond words for this training class. I tried to find any information about this training on YouTube but didn't come across very many students speaking on it. With that being said, I have finally uploaded a video on YouTube about my experience taking Essential Responder on 4/20-4/21 this year. I wanted to talk about the staff, but I wanted to keep it brief and not make it weird. I also wanted to speak more on the interactions with the classmates, but I need to keep their information private. I DID NOT disclose any specific information about the classes outside of what can be found on your website or YouTube videos. WE DO NOT LOSE CHILDREN! HURRY UP! YOU'RE DYING! Sorry...flashbacks. Anyway, I go over the general themes and some things that I would like to say to future ER students. I speak on how much of an impact your class had on me personally and try to keep it from turning into a cheerleader tryout. Make no mistake, I AM going to champion this training and recommend everyone to your program - no matter what Responder level they are capable of completing. I've already done so with both the Refuge Medical kits and the Responder Training on a few live streams so.
Here is the link: youtu.be/u98f-IlD5z4
If you guys find any issue with the video, please let me know. I would like to express myself without compromising your training structure or specific scenarios. It will remain on "private" until I receive a response or it is closer to a month. (I know the inbox must be flooded on a daily basis. A labor of love for sure.)
May the Almighty keep you all safe.
Miguel Mendoza
Shalom
I am writing to thank you all for my experience in the Dallas STB training. My intention was merely to gain some knowledge that I could take into the next phase of my life as I look to a far more rural lifestyle. This was surpassed in the first few minutes of the training.I learned important actionable techniques in a manner that far exceeded any expectation. Excellent pool of wisdom, from messengers who are excellent, patient teachers!So grateful Refuge Medical gave me the opportunity to obtain and synthesize new information amongst others who acknowledge the importance of self sufficiency and the desire to help people when the clock is on. I may have been able to learn some of these "stop the bleed" techniques local to me, however, it likely would have been sanitized and lowest-common-denominator, rather than the superior quality of content and delivery that you offered.Again, thank you.Blessings...Mara Gross, NYC
6/13/2021 Andrew J
Just got done with your 4 hour TCCC class. And wanted to let you know Twitch is a GREAT instructor. Excellent class
6/13/2021 Todd H
I just attended your Stop the Bleed training in Paola, KS. I was really impressed with the training! The primary instructors, Stephen and Richard (Twitch) did a great job! I've been a police officer for 19 years and I learned a lot. Even techniques I would consider a refresher from my past training, were updated and more efficient. Well done! I will highly recommend this training!
6/14/2021 Tony W
My daughter and l just took the KS paola stop the bleed class and we were impressed. I didn't know what to expect it was very professionally run and the instructors did a great job. We're looking forward to setting aside some time to take the 8 hour TCCC class when available. Thanks again from Wisconsin!!!
7/12/2021 Ernie M.
TJ and crew, I just wanted to let you know that my wife and I trained 16 people so far with the knowledge and training kits we got from taking your stop the bleed in Tallahassee last month. I have two more invites the train another thirty... Thanks again for all you do. Ernie Morrow
7/23/2021 Scott P
TOOK A CLASS IN SPRINGFIELD THANK YOU VERY MUCH, LEARNED SO SO MUCH ,THE CLASS ROCKED ALONG WITH THE INSTRUCTOR TWITCH SCOTT " FOG Fn ole guy" PETERSON
8/10/2021 Rachel R
My husband and I, along with three of our children, attended your Stop the Bleed class in Cleveland, OH this morning. We went in to this class with no experience or knowledge for treating traumatic bleeding. By the time we left, we all felt confident that we could handle such a traumatic event. The instructors demonstrated confidence in their expertise and were able to teach in a way that built confidence in the attendees. Thank you so much for doing what you are doing to share this valuable, life-saving, knowledge! We are all looking forward to going to the next level! Rachel Ranck
8/12/2021 Patrick C
I wanted to message you and express my great appreciation for the instruction I received during my course today from Bear and Phelps. The training was very informative, professional, and valuable. The course was more thorough than the traditional Stop The Bleed classes, and I am more equipped to be a first responder having undergone the training. Moreover, both of these men weāre very personable, courteous, and respectful (plus hilarious with great anecdotes and stories). Bear and Phelps were class acts all the way. I couldnāt have been more proud to met two great Americans helping our society be better prepared to help our fellow citizens in first responder situations.Thank you very much,Patrick Clark
8/15/2021 Steve M
Hey Guys, I wanted to leave a review for you so hopefully this is the right place. I attended the Responder 1 & 3 Classes in Philadelphia that Bear and Phelps were so gracious to teach themselves. Day 1 was a great introduction into properly working the MARCH-E algorithm as well as practical application for each item contained in an IFAK. The attitude was relaxed yet focused and their instructors were always making us think on our feet based on the situation presented. Day 2 is where things got exciting. Between casualty extrication, critical thinking under pressure and the scenarios that we were thrown into, there was never a dull moment. Breaking a sweat, dealing with all of the external stimuli, and the constant curve balls thrown at us added a realism that made us go into autopilot. I learned what my specific responses to stress are and I now have a standard that I can build upon. Overall, THANK YOU for blessing us with the opportunity to learn these critical skills, as well as the brief Scripture discussion & Fellowship during lunch. I'll be bringing these lessons back to my Fire Department to help educate our members!
8/15/2021 Chris and Allison S.
Hi Christopher & Bear,Thank you again for an outstanding experience @ Trauma Level 1 "Stop the Bleed" in Cleveland yesterday!! My wife has been on her school's "Safety Committee" for years and we are both on our church's "Safety/Security Comittee" and tourniquets/rendering aid have never been discussed! No training has been given, IFAKs and their application have never been discussed either. It was very eye opening for us to see how quickly a mundane situation can turn deadly and how any person, with enough knowledge, can potentially help to save another's life. We may be in touch regarding the purchase of some IFAKs/Trauma kits for our schools and church in the coming months.You both did an outstanding job presenting - you were funny, involved the audience and made us feel comfortable and welcome - that is no easy task, given the course content and intensity. My wife and I are both teachers, so we "present" for a living, and we were very impressed with the quality of your program! Please tell Bear that we were glad he was able to help instruct - I personally really enjoyed it after being a YouTube follower of his for several years.I have a couple of quick follow-up questions for you and TJ:1) When attaching the Cub Pro kits to our vehicle headrests, would you and Bear recommend that it go behind the passenger's seat (instead of the driver's headrest)? I originally placed mine behind the driver's seat, but then reconsidered in the event that I need to access it to apply to myself or a passenger in need of aid.2) Where can I (we) go to leave a written review for the class?Christopher - Please share our sentiments with Bear. Meeting both of you in person in Cleveland was very cool. I'm even more of a fan of Bear and what he's doing now after talking with him in person and really appreciate the spontaneous advice he gave my wife, Allison, on self defense training. I am now planning to subscribe to his Patreon as well.May The Father bless both of you and keep you safe in your travels to Philadelphia and home again and look over your families while you are gone.We look forward to training with you again if your travels bring you far enough East across the "Blue Line." Shalom! --Chris & Allison
8/30/2021 Robert G
Hello Bear & Team:I attended the Responder I class in Philly earlier this month.Early this morning, 30 August 2021, my step-son ran into my and my wife's room. He told us that we need to come downstairs quickly. My step-daughter's boyfriend had cut his wrist open several times with a seated knife. My Refuge Training kit was still on my nightstand. I grabbed the blue tourniquet from class and followed him downstairs.I found him on my step-daughter's bed, laying on his back, unconscious. There was a large amount of blood on her desk, on the floor, and there was a towel wrapped on his left wrist. My step-son applied pressure to the left arm while I applied the tourniquet high and tight. We confirmed there was no pulse in the left arm. He had a good pulse in his right arm.We realized that he had stopped breathing. My step-son immediately performed CPR, and got him breathing again. We then covered him in blankets to keep him warm. I then pulled the mylar blanket out of my BearFAK and added that to his covering. He had gone extremely pale. We confirmed that there were no other wounds, and monitored his breathing. We kept the wounds on his wrist covered.Both my wife, and step-daughter, called 911. Due to our location, it took police and EMS 15 minutes to arrive. I was able to direct them straight to my step-daughter's boyfriend and advise that a tourniquet was applied to the left arm approximately 15 minutes prior to their arrival.EMS remarked that they didn't need to worry about bleeding control due to the tourniquet. They examined the wound and redressed it. He regained consciousness long enough to briefly speak with EMS and get into the ambulance.We received word earlier today, from his mother, that surgery was successful and he was physically stable.If it weren't for Refuge Training, and the equipment from Refuge Medical, it could have been a very different story. I just wanted to thank you all. I hope you keep going. You are making a difference in peoples' lives.Bless you,Robert T. Graney
10/26/2021 Ashley I.
I appreciated how personable, informative, and patient the trainers were - especially with those of us that didnāt have a clue what we were doing. I also appreciated the fact that we were given plenty of opportunities for hands on practice in stressful conditions and that we were redirected and encouraged, instead of berated, whenever we messed up.
11/4/2021 Mary F.
Good morning! I took the level 1 course on 10/28/2021. This course has further inspired me to continue to educate myself in self sufficiency for me and my family. I have 4 special needs boys (2 are my adult sons and 2 are my nieces sons). I am a realist, I do see what is coming and history shows that it doesnāt fair well for those with disabilities. Iām doing everything I can to ānot go where the busses areā and the education your course offered contributed to the motivating force of doing my best, but most importantly to always remember the power of prayer. I am so grateful for the course and the inspiration it has given. Thank you so much for coming to Georgia! May God Almighty bless you and keep you close!
11/4/2021 Don S.
Chris,I thank you and Twitch for a great class, ironically Joe and I arrived on the scene of a car accident not 20 mins from the class. There were no serious injuries, but I did get to practice communicating with a 911 operator while Joe assessed the injuries. The things that Twitch went over about talking to 911 were going through my head as I was talking to them and working at calming myself down. Probably one of the best aspects of the class were the drills where Twitch was inducing stress and getting us to apply our tourniquets. Thanks again.Regards,Don Shaffer
11/19/2021 Jesse H.
Christopher,Thanks again for not canceling the class as I was the only one to attend I donāt believe any other company would have done that so very much appreciated that. The class was great you guys were awesome and it was a pleasure to meet and learn from you guys.Thank YouJesse Herring
11/28/2021 Richard G.
Used my Bear fake and the training I received in Indiana this last April for 2 people involved in a car rec today.In particular I remembered what brother twitch had said evaluating and keeping them calm until a higher level of care could get there.I applied a gaze pad from the bear fak to a head would that was just bleeding a little but mainly just kept them talking well I cleard a path for the rescue squad.It was difficult because the car was turned on its side and the roof was crushed .But we got them out. The male John was air lifted to the twin cities in Minnesota and the female Rachel was taken by ambulance to a local hospital.Wild ride and I am praying for the fathers healing hands.I need more training.The local rescue was under trained and had a hard time communicating with emts and it took almost an hour 8n 28 degree weather before everyone got there and got them out.I am grateful for the training I received from Refuge Medical but I know I need more training and will get it as soon as I can afford it.
12/16/2021 Josh M.
Phelps, I wanted to send you a message Thanking You for you coming and checking on me this morning and Praying for me with Twitch and JT. šš¼ I canāt put into words how deeply that touched my heart and soul. Seeing the compassion and you genuinely caring about my health really means a lot šš¼. Also I wanted to let you know how awesome and captivating yāallās curriculum and instruction is. šš»šš» If thereās anything I can help with in the future, please donāt hesitate asking me Yāall are truly inspirational. šš¼ it was my Honor to get to know you and get taught by you and I look forward to getting to do more of both in the future. Shalom Brother Josh Morris
3/7/2022 Brandon C.
Phelps/Twitch,I wanted to say thank you to you and Twitch for doing a great job with the Responder 1 training yesterday in Tulsa. You guys know the literature well and I can tell you are both passionate about teaching this information and doing what you love to do. Thanks again for making the class hands on, entertaining, sharing close stories and keeping us on our toes. I have been to plenty of training classes and first aid that are all boring and just a bunch of PowerPoint slides. This was one of the best training classes I have been to. I appreciate the effort the entire Bear team put into the format.I have been a Bear Independent Patreon follower for over two years now. The father brought the Bear crew into my life for a reason and I am truly blessed.Hope you guys have a blessed day and thanks again for actually caring about training people and having a real passion to do so.Thank you,Brandon Cheney
4/6/2022 Ruben R.
I just want to say how I enjoyed the responder 1 training class today in Indy. I thought it was highly informative. The instructors were helpful and nice. Now I feel confident that if a incident happens I will be able to handle it.
4/13/2022 Grant L.
I wanted to reach out with a cool story. I was the guy that brought my 15 year old step-daughter to the Waco Responder 1 class and was talking to Phelps about having stop the bleed training in high schools. Well, yesterday, the day after the Waco class, my step-daughter went to school and the local police were there to teach stop the bleed in one of her classes. They asked if anyone had any training and she was the only one to raise her hand. So they asked her to help demonstrate to her class and she was also able help her classmates directly, specifically with wound packing. She was also able to speak with the Officers about the differences between their training and Refuge and they were impressed with her knowledge and training level.It was a nice little "coincidence" that helped reinforce her training and more importantly, her confidence. Praise, Yah!I don't know if this is the best way to reach out, but I hope this story makes it to the training team.Thank you,Grant Libby
5/12/2022 Z Babbs
I attended your responder one training course in Branson on May first which I thought was awesome training. Saturday I was rear ended by a motorcycle, they went airborne, and landed in the median; because of your training I was able to not freeze up. I immediately assessed my passenger, my girlfriend who was unharmed praise yah, then got out of the car, grabbed my aid bag, and began doing a blood sweep on both of the people from the motorcycle. The driver had multiple broken bones in his right leg, was unconcious, but was still breathing with no bleeding. The passenger was unconcious with broken bones on nearly the whole right side of her body as well as a broken left arm, she was not breathing, had blue lips (a condition I found out is called cyanosis which I knew was an indicator of insufficient oxegyn in the blood), but still had a pulse with no major bleeding. I started doing chest compressions on her and had to trade off with another woman at the scene. While the woman was doing compressions the passenger vomited and started breathing again with agonal breathing (so I'm pretty positive she had closed pneumothorax) . The passenger ended up succumbing of her injuries on Monday night in the hospital.I guess why I'm sending this email, other than a conviction from the father, is to say thank you for all that every single member of refuge medical and refuge training do and that you all are the hands and feet of the father. Thank you for the training that I was given that helped prepare me to buy some time for two severely injured people. Although I did not have to conduct any bleeding control measures, the stress inoculation from training was indispensable for me along with all the knowledge that you passed on to me. I can't wait to take responder three when I get the opportunity to.At the end of the class, twitch and Phelps both asked for suggestions to improve training as well as what was valuable. My suggestion to add to the curriculum would be information on possible psychological effects after attempting to render aid, especially after someone you attempt to help ends up passing. I know that sending this email is helping me cope with the things I saw and some of the feelings I still have.Thank you for listening, have a blessed day, keep kicking ass in the Father's name.
6/18/2022 Jonathan B.
I attended the essential responder class in Atlanta. It was a life changing event. Thank you for the service you do as far as that, however the greatest service provided was a half hour conversation I was able to have about followers of Yeshua observing Torah. The infusion of your faith into the training moves this training to eternal impact.
Thank you
7/7/2022 John Billy R.
We were heading east bound on Hwy 24/27 in Moore County N.C about a mile east of Hwy 705 when a small sedan crossed lanes and hit the sedan directly in front of me. By the grace of the father we barley missed the two cars. I was driving a SUV with a fully loaded 6' x 12' trailer in tow with my wife and toddler in the SUV. Thank the most high we did not hit those two cars. We were able to stop about 60 meters from the first car I grabbed my military surplus ifac from the back of my SUV I do not own a bearfac at this time but I did take your stop the bleed class last year in Nashville TN with Twitch, Brother Richard and his wife when I made it to the first car the Driver was coherent and had no visible signs of injury thank the Father. I then went to check on the second vehicle that Driver also had no visible injury's but was very confused EMS took over when they got there thank the Father it was not worse. Although I did not have to render aid I'm very thankful for your class I was able to act quickly and decisively thanks to y'all's training I cannot thank y'all unuf for the training I hope to take lvl 3 next year y'all are doing God's work thank you again
7/11/2022 Tamara and Bear D.
Taking a few minutes today to say thank you for the abundance of blessings I received from your organization. It exceeded all my expectations and I grew in leaps and bounds in restoring belief within myself and working as a team with my service animal Bear.I want to give credit to the Father for sending me on this journey and seeing fit to let our paths cross. By the grace of the Father, I am getting stronger and rebuilding.Thank you Christopher (Phelps) for welcoming me and introducing yourself to me. Thank you Twitch for extending the opportunity to me to take this class, even though it was full and I had $50. Thank you for the porch chats with Bear and witnessing true people of God, the Father.May the Father Bless you all abundantly and continually. You do amazing kingdom work and it was the safest place I felt in a long time.I hope that in the near future I will be able to take the Responder II course.Until our paths cross again, Shalom.
7/18/2022 Wendy C.
I am so incredibly grateful to God for Refuge Medical. We took your class in Gainesville, GA. We brought 2 of our employees with us. One of our employees was injured this weekend at his home by a new hand gun exploding when he fired it. It injured his finger with lacerations but it took out a chuck of skin in his foot/ankle area and he began to bleed severely his tourniquet was in the car. He called 911 and grabbed a towel to cut off bleeding when he decided to hobble to car close by to get his tourniquet, the ambulance pulled up and asked him what was he doing! He told them he didn't know how long they were going to be, so he taken this stop the bleed class and his tourniquet was in his car. The bleeding was pulsing with his heart beat like you said it could. He was really glad he took the class because it prepared him to take what happened seriously and gave him a plan. He stayed frosty during the whole thing. Thank you Refuge!! He has 9-12 stitches in his foot and some stitches in his finger but he is alive and kept his cool... AND HIS appendages. You guys are awesome!!! Praising the Most High God!!! We gave him our shop wound care bucket, that thing is GREAT!!! Ordering 2 more today. You guys make a difference, thank you!
8/25/2022 Deb M.
Dear Refuge Medical:What a transformational experience!Thank you so much for the excellent training in your Responder 1 and Responder 2 Courses in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, this week.I have had an IFAC sitting on my dresser for a few months now and had no real way to utilize the materials it contains before this training. I was pleased upon my return home to see that I had properly staged my tourniquet as per your training video on Bear Independent, but I would not have had the confidence to use it without the practice your training program provides.The Refuge Medical TeamTwitch is an amazingly knowledgeable, engaging, and skillful presenter. His genuine enthusiasm and authentic commitment to this program reveals him to be a man who has a vocation in service to the Father and his Children. As a public school teacher, I have attended myriad trainings, and this one is exceptional. The lesson segments are well structured, fluidly organizing the content, the practice activities, and the feedback looping. The content balanced flawlessly between the why and how of the various procedures we learned to execute. Questions from the participants were encouraged and thoroughly addressed by the team.Phelps, JT, and the young man, whose name I forget now, were also excellent. They were welcoming, quick to offer assistance, and deeply knowledgeable. As the only woman in the Responder 2 Course, I never felt excluded or uncomfortable. During the last segment of training in Responder 2, "the scenario," I was awful. Phelps was so kind in his debriefing. His direct but gently delivered feedback allowed me to see how I could have performed better. This last experience allowed me to see differently and showed me next steps in my own journey of preparedness.Lastly and most magnificently, ya'll bring the Spirit of the Father with you. To close this experience with a baptism...awesomely beautiful and powerful.This was such a blessed experience, I am contemplating signing up for Responder 3 next year!Praise to the Father!Deborah McKenney
8/28/2022 Brett
Hi Christopher,Thanks again to you, Twitch, JT and the entire team for an awesome training in Tell City, IN.I feel like I leveled up in all of the areas I needed to, and can now effectively utilize the contents of my IFAKs. At the same time, the final scenario revealed areas of real weakness, and I'll be prioritizing addressing these in the weeks and months ahead via practice sessions in the home. If you have any specific suggestions on how to better prep for scenarios like this, I'm always eager to learn. (Shout out to JT for getting really tight groupings with that AirSoft pistol, I was able to cover each arm with a single BandAid š).As far as feedback goes, I just had a few thoughts to share (which I had begun sharing with our host, John, before the 'gunman' took him down in what turned out to be yet another challenging scenario):
We briefly discussed use of trauma sheers, but didn't actually break them out and use them. It would be great to get at least 1-2 reps in during training; perhaps if there was a way to secure some old/cheap hospital scrubs or PJs that trainees could put on over their clothing, that could be a way to incorporate them.
Similarly, we verbally covered use of gloves, but didn't actually break them out and incorporate them into a scenario. I'll definitely try this out on my own when practicing with my roommate/friends, but it might be good to do a few reps during training.
When running reps on the various types of wounds/areas of the body, I felt I didn't get quite enough practice with a couple of them (e.g., application of pressure + ETD to the neck & groin, for example). Not a huge deal, but it might be useful to set up some 'block time' for trainees to target specific areas where they don't feel as confident. This could be done via 'wound stations' targeting specific injuries & body areas, and the instructors could then 'float' from station to station to provide hands-on feedback and confirm proper technique.
Thanks again for everything you do, I've already shared the website with several friends and will continue to recommend Refuge Training and Refuge Medical to anyone and everyone I meet who could benefit from, and would be open to, leveling up their skills and gear to help save a life.Shalom,Brett
9/1/2022 Matt B.
Hello,
Itās Matt from the Philly class. Sorry itās taken this long to reach out. Hope all is well. I truly enjoyed the classes and am very grateful for the fellowships and networking that came from it. You guys are an awesome group of instructors and a blessing to the world and those you interact with.
Thank you for your time
Matt Bayes
9/12/2022 Elizabeth Chandler
Hello my name is Elizabeth Chandler and I took the responder 3 class in Boise. I am hoping someone can pass this message on to Twitch. Mr Twitch, I was upset when I left and I didnāt say thank you. Thank you to you and your team for all you taught me. I feel capable of rendering aid in an emergency situation. I will keep that with me forever. I was pushed harder than I ever have been in my life and ended up being more capable than I thought I was even if I had to leave. I also wanted to thank you for using the platform to lead people to Yeshua. You have made a deep impact on me and I appreciate it. Thank you again, Elizabeth
9/13/2022 Darren S.
Folks, I just attended the Essential Responder course in Nampa, Idaho. I drove 1300 miles to get here for this and it was absolutely worth every mile. Brother Twitch and Brother Phelps ran a true high speed course. They didn't just teach me and my classmates how not to die or to buy a little more time for someone we come into contact with. Brother Twitch also reminded me that I can go just a little bit further. That someone is counting on me not to give up, not to succumb to fear or fatigue. Brother Phelps I thank for the reminders that I can't help anyone if I don't "breathe" and take the time to assess my environment thoroughly before I commit. I got choked up writing this because your instructor team and role players invested of themselves in this program and they believe in it! And also, our class had one young man who asked to be baptized. All in all I just wanted to say thank you for being there for me so I can be there for someone else. Yours Sincerely Darren L. Shields "All The Way"
9/17/2022 Shannon C.
Aloha all,Jamse and I got back to Maui last night. We are not the same as when we left. Thank you for helping us shine our lights further, and strengthen ourselves in all ways. We appreciate what you do and will continue to practice and grow.Mahalo nui loa!! (Thank you so much)!!Aloha, Shannon
9/19/2022 Todd H.
Hey . The responder 1 course that I took in Waco Texas...My brain is like a sieve.... Don't use it - I loose it.Watch all the videos, and I don't do the things. Like pulling my kit out and practice the moves.I would pay to have a 1 hour refresher course.I'm signing up my wife to take the Dec 5 Responder 1Yep.Thank you all .For the holiday season. Buy 3 get one free .. wound care bucket.I don't know your margins.....and you do need to make a living.Todd Hammel. Crowley TexasP.S.The TVP location threw away a dumpster full of vitamins last week, the use by date was 15 months ago.....5-2021.I passed on them.Still keeping a look out for you all.
11/16/2022 Doug W.
Thank you so much. I appreciate you guys so much. Your training was invaluable for me. Yesterday, the day after training, we had a veteran with PTSD that had an episode at our church school in which he injured two of our staff guys. Total confusion and stress along with dangerous behavior reigned supreme for less than five minutes but, for the staff, seemed like a very long time. (Reminded me of your scenarios) Police and paramedics were on scene within 7 minutes and thank Our Precious LORD there were no bleeding injuries. But we were not ready with responder aids. I want to remedy this situation as soon as possible. Thank you for giving me a plan and actions to take. We will be changing some of our procedures for sure. Doug
12/8/2022 - Jason C.
Hello I finished up the complete responder training on the dec 5th with you guys in waco.During the last scenario I completely disconnected, railroaded as jt called it. Jt shot me with 2 clips full plus. What happened has obviously been on my mind since. Pondered it alot during my 11 hour drive home.When I got home I discussed it with my girl friend and she figured it out immediately. At the beginning of the year her son, who is also named Zac like my clumsy cousin, went through a break up of a long term relationship. He talked about suicide. We removed all weapons, etc. Eventually everything got back to normal and I pretty much forgot about it or so I thought....That is the reason he shot himself popped in my head. Obviously it rattled me deep. Very deep. The stress you guys put us through is to help inoculate us to it. That was a stress I was definitely not ready for. After much discussion we're gonna run drills, like you guys had set up, with all of us involved including her kids (14 year old daughter & 23 year old son). I can't think of a better way to help inoculate all of us to seeing a loved one wounded in an active shooter scenario and being able to take care of the situation properly. Doing something similar might be a great suggestion for future course participants. I can't thank you guys enough for the way you designed the course. I learned a ton but the last scenario was the absolute gold in it for me. Thank you for exposing my weaknesses. Absolutely the best money I've ever spent. You guys have improved my world drastically.Thank you Jason
April 23, 2023 - Barry B.
First of all, let me tell you guys how much Kim and I enjoyed our day together last week. The training was invaluable and much appreciated. One of our sons and his family are coming over for dinner tonight and weāll begin the process of āpassing the torchā along to them. One thing that occurred to me after the class was the difficulty I had in reading the text on the presentation charts. During a break, I went out and retrieved my glasses from the truck so I didnāt have to squint to read the text. If possible, I would suggest you enlarge the text (I could read the titles and major bullets OK) size.
Grace & Peace - Barry
April 24, 2023 - Christopher T.
Just a quick Big THANK YOU! I recently took the Emergency Responder 3 in PA. Had an Awsome experience. The Staff was great! I love how you guys incorporate the force on force with the medical. Learned a ton and feel like I failed the force on force but I learned what not to do and your staff helped a lot on the debrief. Iāve bought a lot of product through you guys and am super stoled I got a chance to learn how to use it properly. I left my note pad & notes pens etc, along with a checkbook in the class room. You guys returned this to me in the mail to my house with mo questions. You guys are such professionals. THANKS Again So Much for what you do! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
April 27, 2023 - Andrea S.
Hey Y'all- My name is Andrea Snow and I was lucky enough to be able to take part in the bad assery that is Responder 1 & 2 in Waco, Texas this past Monday, April 17th . This was a HUGE step out of my comfort zone, but one that was greatly needed. My awesome husband invited a couple of dudes to come to our farm and put on a farm/child style First Aid class. It was a great refresher from that First Aide class that I had in college many years ago. After talking with our friend (and your friend) Kyle Minyard, I was convinced that I needed more so I told my husband that I still felt a sense of urgency to take Responder 1. My friends I visited with prior to the classes asked me why I needed to take them and I said it was because we live in a rural area on a farm about a 45 minute ambulance ride from the nearest hospital in 3 different ways. Coincidentally, the class location was also a 48 minute ambulance ride. Two individuals had episodes that required EMT service. The staff was amazing, and gave the students jobs (get out and wait) while work was being done. Each Refuge team member remained calm, cool, and collected. Professional to a t. Because of the events of the morning, the class ended later than expected but Bob graciously offered for me to stay through the rest of the Responder 1 training and to continue on for Responder 2. This was an unexpected blessing that I will do my best to pay forward by training as many people as I can about how to properly use a tourniquet starting with my two teenage daughters! They have med kits in their cars, but no idea how to use them. I cannot fully express how impressive these two classes were and how much of an impact this experience has made on my life. I am even contemplating serving for our local branch of the Volunteer Firefighter Branch because I know my newly acquired skills could be put to use there. Keep up the freaking awesome work that y'all are doing in all areas from training civilians to med kits to saving those precious kids. I am anxious to hear from Bob and Hannah when the next Responder 3 class will be in OK so that I may complete my training. If there is anything that I can do to help, please let me know. Andrea Snow
May 3, 2023 - Patricia and David W.
Hi Guys. I just wanted to send you this email to THANK YOU for the incredible experience me and my husband had at your March 16/17 training. What an incredible time we had. We have not had to use any of our new found knowledge and pray we never will but you never know. We have held a small class which consisted of our children and their significant others and will continue to expand on our medical knowledge. I can't thank you enough for having these classes. If funds permit in the near future we would like to send our kids (all adults) to your courses. I finally got the water out of my ear!! I was sick for a week but would not have changed one thing.
Thank you again..so much!
Shalom,
Patricia and David Wright
May 10, 2023 - Miguel M.
Shalom Refuge Medical Instructors,
I would like to open this message by saying that I am grateful beyond words for this training class. I tried to find any information about this training on YouTube but didn't come across very many students speaking on it. With that being said, I have finally uploaded a video on YouTube about my experience taking Essential Responder on 4/20-4/21 this year. I wanted to talk about the staff, but I wanted to keep it brief and not make it weird. I also wanted to speak more on the interactions with the classmates, but I need to keep their information private. I DID NOT disclose any specific information about the classes outside of what can be found on your website or YouTube videos. WE DO NOT LOSE CHILDREN! HURRY UP! YOU'RE DYING! Sorry...flashbacks. Anyway, I go over the general themes and some things that I would like to say to future ER students. I speak on how much of an impact your class had on me personally and try to keep it from turning into a cheerleader tryout. Make no mistake, I AM going to champion this training and recommend everyone to your program - no matter what Responder level they are capable of completing. I've already done so with both the Refuge Medical kits and the Responder Training on a few live streams so.
Here is the link: youtu.be/u98f-IlD5z4
If you guys find any issue with the video, please let me know. I would like to express myself without compromising your training structure or specific scenarios. It will remain on "private" until I receive a response or it is closer to a month. (I know the inbox must be flooded on a daily basis. A labor of love for sure.)
May the Almighty keep you all safe.
Miguel Mendoza
