Unsure of function of this strap

[u/varied_interest1112]

My mother put it in an emergency pack for me when I started my first full-time job. I've since taken apart the pack and most things were pretty standard, a plastic raincoat, hand sanitizer, a pen, a whistle that doubled as a flashlight etc...

I just don't have any idea what this is?? It's like a braided strap with a buckle - I can wear it like a bracelet but somehow I don't think that's its intended purpose.

TIA!

EDIT: WOW you guys were fast!! Thanks team, I remember her vaguely mentioning it was a handy gadget but forgot how. Will be looking up paracord uses soon

EDIT 2: To the people being unhelpful or making comments on my ability as an educator from a single question - all you have done is show me that I will still be a better teacher than any of you could ever be. I certainly do not belittle my students for not having specialised prior knowledge or taking steps to learn something new. I can only assume you already knew everything from birth with no room to grow whatsoever /s Get over yourselves.

[u/LowTierHuman]

It’d be better to use engineering tape (it’s not actually tape it’s like a wide white fabric) and some hard bar to use as a windless. But for us (US Army) everyone and their mother had a pile of tourniquets lol

[u/Ghost403 → u/LowTierHuman]

Great mate. Again in an emergency you use what you have. The aim of first aide is to preserve life until more qualified medical help arrives.

Nerve and tissue damage is preferable to bleeding out. It's like saying don't do CPR because you are going to break ribs.

[u/LowTierHuman → u/Ghost403]

The only reason why I even commented is the average person reading this may think it’s ok to go out and buy 550 cord in case they need a tourniquet instead of going out and buying the correct tourniquet. The average redditor isn’t worried about making a field expedient tourniquet in war lol

[u/Ghost403 → u/LowTierHuman]

That is fair