National STOP THE BLEED® Month
STOP THE BLEED® is a public awareness campaign led by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS COT) to spread knowledge of bleeding control to the public. The program first began in response to the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, in 2012, where 20 children and six adults lost their lives. Their main goal is to improve victim survival in emergency situations and intentional acts of mass violence by educating bystanders on how to take life-saving measures in the event of severe bleeding.
The Number One Cause Of Preventable Trauma-Related Deaths Is Bleeding
The average time for a victim to bleed out is 3 to 5 minutes, but the average time for first responders to arrive is 7 to 10 minutes. As a result, approximately 20 percent of deaths from traumatic injuries could have been prevented if someone nearby had been educated on bleeding control. STOP THE BLEED® not only provides courses to train people in these techniques but strives to place bleeding control kits in schools, community centers, stadiums, and other public places. They also outline steps to follow in bleeding emergencies to ensure your own safety, apply direct pressure, and use a tourniquet.
Get Trained On How To Save A Life
STOP THE BLEED® provides courses that include a presentation and hands-on practice that cover wound-packing and compression. Currently, there are tens of thousands of instructors globally. You can also participate in a virtual version of the course, which features the lector section and covers the three methods of bleeding control. And, if you're looking for more information about the program, they have a resource hub that includes life-saving flowcharts, posters, and videos.
How You Can Help
This post is in honor of Ian Patrick Crabill, whose compassion knew no bounds. STOP THE BLEED was a cause near and dear to him, and we're now carrying on the mission to raise awareness and help save lives in his memory. Ian never left home without four tourniquets because "You have four limbs," and he once offered medical aid at the scene of a car accident while first responders were en route. He battled anxiety from early childhood, and on March 4th, 2023, he took his own life. In his 19 years, he set an example for us all on how to selflessly care for others and venture outside our comfort zones whenever the opportunity comes along.
You can learn more about the training program that STOP THE BLEED® provides by visiting their website. The organization is also accepting donations to help the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine to provide supplies with bleeding control instructions to people on the ground.
