'Stop the Bleed' training educates how to care for a wound before first responders arrive
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - In response to the Uvalde mass shooting, first responders in Tarrant County will begin reaching out to local school districts next week to see if they want to sign up for training that teaches people with no medical background how to respond to a bleeding emergency.
"When there's active bleeding that person can bleed to death in three minutes or less," JPS Health Network Trauma Chief Dr. Raj Gandhi said.
He said it's important for everyone, even young children, to know how to stop the bleeding before first responders arrive.
"If you stop that bleeding quickly, when they get to us they will not have lost as much blood so the body does not need all the compensatory mechanisms and it's much quicker to get them resuscitated and get them back to function," he said.
"Stop the Bleed" training, developed in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, offers information on packing a wound with gauze, holding pressure on a wound and applying a tourniquet.
Dallas, Richardson and Plano ISD are just some of local school districts currently offering this to staff and students.
"Overall we've had nothing but positive feedback from students and staff that attended those trainings," Dallas ISD Health Services Director Jennifer Finley said.
"We are gearing up for this upcoming school year to begin that training again, in addition to purchasing the bleed control kits for each campus."
"We have multiples of these kits out in the field all the time," MedStar Spokesperson Matt Zavadsky said. "How this could've helped in Uvalde is you could've literally taken this bag, break a window and put the bag through there and everyone in that classroom could grab these kits. There's an instruction card here that tells them how to do it. It can really save lives."
This Saturday, MedStar is offering this free training and already almost 400 people have signed up. It's June 11 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 2900 Alta Mere Drive, Fort Worth.
The JPS Health Network also offers a "Stop the Bleed" course. Signups are available online.
