Marshfield, WI (OnFocus) If a shooting or other traumatic event occurs, civilians don’t have to wait for help to arrive to make a difference.
National campaign “Stop the Bleed” aims to turn bystanders into responders by teaching how to respond to life-threatening bleeding. When fatal blood loss can occur in just 5 minutes – about the time it takes for the responders to arrive – a civilian’s quick action can save a life.
Though the program was born out of the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting, the ‘Stop the Bleed’ training can be used in the event of car accidents, bombings, and other scenarios with traumatic injury.
“Any situation that somebody could be injured and have a major bleed, this training can teach people how to stop that,” said Steve Bakos, Deputy Chief of EMS.
For Stop the Bleed Month in May, Marshfield Fire & Rescue will be providing its first public Bleeding Control Basic (BCon) Courses on Wednesdays to teach civilians the basics of bleeding control. It can also accommodate groups who want to sign up for a different day, anytime of the year.
The three skills taught during a class are direct pressure, wound packing, and tourniquet use. Classes are typically an hour and include a brief presentation before the hands-on training. Similar to CPR training, the goal is to teach these skills to everyone and hope they’re never needed.
Last year, Marshfield Fire & Rescue trained its staff to teach courses and successfully raised funds for Stop the Bleed kits to be placed in local schools. Each kit comes with gloves, tourniquet, trauma shears, wound packing gauze, and bandages.
Additionally, teachers and school staff were trained in ‘Stop the Bleed.’ “The kits don’t do any good if you don’t have training to go with it,” noted Bakos. “Getting all the kits out to the schools came hand in hand with getting them the training as well.”
Those who wish to sign up for a course can call Bakos at the Fire Department at 715-486-2093. Classes are May 1, 15, and 29th at 3:30 p.m., May 8 at 7 p.m., or May 22 at 6 p.m. RSVP at least one day before the class.
Visit BleedingControl.org for more information.
Author: News Desk
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