Stop the Bleed Save a Life

photo Sandpoint Way, Seattle Washington scene of March 27^th 2019 shooting

It’s Saturday morning and I'm at a community center with 14 other people to learn how to Stop The Bleed. . This past spring a man stood in the street [photo] 1 mile from our location firing a handgun at passing cars in which he struck three,killed one and crashed a hijacked car killing a second person. This shockingly senseless act left neighbors frightened and most of us have this incident on our minds as we prepare for an active shooter scenario. Although statistics tell us we are more likely to experience wounds and severed arteries on a back country hike or slicing a tomato in our kitchen. Medical science informs us after serious trauma to a major artery you have 90 seconds to stop the bleed before you are gone. So read carefully because learning how to stop the bleed could save a life even your own!

Call 9-1-1

·        Call 9-1-1 yourself

OR

·        Tell someone to call 9-1-1

Ensure Your Safety

·        Before you offer any help, you must ensure your own safety!

·        If you become injured, you will not be able to help the victim.

·        Provide care to the injured person if the scene is safe for you to do so.

·        If, at any time, your safety is threatened, attempt to remove yourself (and the victim if possible) from danger and find a safe location.

·        Protect yourself from blood-borne infections by wearing gloves, if available.

Look for Life-Threatening Bleeding

·        Find the source of bleeding

·        Open or remove the clothing over the wound so you can clearly see it. By removing clothing, you will be able to see injuries that may have been hidden or covered.

·        Look for and identify “life-threatening” bleeding. Examples include:

o    Blood that is spurting out of the wound.

o    Blood that won’t stop coming out of the wound.

o    Blood that is pooling on the ground.

o    Clothing that is soaked with blood.

o    Bandages that are soaked with blood.

o    Loss of all or part of an arm or leg.

o    Bleeding in a victim who is now confused or unconscious. 

Compress and Control

There are a number of methods that can be used to stop bleeding and they all have one thing in common—compressing a bleeding blood vessel in order to stop the bleeding. 

If you don’t have a trauma first aid kit:

Apply direct pressure on the wound (Cover the wound with a clean cloth and apply pressure by pushing directly on it with both hands)

1.    Take any clean cloth (for example, a shirt) and cover the wound.

2.    If the wound is large and deep, try to “stuff” the cloth down into the wound.

3.    Apply continuous pressure with both hands directly on top of the bleeding wound.

4.    Push down as hard as you can.

5.    Hold pressure to stop bleeding. Continue pressure until relieved by medical responders.

If you do have a trauma first aid kit:

For life-threatening bleeding from an arm or leg and a tourniquet is NOT available OR for bleeding from the neck, shoulder or groin:

·        Pack (stuff) the wound with a bleeding control (also called a hemostatic) gauze, plain gauze, or a clean cloth and then apply pressure with both hands

1.     Open the clothing over the bleeding wound. (A)

2.     Wipe away any pooled blood.

3.     Pack (stuff) the wound with bleeding control gauze (preferred), plain gauze, or clean cloth. (B)

4.     Apply steady pressure with both hands directly on top of the bleeding wound. (C)

5.     Push down as hard as you can.

6.     Hold pressure to stop bleeding. Continue pressure until relieved by medical responders.

For life-threatening bleeding from an arm or leg and a tourniquet is available:

·        Apply the tourniquet

1.     Wrap the tourniquet around the bleeding arm or leg about 2 to 3 inches above the bleeding site (be sure NOT to place the tourniquet onto a joint—go above the joint if necessary).

2.     Pull the free end of the tourniquet to make it as tight as possible and secure the free end. (A)

3.     Twist or wind the windlass until bleeding stops. (B)

4.     Secure the windlass to keep the tourniquet tight. (C)

5.     Note the time the tourniquet was applied. (D)

Note: A tourniquet will cause pain but it is necessary to stop life-threatening bleeding.

Instructions and photos have been taken from the Save a Life booklet. Pons PT, Jacobs L. Save a life: What everyone should know to stop bleeding after an injury. Chicago, IL: American College of Surgeons; 2016.

Our instructors are a retired navy nurse and an anesthesiologist who volunteer to turn bystanders into first responders giving hands on tourniquet training and also treating wounds.

Combat approved tourniquets can be purchased for $25-$35 and are everyday carries for military and  law enforcement officers.

Bleed Control bags can possibly be found in public spaces next to Fire Extinguishers and AED automatic external defibrillators. Bleed Control Bag’s can treat 8-10 people for bleeding and wounds.

Learn more at https://bleedingcontrol.org

The 'Stop the Bleed' campaign was initiated by a federal interagency workgroup convened by the National Security Council Staff, The White House. The purpose of the campaign is to build national resilience by better preparing the public to save lives by raising awareness of basic actions to stop life threatening bleeding following everyday emergencies and man-made and natural disasters. Advances made by military medicine and research in hemorrhage control during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have informed the work of this initiative which exemplifies translation of knowledge back to the homeland to the benefit of the general public. The Department of the Defense owns the 'Stop the Bleed' logo and phrase – trademark pending.