Stop the Bleed

Teaching the Public How They, Too, Can Save Lives

Chris Vidrine, LSU Health New Orleans Director of External Affairs, coordinated LSU Health New Orleans’ participation in an event that brought life-saving education to the halls of state government March 21, 2018, which was declared “Stop the Bleed Day at the Capitol.” About 20 LSU Health New Orleans faculty, residents and medical students, along with an LSU Health Shreveport faculty member, a member of the Tulane faculty, and volunteers from New Orleans EMS and the Louisiana Chapter of the American College of Surgeons taught House and Senate staff, as well as Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) employees how to keep someone from bleeding out before professional help arrives.

After the school shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut, the American College of Surgeons met with other leaders in law enforcement, emergency medical services, fire-rescue and the military to improve survival in future events. They developed a program that empowers the public to save lives using some of the same techniques used in tactical combat casualty care routinely taught in the military and law enforcement. Stop the Bleed training is implemented nationwide and conducted locally by LSU Health New Orleans and Tulane faculty at University Medical Center New Orleans.

According to BleedingControl.org, “Massive bleeding from any cause, but particularly from an active shooter or explosive event where a response is delayed can result in death. Similar to how the general public learns and performs CPR, the public must learn proper bleeding control techniques, including how to use their hands, dressings, and tourniquets. Victims can quickly die from uncontrolled bleeding, within five to 10 minutes. However, anyone at the scene can act as immediate responder and save lives if they know what to do.”

The volunteers taught about 100 participants in three training sessions throughout the day, at the Capitol and LDH. The course, designed for the general public, teaches participants how to find the source of bleeding, apply pressure or a tourniquet, pack wounds and control bleeding while EMS is en route.

Visitors, as well as members of the legislature, learned about the initiative at the display set up in the rotunda. Governor John Bel Edwards, Louisiana Health Secretary Dr. Rebekah Gee and the leadership of the House and Senate received Stop the Bleed station that contain multiple bleeding control instruction booklets, tourniquets, bleeding control dressings, compression bandages, gloves and more.

The Health and Welfare Committees, and the full House and Senate recognized the group. Representative H. Bernard LeBas presented a resolution on the House Floor as did Senator J. P. Morrell on the Senate Floor commending the program, encouraging citizens to participate and supporting the placement of Stop the Bleed kits in public buildings.

Participants came away from the trainings with a newfound sense of confidence.

“I never thought I would know how to save someone's life, but now I do,” said one.

Remarked another, “'Everyone should learn how to do this.”

A third expressed the participants’ shared feeling. “'I'm so glad the doctors and medical students came to the Capitol to teach us this program.”

To register for the Stop the Bleed class at UMC, click here.