Anyone can save a life by knowing how to stop severe bleeding properly. Paramedic Jesse Presley, director of Coffey County EMS, will provide this training during a Lunch & Learn on Friday, August 15, at Coffey County Hospital. This free event begins at noon. Training and meals are limited to the first 30 registrations, though additional seating will be available for observation. To attend, please register today at (620) 364-4507 or submit the form at the bottom of this page.
Participants will learn three quick techniques to help save a life before someone bleeds out: (1) how to use your hands to apply pressure to a wound; (2) how to pack a wound to control bleeding; (3) how to apply a tourniquet correctly. These three techniques will empower you to assist in an emergency and potentially save a life.
“The Stop the Bleed® class is important because a lot of deaths could be prevented with a bystander just stopping the bleed. We look at the active shooter events, and a lot of those deaths could have been prevented by a tourniquet or stopping the bleeding. We’re finding that in normal life situations, somebody with knowledge of applying a tourniquet or plain pressure could have stopped the bleed.”
Presley points out that while the skills are important for everyone, there are certain groups for whom this training is essential:
anyone on blood thinners or with conditions that put the person at risk for excessive bleeding, such as varicose veins;
farmers and ranchers who regularly handle heavy equipment, sharp blades, and chainsaws; and
family members of the above.
“While people were once afraid to apply a tourniquet for fear of amputation, that’s not the case anymore,” Presley said. “Properly applying a tourniquet early enough saves that blood loss, so emergency responders can get things done and save your life and try to save the limb.”
Presley points out that firearm carriers also benefit from the training.
“A lot of people carry a firearm, and when you’re carrying a firearm, you should have a tourniquet. There are a lot of misfires due to either improper training or improper handling. We’ve had multiple calls where somebody’s accidentally shot himself in the thigh. They were able to put on a tourniquet—whether it be improvised or commercial—and it saved their life."
The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Stop the Bleed® program is administered by the ACS Committee on Trauma (ACS COT). 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 Lunch and Learn series is a community service of Coffey Health System.
Please register to reserve your meal and seat: