Learn a skill and Stop the Bleed
Douglas County Search and Rescue (DCSAR) Stop the Bleed course taught in May to the Unified Forensic Laboratory. DCSAR teaches a number of Stop the Bleed classes throughout the year as a public service to county employees and occasionally other nonprofit organizations.
Stop the Bleed is a national program that teaches non-medical professionals the basic skills and techniques to stop someone from bleeding out after an accident or traumatic incident. It is a 90-minute class that is like a CPR certification; neither are intended as full medical training.
The class “empowers people to help themselves and help others until first responders arrive,” explained Tom Cribley, a Stop the Bleed instructor and member of Douglas County Search and Rescue (DCSAR).
Worldwide, 40% of all trauma-related deaths are attributed to bleeding. National average statistics indicate that first responders arrive seven to ten minutes from the initiation of a 9-1-1 call. It only takes three to five minutes for someone to bleed out. “If someone is bleeding, time is a factor,” stated Tom.
The courses are widely available, free to the public and are a public service created and overseen by the American College of Surgeon’s Committee on Trauma.
“Military medicine advances and research in hemorrhage control during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq informed this initiative,” and ultimately brought the life skills to the general public, according to the Stop the Bleed website.
The course focuses on three main points: tourniquet management and use, direct pressure, and wound packing. The program first rolled out to non-medically trained law enforcement personnel, but quicky expanded to include the general public.
Classes are available through multiple agencies and organizations, including hospitals, private companies and the Stop the Bleed website. While online options are available and useful to become familiar with concepts, in-person courses provide valuable hands-on practice.
“The chances of being in an active shooter situation are very small,” Tom explained. “The chances of being in a situation where bleeding control skills are useful is a lot higher.” Accidents in the workplace, at home or in recreation are more likely to happen.
Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) Deputy Jeff Pelle partners with HCA HealthONE Sky Ridge to provide Stop the Bleed classes through the DCSO community outreach safety initiative. The DCSAR volunteers teach Stop the Bleed courses primarily to Douglas County employees.
Tom is grateful to everyone who takes a class because it creates opportunities for “regular people to step up and do amazing things in a crisis.” This kind of simple training that helps in a moment’s notice is invaluable and “allows people to have confidence in difficult circumstances,” Tom concluded.
For more information, visit stopthebleed.org or call Pelle at 303-660-7509.
Course participants practice applying Stop the Bleed techniques at a class held through the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Church Safety community outreach program and HCA HealthONE Sky Ridge in November.
By Celeste McNeil; photos courtesy of Jeff Pelle and Dave Arnett
