Stop the Bleed

A New Training for a New Time

Hey teachers and administrators!

How about you, teenagers, office staff, movie theater ticket takers, neighborhood watchers, camp counselors, summer life guards, concert attenders, nightclub dancers, grocery baggers, delivery drivers, gamers, and stock traders, passer-byers, gun owners, road workers, writers, and gallery goers — have you had this training?

As a person who works with kids, I have had numerous and repeated trainings. I have done the life guard training and waited at camp to be called down to the docks to save a mock drowning victim who may or may not exhibit signs of a neck injury. I have been teaching for 20 years. I have had repeated CPR and First Aid trainings.

But in today’s world, it is not enough.

Last school year, I gained skills in something I never thought I would potentially need. This training is called: “Stop the Bleed.”

I got a new certification in my child-guard training. I now have, Universe, hopefully never needed, skills in how to stop bleeding after gun violence or other horrific events. I learned how to tie a tourniquet, how to press cotton deep into a wound, how to pinch a severed artery, what types of injuries are too late, and how to give aid to people who are injured worse than you are.

Bleeding people can help stop the bleed on other people too.

Sure we have had lockdown drills and how to follow your instinct drills. I know how many kids and adults will fit in my classroom closet. I even know how many more I could shove in on top of people. Do you run, or do you hide? Do you block the door? Do you turn out the lights? What if you are out at recess? Is there an escape route? Do you turn off your cell phones? If it is announced there is an active shooter in the school, do you know how to remain calm? Do you know what you would do? Would you remember how to help?

Our trainer, who was a retired EMT, was awesome. She told me her office is the only one, at this point, giving this training in our area. I asked her if the public schools are having this training. She said they are trying, but the district doesn’t want to spend the time or the money right now.

Although a terrifying hypothetical, I believe this training is at utmost importance. Many more lives can be saved before professional help arrives, if people learn how to stop the bleed.

© Samantha Lazar 2019

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