No matter how rapid the arrival of professional emergency responders, bystanders will always be first on the scene.
A person who is bleeding can die from blood loss within five minutes, therefore it is important to quickly stop the blood loss.
The 'Stop the Bleed' campaign was initiated by a federal interagency workgroup convened by the National Security Council Staff and 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.
More than 2.4 million people around the world have
been trained to save a life through the ACS STOP THE BLEED® program.
Remember to be aware of your surroundings and move yourself and the injured person to safety, if necessary.
Call 911.
Bystanders can take simple steps to keep the injured person alive until appropriate medical care is available. Here are 3 actions you can take to help save a life:
Apply pressure with hands
Find where the bleeding is coming from and apply firm, steady pressure to the bleeding site with both hands if possible
Apply dressing and press
Find where the bleeding is coming from, pack wound and apply firm, steady pressure to the bleeding site with both hands if possible
Apply tourniquet
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).
Pull the free end of the tourniquet to make it as tight as possible and secure the free end.
Twist or wind the windlass until bleeding stops.
Secure the windlass to keep the tourniquet tight.
Note the time the tourniquet was applied.
Learn more and get involved at www.stopthebleed.org