RANDOLPH — With May 2019 being the first ever “National Stop the Bleed Month,” and May 23 the second annual “National Stop the Bleed Day,” the Randolph Regional Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and the United Presbyterian Church of Randolph cosponsored a training held May 18 at the church.

Developed for a non-medical audience, the 90-minute workshop included a formal presentation and hands-on practice of direct pressure application, wound packing and use of a tourniquet.

The course gave participants the opportunity to learn how to save a life by controlling serious bleeding at an accident scene before emergency personnel arrives.

Terry Phelps, ASN, RN, EMT-B of the Findley Lake Volunteer Fire Department, conducted the training in bleeding control basics. He has been an emergency medical technician (EMT) for over 20 years, is a registered nurse and also has experience in interior fire fighting. He and his wife, Darla, became certified “Stop the Bleed” instructors two and a half years ago.

“This program came about as a result of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., in December 2012,” he said.

Phelps said the focus of the program is the immediate response to bleeding. The person assisting a victim has to see the wound, recognize it and do the appropriate thing.

He said the very first thing a person should do is always call 911, or have someone else call while they are assisting the victim to get professional medical help coming.

Assisted by Nancy Sampson, an RN at UPMC Chautauqua, Phelps instructed the participants (as lay people with no medical experience) in bleeding control basics. They learned how to identify, control and/or stop traumatic bleeding.

Participants practiced applying a tourniquet on themselves and on others, then packed an open wound and applied the correct pressure on a simulated leg.

The training covered what everyone should know to stop bleeding after an injury. Call 911 first then, depending on the injury, the options are to apply pressure with the hands, or apply a dressing and press or apply a tourniquet.

When using a tourniquet, the steps are wrap, wind, secure, then write down the time the tourniquet was applied. Phelps recommends that people have a trauma first aid kit that includes a tourniquet in both their home and their vehicle.

Phelps said before offering any help to the victim on the scene, people should ensure their own safety, especially in a dangerous situation such as a bombing, mass shooting or animal attack.

If the person offering assistance is threatened at any time, they should attempt to remove themselves and the victim, if possible, from danger and find a safe location. He said people should also protect themselves from blood-borne infections by wearing gloves, if available.

“When you find the bleeding injury, immediately put pressure on it. Stick your hand on it and lean on it. Lock your elbows and use your body weight to apply pressure. Cover it with a clean cloth, if you have one, and lean on it. Use a tourniquet or pack the wound with gauze if you have it,” he said. “A tourniquet will cause pain, but it is necessary to stop life-threatening bleeding.”

According to the American College of Surgeons, the only thing more tragic than a death from bleeding is a death that could have been prevented. Whether the injury is sustained at home, at work, a motor vehicle accident or a public event, a seriously injured person can bleed to death in as little as five to 10 minutes.

Thousands of accident victims needlessly bleed to death every year because bystanders or family members did not know the easy-to-learn basics of bleeding control.

The free “Bleeding Control Basics” classes are offered to the public, furthering the goal of the American College of Surgeons to train everyone in the U.S. about what to do during a bleeding emergency.

As of December 2018, there were almost 40,000 instructors in nearly 90 countries, including the United States. More than 500,000 people worldwide have been trained.

Anyone who’d like to be prepared to possibly save the life of an accident victim at home, on the road, at work or anywhere should contact their local fire station or trauma center to schedule a course in their community. To find out more, visit online at bleedingcontrol.org.