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CCTE students participate in “Stop the Bleed” program

May 15th, 2019 by WCBC Radio

The Allegany County Department of Emergency Services EMS Division continued its mission to provide lay person education and techniques in rapid bleeding control at the Allegany County Public Schools Center for Career and Technical Education on Wednesday. After the presentation and hands on training for students and staff, CCTE school administration was presented with two ‘Stop the Bleed’ base stations to be mounted inside the school.

 

“The plan for the base stations is to place them in areas in the main building on the second floor which will be more readily available for use by staff and students,” Center for Career and Technical Education Principal Candy Canan said. “All skill areas are located in the main building; a large majority of programs which pose a higher risk of injury located on the second floor.”

 

The kits presented Wednesday to Principal Canan, Vice-Principal Richard King and Academy of Health Professions Instructor Brenda Blackburn consist of tourniquets, gauze and gloves that can be rapidly deployed during an emergency, Interim EMS Division Chief Christopher Biggs said.

 

“We want the students and faculty to have the tools, equipment and knowledge to save a life,” Biggs said.

The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma reports that trauma is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States overall for all ages. The report shows that there are nearly 40,000 homicide and suicide deaths in the U.S. each year. In addition to over 40,000 deaths and nearly 3 million injuries as a result of motor vehicle crashes.

 

Canan added “we have had injuries occur at CCTE in the past where bleeding control techniques were helpful, and the addition of the kits would certainly benefit in these types of scenarios”

 

“Stop the Bleed’ is a national, two-part course, launched in 2015 that provides bystanders and lay persons with education to rapidly control bleeding until pre-hospital emergency responders arrive. The course offers lecture, hands on training and teaches attendees that a person who is bleeding can die from blood loss within five minutes. Attendees to the class practice bleeding control measures on mannequins.

 

“I believe this class is very important for all school stakeholders.  While the likelihood of injury is greater in a school such as CCTE, the possibility of needing the skills taught through this training are also great,” Canan said. “Accidents happen daily in everyday life, as well as tragic situations that we all need to be prepared to handle should they occur. This training serves as a way to prepare everyone for these types of situations, and more importantly this training can mean the difference in saving a life.”

 

Biggs echoed Canan’s comment and stressed the skills taught in this course can not only be used in the school setting, but in the professional setting and in your private life.

 

“We hear many stories of citizens that have applied tourniquets or performed bleeding control measures on family and friends,” Biggs said.

 

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