ANTHC teaches “Stop the Bleed” class to hundreds of Alaskans
November 9, 2019
Bleeding is the leading cause of preventable death after injury. In an emergency, someone can bleed to death in as little as three minutes before help arrives. Due to the vast geography of our state and our penchant for outdoor activities, Alaskans tend to live pretty adventurous lives – which puts us at a higher risk for injury. Unfortunately, we also live in a world where mass shootings and terrorist attacks are real threats to us all. Why not be prepared to assist in the event of injury? Why not take a “Stop the Bleed” class?
Bystanders trained on how to stop life-threatening bleeding can save lives. When you and your friends are out in the backcountry and a life-threatening injury occurs, you have no choice but to become a first responder. In an event where there are multiple casualties, emergency medical personnel may be overwhelmed. In an active shooter event, law enforcement must focus on mitigating the threat, not helping victims. This is why having the public trained to save lives is so important.
“When time is critical and minutes count, a bystander who can recognize life-threatening bleeding and provide basic interventions often becomes the true lifesaver before emergency personnel arrive,” said Tamsin Kurth, RN, ANTHC Emergency Department Clinical Shift Supervisor and Stop the Bleed instructor. “Blood can be a scary sight, but how you handle it could be the difference between life and death.”
The purpose of the “Stop the Bleed” campaign is to prepare people to save lives by raising awareness of basic actions to stop life-threatening bleeding following everyday emergencies, including man-made and natural disasters. Advances made by military medicine and research in hemorrhage control during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have informed the work of this initiative, which exemplifies translation of knowledge back to the homeland to the benefit of the general public.
“You don’t have to be medically trained to take this class. It is fun and hands on. After a short PowerPoint presentation, participants get hands-on practice on how to use a tourniquet and pack a wound. The classes are free and open to anyone of any age – and yes, kids can learn these skills too!” added Kurth.
Since early 2019, ANTHC has taught the Stop the Bleed training to more than 500 Alaskans.
If you are interested in taking a Stop the Bleed class or having an instructor visit your place of work or school to teach the class, please contact the ANMC Emergency Department Leadership Team at _aka-edcss@anthc.org, (907) 729-1718 or (907) 729-1710.
The next community class is on Nov. 18. The 2020 classes have also been scheduled and will be held the third Monday of every month: Jan. 13 (which is a joint Friends and Family CPR & Stop the Bleed); Feb. 17, March 16, May 18, June 15, Aug. 17, Sept. 21, Nov. 16 and Dec. 21, 2020. You can register and find additional classes on ANTHC’s Facebook events page at facebook.com/anthctoday.