Thanks to an interactive training last month, dozens more members of the Mercy College community are prepared to help save lives in the event of an emergency.
On September 28, approximately 80 students, faculty and staff participated in a STOP THE BLEED training to learn how to stop uncontrolled bleeding, which is a leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Uncontrolled bleeding results from traumatic injuries occurring because of accidents, violence, natural disasters or other mass casualty events.
STOP THE BLEED is a nationwide initiative that was first launched by the White House in 2015 and is now operated by the American College of Surgeons under a licensing agreement granted by the Department of Defense.
In the hands-on training at Mercy, participants practiced applying pressure to a wound, packing a wound and applying a tourniquet — all three being effective ways to stop uncontrolled bleeding.
“The training is applicable in all kinds of different settings — at school, at work, at home, just going about everyday life,” said Konrad Motyka, executive director for Campus Safety and Emergency Management. “People unfortunately get into accidents all the time. And everyone should know how to help until first responders arrive. This skill can save lives.”
In addition to hosting the training, Mercy College also purchased dozens of STOP THE BLEED kits, which will be stored in a central location on each Mercy campus. Each kit includes supplies such as a tourniquet, hand sanitizer, gloves and dressings.
“We were absolutely delighted by the turnout,” said Motyka. “And participants gave very positive reviews of the training, so we’re confident that they did gain the skills.” Mercy College plans to offer the STOP THE BLEED training every year.