COLORADO SPRINGS — A lot of teachers at Discovery Canyon High School in Colorado Springs are adding a Stop The Bleed certification to their list of credentials.
“You never know when you're going to have an emergency,” said Math Teacher, Suzanne Smith, “And I think it's important to be trained as much as we can, to do what we can.”
The push of the lifesaving skill comes in the aftermath of mass casualty situations like the shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs.
“So, our goal is to have as many people prepared to handle crisis situations or traumatic situations. And in essence, our goal is to survive until they [police, fire, paramedics] arrive, said Discovery Canyon Principal, Mark Wahlstrom.
School Nurse Bob Fredrickson is teaching his colleagues.
He said, “Stop the Bleed. It's a trauma program for lay rescuers to help intervene in emergency bleeding between the time you call 911. And the time that ambulance can arrive.”
Soon every classroom will also have a Stop The Bleed kit.
It includes protective gloves, gauze for packing deep wounds, and a tourniquet.
It’s first aid plus,” said Fredrickson, “It's intervening with that bleeding that isn't going to be controlled by just pressure alone or by bandages alone. And having to intervene by packing wounds and applying tourniquets if necessary.”
Several dozen teachers have gone through the training and more have signed up for future classes.
In the time it takes first responders to arrive the certification can be the difference between a life saved and a life lost.
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