ACS Honors First Responders During EMS Week, National STOP THE BLEED Day

During the event, held on National STOP THE BLEED Day—which occurs on the Thursday of EMS Week each year—participants received hands-on training on the ACS STOP THE BLEED program, a global program designed to educate everyone on life-saving bleeding control techniques. Participants also had the opportunity to learn other life-saving techniques such as CPR and AED training. 

The ACS Committee on Trauma (COT) recognizes uncontrolled bleeding from traumatic injuries as a leading cause of preventable death for people of all ages throughout the country.  

“Injuries that cause uncontrolled bleeding can happen anywhere, anytime, and often occur in everyday situations,” said COT Chair Jeffrey Kerby, MD, PhD, FACS. “Programs such as STOP THE BLEED are vital to increase education about bleeding control and to teach everyone that they can save lives by using simple techniques taught in the program.” 

In her comments at the STOP THE BLEED Day event on the Mall, Dr. Turner encouraged everyone to seek out STOP THE BLEED training in their community. “In about an hour, you can receive the training—and the confidence—to step in and save a life,” she said. “A small investment of time could be the difference between life and death for someone you love, a friend, a colleague, or a stranger.” 

Since 2017, the ACS STOP THE BLEED program has trained nearly 4 million people in three simple techniques to control bleeding: how to apply direct pressure to the wound, pack the wound, and properly apply a tourniquet. These steps take only a short time to learn and can help save lives by preventing catastrophic blood loss.  

“Too often, my colleagues and I have been unable to save a trauma patient’s life because of extensive blood loss,” Dr. Turner said. “But we know that as more and more people learn this lifesaving skill, we can save more patients—who could be you or someone you love—if bleeding can be controlled in the field, on the street, or in your backyard.”   

Learn more about the ACS STOP THE BLEED program and find a nearby course.