Three Steps to Stop the Bleed After an Emergency Situation

Workplace violence has seen an increase in regularity. Individuals in these situations will most likely be injured.

At Active Threat Solutions by Defense in Depth, we believe that an un-injured individual can be helpful to victims who are injured.

If you know the steps to Stop the Bleed, you can be crucial in potentially saving a life.

Learn the essential three steps to stopping the bleed below.

STEPS TO STOP THE BLEED

Step 1: Call the police

During these types of situations, we want to encourage every business, group, etc., to have a designated 9-1-1 caller. If everyone knows who the 9-1-1 caller is, there won’t be multiple calls placed, helping the 9-1-1 operator determine what is happening.

During this call, the designated caller should:

• Identify the number of attackers involved.
• Tell where the attackers are located.
• Give a description of the attackers, including gender, clothing, height, weight, hair color or any other identifiable factors.
• List weapons that are being used.
• Let the operator know if there are victims and how many.

Step 2: Determine if you’re safe

Before help can be offered, you must be sure of your own safety.

If you are injured, you may not be able to provide help to other victims. If you are injured and are able to walk, find a medic to help you.

If you are not injured, the area is deemed safe, you should start looking for any injuries that have life-threatening bleeding, such as blood spurting out of the victim’s wound, blood that won’t stop bleeding, areas of clothes that are soaked through, loss of limbs or if the victim is unconscious.

Step 3: Help the victims

Once you have found the source of bleeding, open the victim’s clothing so you can see the wound. Depending on if a trauma kit is made available to you during this time, there are several methods of stopping the bleed.

No trauma kit:

1. Take a clean cloth and cover the wounded area. Is the wound large? When covering the area, try to push the cloth inside of the wound.
2. Apply continuous pressure by applying force with both of your hands to the wound.
3. Hold the pressure until you can be relieved by a medic.

Trauma kit:

If you do have access to a trauma kit, but not a tourniquet, follow steps 1-3 from above, and instead of a cloth, pack the wound with gauze.

If you do have access to a trauma kit and a tourniquet:

1. Wrap the tourniquet two to three inches above the injured area. If there is a joint two to three inches above the wounded area, go above the joint.
2. Pull the end of the tourniquet to make it as tight as your can. Secure the end of the  tourniquet.
3. There will be a wind lass with the tourniquet. Twist until the bleeding stops, and secure the wind lass.
4. Write down the time that you applied the tourniquet.

It’s important to note that applying the tourniquet can cause pain; however, it is necessary to stop the bleed.

SAFERSITE | HOW CAN WE HELP

While you are in the moment, we understand that sometimes it can be hard to think clearly without proper knowledge. Most people wounded in an active threat situation can be saved.

SaferSite offers a 10-minute medic class which will include CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) certifications. This class presented by Alex Shay, former US Army Combat medic, focuses on:

• Controlling the bleed until higher assistance can be provided.
• What you can do immediately if someone is badly injured.

If you would be interested in this course, for yourself or your company, group, etc., give us a call: 844-244-2255