Orange Park Medical Center is kicking off monthly classes teaching the public how to stop heavy bleeding using tourniquets or even T-shirts.
The hospital wants bleed training to be as common as CPR because bleeding out is the number one cause of preventable death from trauma, according to the medical center.
The hospital is partnering with BleedingControl.org to help educate the public on how they can help save a friend, loved one or even a stranger if they’re ever in this type of situation.
“Anyone at the scene of a tragic incident such as a mass shooting or other mass casualty event can act immediately and help save lives,” said Dr. Elias Tsirakoglou a trauma surgeon at Orange Park Medical Center in a news release. “It becomes critical to have the general public educated on how to stop the bleed so they can step in when emergency response may be delayed.”
Friday, a class of community leaders, including school board members and the department of health, will take the first lessons.
Then, starting April 7, the public will be able to take the free classes monthly. The two-hour course will be taught by the hospital’s trauma team.
Orange Park Medical Center is also partnering with Clay County Public Schools to provide training to teachers. Each school is getting a kit including gloves, gauze sponges, quikclot gauze, bandages, sheers and a tourniquet.
Lindsey Kilbride can be reached at lkilbride@wjct.org, 904-358-6359 or on Twitter at@lindskilbride.
