All Fayette County school system administrators received “Stop the Bleed” training as part of a statewide initiative to educate, equip and empower bystanders to help in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives.
Fayette County Fire and Emergency Services division chief, Steve Folden, conducted the brief training session, which took place in December at the monthly Administrative Council meeting, and included all school principals, department heads, assistant superintendents, and school superintendent Dr. Joseph Barrow.
Folden educated attendees on the basics of bleed control such as the proper way to apply pressure and dressing to a wound, and how to use a tourniquet to control bleeding in the event pressure and dressing does not work.
A person who is bleeding can die from blood loss within five minutes, making it important to quickly stop the blood loss. Those nearest to someone with life threatening injuries are best positioned to provide first care.
Folden says, “This works in conjunction with calling 911. It is incumbent upon people who get there first to save a life by controlling bleeding until EMS (Emergency Medical Services) can arrive on the scene.”
“Stop the Bleed” or bleeding control kits have been provided to all Fayette County elementary, middle, high schools, as well as county office buildings. Each kit contains a tourniquet, wound packing materials, and gloves. Training kits will be delivered in January so that those who have already been trained can train their staffs.
This is the second Stop the Bleed training session for school system employees; all school nurses received the training at the beginning of the school year.
Educating faculty and staff on basic bleeding control techniques is another way to ensure the safety of our school community.
