MCALLEN, TEXAS – May 25th is STOP THE BLEED® day in the United States and HCA Healthcare facilities across the nation hosted free training for community residents.
TOP THE BLEED® is a national awareness and education campaign focused on preventing victims from bleeding to death, which is the number one preventable cause of death after an injury. The campaign is an initiative of the American College of Surgeons, the Committee on Trauma, and the Hartford Consensus.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, a person who is bleeding can die from blood loss within only five minutes. Individuals closest to someone with life-threatening injuries are best positioned to provide critical, life-saving care before first responders arrive.
The Rio Grande Regional Hospital trauma department conducted STOP THE BLEED® sessions with fellow Hospital colleagues, South Texas College nursing students, and students from Edinburg High School and Sharyland High School this week.
“Participating in a STOP THE BLEED® training prepared us to step into action and save a life,” said Armando Alanis, an Edinburg High School teacher. “I learned how to recognize a life-threatening bleed and then how to stop the bleed with pressure dressings, wound-packing, and tourniquets.”
“These training sessions have been a highlight for our trauma department and we look forward to conducting more STOP THE BLEED® training as part of our community outreach,” said Victor Alanis, director of trauma services for Rio Grande Regional Hospital.
To learn more about STOP THE BLEED® exercises or to schedule a training, contact Victor Alanis at 956-632-6512.