How to Stop Heavy Bleeding in an Emergency
When someone is injured, such as a firearm, it is often not the injury itself that kills, but the loss of blood. To mark Bleeding Stop Day (March 31), hospitals and schools across the country are running free emergency blood loss prevention classes. Look for one near you, or read the basics that everyone should know.
According to the official booklet Stop the Bleed , the first thing to do is to make sure you are safe (no point if you both get hurt) and then use these ABCs:
- Warning : Call 911 or have someone else call.
- Bleeding : Find a bleeding injury. You may have to cut or take off your clothes – remember, the person would probably rather be without pants than dead.
- Compression : Press down to stop bleeding.
If the pressure on the wound does not stop the bleeding, this is where it becomes (even more) terrible. For a head or neck wound, or for a wound anywhere that does not have a tourniquet, wrap sterile gauze over the wound. If you don’t have them, it’s better to use a clean cloth than nothing. Consider carrying a bleeding control kit with you so that you always have all the supplies you need.
If you have a turnstile, use it. There was an era in first aid training when tourniquets were not recommended, but times are changing. Tourniquets are dangerous as a person can lose a limb if the tourniquet is left on for too long. But a person can die from uncontrolled bleeding, so now it is considered good practice in a situation where he cannot die.
What Everyone Should Know To Stop Bleeding After Injury | BleedingControl.org