“The only thing more tragic than a death from bleeding is a death that could have been prevented.”

Three professionals from St. Luke’s University Hospital Network carried that message to Bath Neighborhood Watch when presenting Stop the Bleed training Feb. 19.

The presentation by Andrea Nesfeder, MPH, a St. Luke’s trauma outreach coordinator; Michael Snyder, a paramedic and Bethlehem Township Ambulance Corps education director; and Courtlynn Lawler, a physician assistant, captivated the attendees.

The training is endorsed by American College of Surgeons and grew out of the Sandy Hook school shootings, where it was learned some of the children may have survived if adults were aware of how to efficiently stop bleeding from deep gunshot wounds.

The program goal is to train as many people as possible in arresting life-threatening bleeding until emergency responders arrive.

Nesfeder, Snyder and Lawler presented the ABCs of Bleeding - Alert, Bleeding and Compress.

The first step - Alert - stresses the importance of calling 911 at the outset of discovering a life-threatening bleeding injury.

Finding the exact arterial bleeding location is the second.

Compressing and/or packing the wound to stop, or at least slow, the bleeding is the third.

After a PowerPoint presentation explaining the program, attendees had the opportunity to handle various tourniquets and other bleed-arresting devices. Learning how to effectively use a tourniquet through the hands-on activities and to pack a deep wound to stanch bleeding until professional help arrives has saved lives.

An array of trauma kits called bleeding control kits were displayed for viewing. The kits typically contain gloves, a Combat Application Tourniquet, an emergency bandage, rolls of compressed gauze dressing and a pair of scissors.

Nesfeder noted the kits cost around $60. She recommended organizations store the kits in the location of an automated external defibrillator (AED). Individuals can keep a kit in their car or in their home to respond to a life-threatening bleed.

Nesfeder stressed the importance of learning CPR, how to operate an AED and the Stop the Bleed information. Stop the Bleed training has reportedly saved 4,000 lives.

For additional information, or if you want to become certified in presenting the Stop the Bleed training, contact andrea.nesfeder@sluhn.org.