Broward Health is joining the national “Stop the Bleed” Campaign of the American College of Surgeons with its first community event training session to help members of the public become trained, equipped and empowered to help in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives.
As part of “National Stop the Bleed Day” on Saturday, March 31, Broward Health Medical Center is presenting a free, hands on training session, including skill station instruction on how to properly apply tourniquets to help stop bleeding. Hands on skill stations are also planned for instruction on packing wounds and on applying chest seals.
In addition to members of the public, the training program is also designed to focus on trainers, security officers, surveillance camera monitors and others who monitor and patrol frontline public areas.
Training program registration opens at 8:30 a.m. “Stop the Bleed” training begins at 9 a.m. and continues until 11:30 a.m. The program is scheduled to take place in Broward Health Medical Center Auditoriums A, B and C, with access via the hospital main entrance at 1600 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale.
Presenters include Mario Gomez, M.D., associate director of trauma ICU, Broward Health Medical Center, which has treated survivors of the mass casualty events that took place at both Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., and the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport.
“As we continue our recovery from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy, Broward Health is proud to offer our community Stop the Bleed training,” said Beverly Capasso, president/CEO, Broward Health. “As a former trauma nurse, I can attest that tourniquet training is an invaluable skill for everyone. It can be used for a mass casualty incident or singular injury, such as an emergency at home, on a playground or beyond.”
The Broward Health “Stop the Bleed” training program is supported by the City of Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale Police Department and Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue.
For more information or to register for Broward Health’s “Stop the Bleed” training program, click here: Stop the Bleed Information and Registration
Stop the Bleeding Coalition
In response to numerous mass casualty events, in 2013 the American College of Surgeons first called for training the public in bleeding control techniques. Numerous government agencies and public service organizations are active participants in the national Stop the Bleeding Coalition.
According to national statistics published by the Coalition, 35 percent of pre-hospital deaths are the result of hemorrhaging and 80 percent of mass casualty victims arrive by non-emergency vehicles. As a result, the Coalition is actively encouraging training and wider use of proven battlefield military medical techniques such as the proper application of tourniquets.
Estimates by the American College of Surgeons indicate as many as 120,000 people have participated in “Stop the Bleed” training programs throughout the United States.
About Broward Health
Broward Health, providing service for more than 80 years, is a nationally recognized system in South Florida that offers world-class healthcare to all. The Broward Health system includes the statutory teaching hospital Broward Health Medical Center, Broward Health North, Broward Health Imperial Point, Broward Health Coral Springs, Salah Foundation Children’s Hospital, Broward Health Weston, Broward Health Community Health Services, Broward Health Physician Group, Broward Health Urgent Care, Broward Health International, and Broward Health Foundation. For more information, visit BrowardHealth.org.
