"Stop The Bleed"  

The American Trauma Society, in collaboration with the Society of Trauma Nurses, is once again pleased to present National Trauma Awareness Month.  This May, National Trauma Awareness Month celebrates its 29th anniversary supporting efforts to StopTheBleed. StopTheBleed is a nationwide campaign, designed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, to empower individuals to act quickly and save lives.  Uncontrolled bleeding injuries can result from natural and manmade disasters and from everyday accidents. If this bleeding is severe, it can kill within minutes, potentially before trained responders can arrive. Providing bystanders with basic tools and information on the simple steps they can take in an emergency situation to stop life threatening bleeding can save lives. Research has shown that bystanders, with little or no medical training, can become heroic lifesavers.  Similar to the use of CPR or automatic defibrillators, improving public awareness about how to stop severe bleeding and expanding personal and public access to Bleeding Control Kits can be the difference between life and death for an injured person.

We hope the campaign and its materials will continue to draw attention to these issues and invoke change by the community.  The ATS has posted this year’s campaign materials electronically for your use, not only for May, but also in the months thereafter.

 

We also encourage trauma centers to have a “trauma survivors’ day” to reunite patients and families who have been served by the trauma center. Visit the TSN web site for the materials to plan the celebration. Click on “Get Involved”, and then National Trauma Survivors Day.

 

General Resources 

Videos

"The Cast of 'Code Black' on Stop The Bleed" (CBS)

"How to Use a Tourniquet" (American College of Surgeons)

 

The 'Stop the Bleed' campaign was initiated by a federal interagency workgroup convened by the National Security Council Staff, The White House. The purpose of the campaign is to build national resilience by better preparing the public to save lives by raising awareness of basic actions to stop life threatening bleeding following everyday emergencies and man-made and natural disasters. Advances made by military medicine and research in hemorrhage control during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have informed the work of this initiative which exemplifies translation of knowledge back to the homeland to the benefit of the general public. The Department of the Defense owns the 'Stop the Bleed' logo and phrase – trademark pending.