Bleeding out is one of the leading causes of death in a trauma. A national campaign called "Stop the Bleed" is working to change that reality through training.
“Stop the Bleed” focuses on eliminating preventable deaths. The leading cause of death in trauma is through hemorrhage. Truman Medical Centers is offering the training in the Kansas City metro. Organizers say penetrating injuries continue to rise due to gun and intentional violence.
Mickie Keeling is a registered nurse in the trauma department at Truman Medical Centers. She helped organize and secure funding for the training.
"We are trying to train as many people as possible throughout the community." said Keeling.
On Tuesday morning, 14 Kansas City Police Department cadets learned the ABC's of bleeding. Eventually, all 850 KCPD police officers will be re-trained to protect, serve and stop the bleeding.
Entry officer Justin Forrest will graduate on Thursday.
"That's why this training is important because it gives us what we need to prevent all those deaths," said Forrest.
All KCPD officers are taught tourniquet training as part of their CPR certification. The "Stop the Bleed" training is more intense and equips officers with a trauma training kit.
"They're going to pack the wound and put the quick clot on top, or they're going to apply a tourniquet. And we don't want them to wait too long on applying the tourniquet," said Keeling
Truman Medical Centers is providing the funding for the training. They're seeing more penetrating injuries because of the increase in gun violence. They also plan to train others, including MODOT workers, teachers, and parents.
Keeling wants "Stop the Bleed" training to become as common as CPR training.
