Mercy Emergency Management Services has partnered with the Ada Police Department and the Air Evac Lifeteam to teach people how to respond properly to uncontrolled bleeding.
Stop the Bleed is a nationwide campaign with the goal to teach bystanders how to act in the event of major trauma requiring bleeding control. Training is at Mercy Hospital Ada. Topics include immediate response to bleeding, recognizing life-threatening bleeding and appropriate ways to stop bleeding.
“I’m humbled to be able to provide training to the community,” said Chris McGill, Mercy Hospital Ada Stop the Bleed Training Coordinator and EMS team shift supervisor EMS. “A person who is suffering from life-threatening bleeding can perish from blood loss within five minutes. These trainings could help save lives.”
A $33,000 grant was gifted to Mercy Health Foundation Ada by Valley View Foundation that allows Mercy EMS to develop a program and provide 200 training kits in south-central Oklahoma. The grant supports the Stop the Bleed public access control program, launched by the Department of Homeland Security.
“Excessive bleeding is the most common cause of preventable death in trauma,” McGill said. “Uncontrolled bleeding injuries can result from natural or manmade disasters and from everyday accidents. Individuals first onsite at a scene many times are general members of the public. That is why stop the bleed education is so important.”
The grant provides 90 law enforcement officers with tourniquets and supplies. Officers carry a personal tourniquet on their belt or vest. The officers are with Ada Police Department, Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Department, Ada’s Critical Incident Response Team, Stonewall Police Department and Allen Police Department.
Mercy EMS will provide 200 Stop the Bleed kits across many area schools, city buildings, businesses, churches and community locations for groups that go through the training.
“We are incredibly appreciative for the grants that allows many nonclinical, everyday people to help Stop the Bleed and save lives, as well as those protecting and serving our community,” McGill said.
To schedule a training, please call Mercy EMS at (580) 421-1129.
