LANCASTER, Pa. - In the wake of the mass shooting in Las Vegas, there is a renewed focus on ways bystanders can help those injured in mass casualty events.
Lancaster General Health regularly offers "Stop the Bleed" training sessions to community groups in hopes of educating the public on what to do if people find themselves in that kind of a situation.
"Many times, if it's an arterial or other type of bleed, putting pressure and holding works," said Dr. Eric Bradburn with Lancaster General Health. "It can save a life."
If one is in a mass casualty situation, they should ensure they are okay first before attempting to help others. Once doing so, if they encounter a wounded person, they should first apply pressure on the wound with their hands. Then, apply gauze or dressing to the wound and press down, and finally, apply a tourniquet to stop the bleed. Finally, if able, write the time the tourniquet is applied to give emergency personnel an idea of how much time they are working with.
"In a major bleeding event, you have about five or ten minutes, and if you can stop the bleeding during that time, whether the response is quick or long, you can provide the extra time needed to save that person's life," Bradburn said.
"Stop the Bleed" was launched in 2015 and is a nationwide awareness campaign to train people for emergency preparedness.
LG Health has offered training sessions to many groups, including school nurses, police departments and shopping malls. To schedule a training session, contact Bradburn at 717-544-5945.