FCFRD News Blog : Celebrate Community Risk Reduction Week By Learning To Stop The Bleed!

Press release from the FCFRD News Blog:

January 20, 2022

The focus for day four of Community Risk Reduction (CRR) Week is about learning to Stop the Bleed. Why is it important to learn how to Stop the Bleed? It is important as a person can die from severe uncontrolled bleeding in as little as five minutes.

When a traumatic bleeding emergency occurs in Fairfax County most often a friend, family member, neighbor, co-worker or bystander is on scene immediately after the traumatic bleeding injury has occurred. Watch as Master Technician/Paramedic Mike Worthington, assisted by Vienna Volunteer Fire Department EMT Abby Presson, show you how to stop the bleed using a tourniquet.

What if a commercially made tourniquet is not immediately available? Be very cautious in attempting to make an improvised tourniquet. Thin items such as phone chargers, extension cords, shoelaces, and rope are to narrow to be used as a tourniquet. In addition to not working, those items can cause severe damage to the nerves of the injured limb.

What you can do is expose the area that is bleeding, and with a cloth or bandage use both hands to apply firm, steady pressure to the area that is bleeding. If you don’t have a bandage or cloth immediately available, apply firm and steady pressure with your hands. This will still help to slow or stop the bleeding.

Please remember to first call 9-1-1 to get Fairfax County Fire and Rescue units on the way. The sooner you call 911, the faster professional help will arrive.

This press release was produced by the FCFRD News Blog. The views expressed here are the author’s own.