SHS staff learn to 'Stop the Bleed'

SANDPOINT — When someone gets hurt at school, the students and staff are the first responders.

Events can range from an accident in shop class to a school shooting, or even something that happens outside of school, such as a car crash. That's why it is critical for everyone to be educated on how to control life-threatening bleeding. This is the mission for the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma's "Stop the Bleed" campaign. Locally, it is the mission of Bonner County EMS, starting with Sandpoint High School teachers and staff.

"As an exposure class, we want to let people know you can make the difference," said Bonner County EMS Chief Bob Bussey.

"Stop the Bleed" is the result of the 2012 tragedy in Sandy Hook, and the multiple tragedies that have occurred since, according to the ACS website, bleedingcontrol.org. Since then, what has become known as the Hartford Consensus convened to bring together leaders from law enforcement, the federal government and the medical community to "improve survivability from manmade or natural mass casualty events."

On Friday, Bonner County EMS taught some of the basic techniques to about 40 SHS staff members. The event was coordinated by Bussey and SHS Principal Tom Albertson. The group got some hands-on experience in situation assessment, dressing wounds, applying tourniquets, and how to move people safely. Bonner County EMS also donated five bleeding control kits to the school, which will be placed in a central location.

Albertson said SHS staff had two professional development days lined up this week and the event coincides with the school's "connection" efforts, which included a Community Connections tour on Thursday and Connecting with Data Friday morning.

"This is kind of an extension of connecting to the community, because (Bussey) contacted me about six months ago and told me, basically, when I could fit it in he would love to do this training," Albertson said.

The training will be extended to students in the health occupation course at SHS, who will build bleeding control kits for every classroom after the needed supplies are obtained.

"It's a great project for them," Albertson said. "... It fits into the health occupation area and then makes us a little more prepared."

Bussey said his goal is to give the people who would be the first responders the knowledge they need to get by and keep people alive and safe until medical professionals arrive.

"The biggest thing with that type of injury is getting to a trauma surgeon and we are just asking the teachers, 'get us more time to get that person out to the trauma surgeon,'" Bussey said.

While they are not going to be "experts" from the training, the group gained exposure to something that can help save lives, Bussey said.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.