After another mass causality shooting in the US, Central Florida doctors are stressing the importance of understanding basic first responder skills.
- Stop the Bleed program provides life-saving training
- Started after the Aurora shooting
- People learn how to wrap a wound
"We know that especially, unfortunately, in this day and age, from high velocity bullet wounds, you can bleed to death,” said Dr. Don Plumley, Pediatric Trauma director with Arnold Palmer Hospital. People could otherwise be saved. You just have to get there and stop the bleed."
Plumley said learning how to wrap a wound is the next step in preparing the public to save lives.
"We just want anyone who stumbles upon a scene or is involved in a scene can start providing care immediately until the paramedics arrive," Plumley said.
Plumley and surgeons at the Orlando Regional Medical Center decided to join the Stop the Bleed movement following the Pulse nightclub shooting.
Stop the Bleed is a program which came out of the Aurora Shooting and focused on teaching the public how to use gauze and how to stop someone from bleeding from a gunshot wound before paramedics arrive.
"It's at such a scale now that you have to help take care of yourself you can't just assume someone is going to immediately be there to help you out," Plumley said.
For more information about Stop the Bleed classes, click here.