Three minutes. That's how long you have before a person bleeds to death from a severed artery.

Not three hours. Not thirty minutes. Three minutes.

As a Firefighter/Paramedic, I've responded to workplace accidents, vehicle crashes, active shooter incidents, and industrial injuries where victims bled out before we could even get on scene. And every single time, I think the same thing:

"If someone had known how to stop the bleeding, this person would still be alive."

That's why Stop the Bleed® training exists—and why your organization needs it.

What is Stop the Bleed®?

Stop the Bleed® is a national campaign launched by the American College of Surgeons to train the public to control severe bleeding before EMS arrives. It was created in response to mass casualty incidents where victims died from preventable hemorrhage.

The training teaches three life-saving techniques:

1. Direct Pressure: Using hands or gauze to compress bleeding vessels
2. Wound Packing: Stuffing hemostatic gauze deep into wounds to stop internal bleeding
3. Tourniquet Application: Using a tourniquet to completely stop blood flow to a limb

These techniques aren't complicated. A 10-year-old can learn them. But they require training and practice—because when someone is spurting blood, panic takes over.

Who Needs Stop the Bleed® Training?

The short answer: Everyone.

But if I had to prioritize, these industries need it most:

1. Schools & Universities

Active shooter incidents are a grim reality. Teachers, administrators, and security staff need to know how to control bleeding during the critical minutes before law enforcement and EMS can enter the building.

Real Scenario: A school shooting in 2018 had multiple victims with survivable injuries who bled to death waiting for rescue. Teachers who knew bleeding control could have saved them.

2. Construction & Manufacturing

Heavy machinery, saws, grinders, forklifts—industrial sites are bleeding hazard zones. When a worker gets caught in equipment or sustains a crush injury, immediate tourniquet application is the difference between life and death.

Real Scenario: Worker catches arm in conveyor belt. Severe arterial bleeding. Coworkers apply tourniquet within 90 seconds. EMS arrives 12 minutes later. Worker survives with arm intact.

3. Law Enforcement & Security

Officers face gunshot wounds, stabbings, and vehicle crashes. Stop the Bleed® training teaches self-aid (treating your own injuries) and buddy-aid (treating a partner's injuries) under high-stress conditions.

4. Healthcare Workers

Even healthcare professionals—nurses, medical assistants, dental hygienists—benefit from trauma-specific bleeding control training. Hospitals see traumatic injuries daily, and immediate hemorrhage control in the ED saves lives.

5. Hospitality, Retail, & Public Venues

Hotels, malls, stadiums, and concert venues host thousands of people daily. Knife attacks, falls, vehicle attacks—any mass gathering is a potential bleeding emergency site.

The Three Techniques: What You'll Learn

Technique 1: Direct Pressure

The first-line defense against bleeding. Press hard on the wound with your hands (or gauze) until bleeding stops. Sounds simple—but most people don't press hard enough or hold pressure long enough.

When to use: Any bleeding wound before escalating to packing or tourniquets.

Technique 2: Wound Packing

For deep wounds (stab wounds, gunshot wounds, large lacerations), you stuff hemostatic gauze deep into the wound cavity to create internal pressure and stop bleeding at the source.

When to use: Wounds in areas where tourniquets can't be applied (groin, armpit, neck, abdomen).

Key Skill: Packing requires aggressive, deep placement—not surface-level gauze placement. You're literally filling the wound.

Technique 3: Tourniquet Application

A tourniquet completely stops blood flow to an arm or leg by crushing the artery. It's used when bleeding is so severe that direct pressure or packing won't work.

When to use: Amputations, mangled limbs, arterial bleeding that won't stop with pressure.

Critical Rule: High and tight. Place the tourniquet 2-3 inches above the wound, tighten until bleeding completely stops, then tighten more. If it's not painful, it's not tight enough.

Myth Busting: "Tourniquets cause permanent damage and require amputation."
FALSE. Modern combat data shows tourniquets can be left on for hours with minimal long-term damage. Dead is worse than losing a limb.

What Equipment Do You Need?

Stop the Bleed® kits should contain:

• Tourniquet (CAT or SOFTT): The gold standard for limb hemorrhage
• Hemostatic Gauze (QuikClot or Celox): For packing junctional wounds
• Pressure Dressings: Israeli bandages or trauma dressings for sustained pressure
• Trauma Shears: Cut through clothing to expose wounds
• Gloves: Bloodborne pathogen protection

We sell complete Bleeding Control Stations designed for workplaces, schools, and public venues. These wall-mounted kits contain everything needed for immediate hemorrhage control.

Real-World Success Stories

Las Vegas Shooting (2017): Concertgoers with Stop the Bleed® training applied tourniquets to victims with gunshot wounds. Multiple lives saved.

Boston Marathon Bombing (2013): Bystanders and first responders used tourniquets to control massive leg injuries. Survival rate: unprecedented.

Construction Site (2022, Nebraska): Worker suffers partial arm amputation from saw. Coworker applies tourniquet within 2 minutes. Worker survives, arm reattached.

High School (2023, Texas): Student sustains deep laceration in shop class. Teacher applies direct pressure and packs wound with gauze. Bleeding controlled before EMS arrival.

These aren't isolated incidents. Stop the Bleed® training works—when people know how to use it.

How AED Empire Delivers Stop the Bleed® Training

We offer Stop the Bleed® certification taught by active Firefighter/Paramedics who've actually applied tourniquets in the field—not classroom-only instructors.

Course Details:

• Duration: 1.5-2 hours
• Certification: American College of Surgeons Stop the Bleed® certificate
• Hands-On Practice: Every student practices tourniquet application, wound packing, and pressure dressings
• Scenario-Based: Realistic bleeding simulations that build real confidence
• On-Site Available: We travel nationwide to train your team at your facility

Pricing: $75-$100 per person (group discounts available)

Stop the Bleed® + AEDs: Complete Emergency Preparedness

Here's the reality: Cardiac arrest and severe bleeding are the two most time-sensitive emergencies your organization will face.

If you're serious about saving lives, you need:

1. AEDs for cardiac arrest response
2. Bleeding Control Stations for hemorrhage control
3. Trained Staff who know how to use both

We help organizations build complete emergency response programs—not just sell equipment.

Schedule Stop the Bleed® Training Today

Don't wait for a tragedy. Three minutes is all you have.

📞 Call: (402) 968-3712
📧 Email: Dustin@TalackoSafetySolutions.com

Learn More: Visit our Training page for course details and scheduling.