Support our STOP THE BLEED® community members on the front lines
Right now, a big part of this community is on the front lines of the most challenging Public Health Crisis in any of our lifetimes. Nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals are faced with war time conditions as they work to save the lives of those infected with the COVID-19 virus in hospitals across the country. Likewise, EMTs, police and other first responders are fighting this battle outside of these very same hospitals. They are all heros – every single one of them.
If you know any of these heros – please post your thanks on any of your social accounts and tag us (#stopthebleed) and we’ll share your thanks.
STOP THE SPREAD – Video
We’re making a video urging everyone to STOP THE SPREAD and we plan to include members of the STOP THE BLEED® community in it. All you need to do is download the STOP THE SPREAD image (no printer, not worries – get creative like Buster & Boomer did!), take a picture of you, your pet, or your family with it, post it to your Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter account and tag us (links below!). The more likes or shares you have, the better your chances to appear in our video!
Click the image above to download it
STOP THE BLEED® at home
What can you do at home?
First, be prepared! The things that cause traumatic bleeding can happen anywhere, including at home. Here are some common home accidents that can result in traumatic bleeding:
- Compound fractures from staircase falls, slip and falls
- Bicycle and outdoor activity equipment accidents (trampolines, swingsets)
- Lawnmower, chainsaw, power equipment accidents
- Kitchen accidents
With EMTs and other first responders helping more and more people infected with the coronavirus, it may take them longer to arrive to help you with a home emergency, making being prepared more important than ever.
Second, while STOP THE BLEED® hands on training has been suspended per guidance from the US DOD and American College of Surgeons, you can utilize the online training resources at the following link to learn about how to STOP THE BLEED®. Get Trained
Third, take advantage of the extra time you have! If you are a high school student, apply for a STOP THE BLEED® scholarship. If you are affiliated with a qualified organization, apply on their behalf for a STOP THE BLEED® Training Kit Grant.
DONATE Blood
The whole point of STOP THE BLEED® is to save someone’s life by trying to keep as much blood in their body before they are able to get professional help. Many who experience traumatic bleeding will require blood transfusions once they arrive at the hospital. As a result of the Pandemic, more than 12,000 blood drives have been cancelled and supplies are low and getting lower. If you are feeling healthy and well, here are some places to check out where you can donate blood:
- AABB: www.aabb.org
- America’s Blood Centers: www.americasblood.org
- American Red Cross: www.redcrossblood.org
- Armed Services Blood Program: www.militaryblood.dod.mil
- Blood Centers of America: www.bca.coop
Blood centers are taking extra precautions to safeguard against spreading infection, including increasing the spacing between beds and taking the temperatures of donors before they enter the blood drive.
If your city or state has issued a shelter-in-place order, you can still donate blood. Blood donation counts as an essential activity.