UC Davis is joining a national campaign to empower bystanders to help in emergencies that involve uncontrolled bleeding by offering training and installing “Stop the Bleed” kits around campus.
“The overall goal is to teach the principles of bleeding control (direct pressure methods, tourniquet application, bandaging and wound packing) to citizens who are then empowered to perform these skills in the case of bleeding emergencies,” said Avery Asera, a senior student EMT with the UC Davis Fire Department who led the effort to bring the kits to campus. “These skills can be applied in situations ranging from a kitchen or lab accident to a natural disaster or mass shooting incident.”
The kits come in the form of large, wall-mounted cases similar to those commonly seen housing automated external defibrillators, and contain tools like pressure dressings, gauze, tourniquets, gloves and more. The first unit is being installed in the lobby of the Fire and Police Building Wednesday (Oct. 23), and more will be added around campus later.
The Fire Department now includes “Stop the Bleed” certification in all of its CPR classes, and is holding dedicated “Stop the Bleed” trainings on the first Tuesday of every month. Departments can schedule separate trainings for up to 30 employees at a time, and can also purchase the kits through the Fire Department.
Asera, a third-year global disease biology major currently studying abroad in Nottingham, England, said the effort is meant to encourage the campus to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
“From the department’s perspective, it’s our duty not only to respond during emergencies, but also to empower our fellow Aggies to keep each other safe,” she said.