Stop The Bleed Training at Talbot County Free Library

Easton, Md. – The The R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland says the only thing more tragic than a death is a preventable death. With bleeding being the leading cause of preventable death after a traumatic injury, Stop The Bleed training can save lives.

The Shock Trauma Center offers training on Stop the Bleed, a program created by the American College of Surgeons, to help Marylanders take life-saving steps in an emergency.

“In the training and certification, participants learn what life threatening bleeding looks like. And then subsequently, they learn how to prevent blood loss,” Stop The Bleed Program Supervisor Dr. Thasi Palmieri, PT, DPT said.

Stop The Bleed Instructor Carla Copper said, in Maryland, the average response time for EMS is seven to 10 minutes, but in more rural areas, it can take longer. However, she said the average person can bleed to death in under five minutes. Palmieri said that is why learning how to keep uncontrolled bleeding within the body is crucial while waiting for help to arrive.

“So they learn the techniques of applying direct pressure, packing a wound, and then applying a tourniquet, if needed,” she said.

Dana Newman, the library director at the Talbot County Free Library, says partnerships like these allow libraries to bring in programs that are beneficial to everyone in the community, especially in more rural areas.

“We’re the one of the only organizations that offers this kind of training to everybody in the community. So it’s very accessible to everybody,” she said.

Attendees who completed the training walked away not only with a free emergency kit but empowerment. Retired accountant and Ridgely resident Al Martínez said having more knowledge can ensure community members are “ready to do something” when “something comes up.”

“Everybody should know that this is well worth your time to learn. You know, once you learn, what they have to offer, you realize, wow, I didn’t know this,” he said. “And this is something very valuable to know for anybody.”

For more information on the program as well as the next Stop The Bleed training session in Maryland, visit www.umm.edu/stopthebleed. The Talbot County Free Library is also hosting a blood drive on Friday, May 29 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.