TOBYHANNA, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Trauma is the number one cause of death in Americans between the ages of 1 and 46.
Applying a tourniquet is as simple as twisting and securing the strap. It’s a life-saving skill paramedics like Meredith Hamill use when responding to an emergency.
“What I love most about the job is just that you get to go home and know that you’ve helped somebody and there aren’t a lot of jobs that you can do that in.”
It’s also one of the important skills taught in the ‘Stop the Bleed’ program, a national call to action campaign passing on the knowledge and equipment of the job to the public. In case of a traumatic event.
“I’ve seen a lot of trauma so that’s why this program is so important to us.”
Thanks to Pocono Mountain Regional EMS, the program is making its way to places like Pocono Raceway.
“Over the next few months, we’re going to be going out to other organizations, tourism attractions, libraries, municipal buildings, anywhere that this could be used and that there’s going to be large public gatherings,” says Austin Schrader.
Schrader says they’re grateful to play their role in the national campaign. The local EMS in Tobyhanna is a community-based non-profit.
“Unfortunately, we have so many great ideas and things that we want to do but funding is just the limiting factor and through this grant that the Williams Company provided, we were able to purchase all of this equipment and really get out there and do great work.”
Blood loss from a severe traumatic injury can be fatal in minutes. This is why EMS officials say educating the public is crucial in the moment of the unthinkable.
“If you have training like this, we’re going to show up and we’re going to see a tourniquet in place, we’re going to see gauze placed or pressure, and we’re going to be able to say, ‘you did everything right, you did everything you could do,” says Hamill.
The ‘Stop the Bleed’ campaign is available across the region.
You’re urged to contact your local EMS to find out more information about it in your community.
