In response to the lives lost in the Pulse tragedy, Orlando medical professionals are launching a new way to train people to save lives.
- Stop the Bleed program coming to Orlando
- Teaches people how to properly stop bleeding from a wound
The program is called Stop the Bleed. Initially launched by President Barack Obama’s administration in 2015, the program is designed to teach regular people how to control bleeding for a person in need.
In June of 2016, 53 people were shot but survived the Pulse nightclub attack. Another 49 lost their lives.
Loss of blood was a chief concern for many hurt that night.
Doctors at Orlando Regional Medical Center are training people to use gauze and a tourniquet to prevent deadly blood loss. The city of Orlando and Orange County helped create these Stop the Bleed classes.
“From an extremity wound, someone could die within three or four minutes. And that’s something that no one should die from,” said ORMC surgeon Dr. Joseph Ibrahim said.
Efforts to control bleeding during an incident could give a patient crucial extra minutes until more advanced medical professionals can help them.
“It happens every day where I say 'I wish we could have had a few more minutes,'" Dr. Ibrahim said. "I see things -- not just gun shot wounds, or motor vehicle crashes or crashes.”
The county and city are also trying to put Stop the Bleed kits in high density areas like malls, public spaces and parks.
ORMC hopes to launch the Stop the Bleed classes sometime in the next few months.