Bleeding is the top cause of preventable death in the US. It is estimated that 20% of the persons who have died from traumatic situations could have survived if their bleeding was stemmed in time.

Almost all of us know someone who has been trained in CPR – what about bleeding? National Stop the Bleed Day (March 31) seeks to raise awareness about the issues and providing training to as many people as possible.

This episode we are joined by two experts; one a warrior and the other a sheepdog, to discuss why this issue is important and what people can do to be prepared.

 

Andrew Fisher is an Army Ranger currently completing his degree to become a medical doctor. He was named the Army Physician’s Assistant of the Year and was also 2017 Chairman of National Stop the Bleed Day.

CJ Higgins is a paramedic with over a decade of service and a founding director of ICSAVE, a non-profit formed to provide preparedness training and prevention of traumatic events. CJ is also coordinator for the Arizona State Fire School’s Active Shooter response course.

Our exposure to catastrophic bleeding is more likely to come from a “typical” event such as a car accident, a sports injury or a backyard power tool- it doesn’t necessarily mean a mass casualty situation. Better to be prepared no matter what the cause – you could be saving a life!

During our discussion we cover the basics everyone should know; direct pressure, tourniquets and the variety of everyday items that can serve as bandaging. Our goal was not to “train” someone via a one hour radio program but rather to inspire listeners to seek out the free training and advocate for others to do so as well. All are encouraged to add first aid equipment to basic emergency items they carry in their vehicles.