In the event of an accident, shootings, or other incidents involving injuries, it is usually bystanders that are at the scene first, even before first-responders. Because a victim can die from blood loss in as little as five minutes, it is important to stop the blood loss. Having a tourniquet could help save a life.
The U.S. military knows firsthand the advantages of having tourniquets close-by in the event of an injury where blood loss could result in a life being lost. A 2012 study found that almost 25 percent of the deaths in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were “potentially survivable.” The study also found that 90 percent of deaths overall occurred before a casualty can reach a medical center, according to the Atlantic.
The figures from that study are more significanct with the increases seen in mass shootings, terrorist bombings and other despicable incidents going on in the world today. Law enforcement departments around the country have already begun to supply tourniquets to law enforcement officers dealing with trauma victims.
Developing a national policy on the use of tourniquets
The interest in teaching the public to use a tourniquet correctly gained momentum after the 2012 slaughter of 20 schoolchildren and six adults in Newtown, Connecticut. Four months later, the American College of Surgeons founded the Joint Committee to Create a National Policy to Enhance Survivability from Intentional Mass-Casualty and Active Shooter Events.
A series of conferences ended up producing the “Hartford Concensus,” a list of recommended principles that say “no one should die from uncontrolled bleeding.” In this case, bystanders should be known as “immediate responders,” according to the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons.
The Hartford Consensus consists of six points that outline the necessary response to mass casualty and active-shooter events, known by the acronym, THREAT:
Threat suppression
Hemorrhage control
Rapid Extrication to safety
Assessment by medical providers
Transport to definitive care
Stop the Bleed campaign
In October, the Department of Homeland Security launched the Stop the Bleed campaign in an attempt to get tourniquets into as many schools, airports, sports stadiums, malls and other places where the public congregates, as possible. Additionally, they have a detailed infographic that shows us the proper procedure to use when applying a tourniquet in three steps.