Updated 2019.
Immediate Responders are those who find themselves already at the scene of a shooting, terrorist attack, natural disaster or accident. Given the right Trauma First Aid or Bleeding Control kits or supplies, they can save lives that otherwise will be lost in the minutes or longer that it may take for First Responders to get to the scene. Many times, Immediate Responders, and the supplies to which they have ready access, are the victims’ greatest hope for ultimate survival.
From Las Vegas to Parkland, Florida, shootings are becoming more and more common.
Taking a look at the Las Vegas tragedy, I listened to the stories of the “heroes” in the Las Vegas mass shooting, and I realized three things:
(1) There were many Immediate Responders there that night. Many everyday people made heroic efforts to save the wounded and get them to the critical medical care.
(2) Many who were saved by the efforts of those who were already on the scene, would have died if they had waited for the First Responders before receiving any help.
(3) Of the 58 who died, more likely would have survived had the Immediate Responders had immediate access to tourniquets, blood clotting gauze, or even simple compression bandages. Even in the hands of lay persons, these supplies could have been used to stop bleeding that otherwise continued.
Immediate Responders saved many lives that night. Had they had the right basic First Aid and Bleeding Control supplies available at the venue, they would have saved even more live. When you hear that people stuck their own fingers in bullet holes in their own bodies to try to stop the bleeding, you know that these basic supplies would have been so much more effective.
The the goal of the “Stop the Bleed” Initiative from the Department of Homeland Security is to help regular people, like you and me, be prepared to save lives by stopping the blood flow from traumatic wounds when disaster strikes in the midst of everyday life. A willingness and mindset to respond are critical, and the right supplies can be critical as well. Every business, Church, school, restaurant, store, home, and travel or entertainment venue should have trauma first aid and bleeding control kits on hand.
Every person should carry, as practical, in their car or on their person (think purses, briefcases, and backpacks for those not wearing cargo pants) simple supplies like tourniquets, blood clotting sponges, and compression bandages. These supplies really do not take up a lot of room.
Everyone one of us should be prepared to be an Immediate Responder. Everyone who has the responsibility for the safety of those on their property should provide the supplies needed by the Immediate Responders to save lives before the First Responders can arrive to continue the job!
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