MONROE — Stop the Bleed is an outreach effort by the Monroe Clinic and EMS Units of Green County with the goal to teach laypersons easy and effective methods to stop critical bleeding.

“This includes how to apply direct pressure, the use of a dressing that is impregnated with a special solution to help stop bleeding, and the proper use of a tourniquet,” said Mary Austin, EMS coordinator for Monroe Clinic. “While the program started in response to school shootings, we recognize that severe bleeding can occur in many different places and situations.”

There is a team that is working together to get the program out to the communities. 

Jen Chapman, a registered nurse in the Monroe Clinic Emergency Department, is the trauma coordinator and a member of the regional trauma advisory committee. 

“The program originated with the American College of Surgeons and the Committee on Trauma,” Austin said. “It was then brought to the state and regional trauma councils and Jen, in turn, brought it to Monroe Clinic and our team is working to bring it to the community. We want to foster the EMS connection with their communities.”

There are eight ambulance services and 10 first response units that serve part of Green County. All of these departments have at least one Stop the Bleed instructor.

“Our initial efforts were to take the program to schools and now we want to branch out to businesses, the agriculture and hunting communities, churches just to name a few,” Austin said. “We have three employees on our planning team and a representative from Green County Public Health, Green County Emergency Management and an interested local citizen.”

Austin said that the response to the free Stop the Bleed training program has been great. 

“We already have three faith communities that are interested, one major local business, and the Monroe Chamber of Commerce is planning to host a series of classes during September, which is National Emergency Preparedness month,” Austin said.

The Monticello Fire/Rescue became involved when Austin contacted them about training the teachers and staff in the Monticello School District. Ron Blumer, captain with Monticello Fire Rescue, lieutenant with City of Madison Fire Department and member of Monticello School Board, said the goal of local responders is to provide training to as many people as possible for more readiness by members of the community.

“As responders, we are more reactive when an emergency happens,” Blumer said. “The only way we can prepare for an emergency is by being proactive with our training. So, when we respond, we will know how to react. We are taking this same approach at the community level. When Mary asked if we would be willing to assist in training our school staff, we were excited.”

Monticello school district nurse Carolyn Schwartzlow and district administrator Al Brokopp were already developing training and acquiring equipment to handle a mass shooting or similar incident. 

This also formalized training with additional equipment so teachers and staff are better prepared to handle such an event. Monticello schools saw its importance and had staff attend so anyone can be better prepared to handle a bleeding emergency with a student, staff member or visitor to the district.

“The Monticello teachers and staff were extremely grateful for this training,” Blumer said. “This was the first time many have ever received such in-depth hands on training. Now, they are better prepared if an incident did happen although it is hard to completely prepare for a mass shooting.”  

People can donate time at the local level. 

“Businesses, farmers and residents would benefit from Stop the Bleed training to handle such an emergency,” added Blumer. “This training would benefit a hunter who was accidently shot, someone impaled with an object, someone involved in a farming accident, auto accidents, or any injury that required immediate bleeding control.”

Blumer added that Stop the Bleed is a great training for everyone to consider just like cardiopulmonary resuscitation, cardio cerebral resuscitation or automated external defibrillator, AED, training.

“If people in the community had this training, we would have better patient outcomes,” Blumer said. “Whether it is to save themselves or save someone around them. The sooner the bleeding is controlled, the better the chances are for survival.” 

If people are interested in more information or in the Stop the Bleed training, contact Mary Austin at 608-324-1511 or mary.austin@sssmhealth.com.