In recognition of National “Stop the Bleed” Month in May, Greenville Technical College’s EMT/Paramedic program is offering a free life-saving course to the public Saturday, May 25 at the Barton Campus.
Stop the Bleed Month grew out of last year’s “Stop the Bleed Day”, which was created to encourage bystanders to become trained, equipped and empowered to help in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives. This will be the second year that Greenville Technical College has hosted this mass-training day at the campus.
“Last year’s mass-training events were so successful that instead of just one day devoted to Stop the Bleed, the entire month of May has been designated National Stop the Bleed Month,” said Chris Ruggiero, academic program director and paramedic instructor for Greenville Tech.
“We believe in the importance of empowering individuals with the knowledge, skills and confidence should they find themselves as an immediate responder to a trauma event,” he added. “This training is as important as learning the Heimlich Maneuver or CPR.”
Greenville Technical College’s hands-on, skills-based one-hour course, “Stop the Bleed – Bleeding Control BASIC,” will be offered four times throughout the day May 25. Taught by GTC instructors with many years’ combined experience as emergency response and medical professionals, participants will learn how to
- identify the source of the bleeding,
- control bleeding through direct pressure,
- pack a wound with gauze packs, and
- control life threatening bleeding with a tourniquet.
Ruggiero encourages community, school and church groups to send representatives to this free community training, which is open to members of the general public (age 13 and older) as well as health care providers. Participants aged 13-17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
To sign-up for this course, visit https://stop-the-bleed-gtc.eventbrite.com and select the time that you would like to attend. Sessions are available at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
To learn more about the EMT/Paramedic Training Program at Greenville Technical College, visit gvltec.edu/EMT/. This event coincides with National EMS Week, May 19-25.