Marshfield's Fire Chief Hopes to Participate in National "Stop the Bleed" Program
Friday, April 20th, 2018 -- 8:01 AM
(WDLB) -Marshfield’s fire chief is launching an effort to prepare students, teachers and others to treat victims in the event of a mass casualty event such as a school shooting.Scott Owen says his department wants to participate in the national “Stop the Bleed” program launched by President Obama in 2015. The chief says he was approached about doing something in the wake of the Parkland, Florida school shooting February 14th at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where 17 people were killed and seventeen more were wounded. Owen wants to conduct a fundraiser to put as many “Stop the Bleed” kits in as many places as possible, starting with schools. Owen says a basic “Stop the Bleed” kit contains gauze, a tourniquet, and gloves. He hopes to raise enough money to purchase 300 kits for city schools, and other places that want them. Pre-made kits cost 55-dollars each.
If someone is shot, Chief Owen says a victim has a 66-percent chance of bleeding to death, and it can happen quickly??"often times before first responders arrive. Owen hopes he gets enough money to buy 300 kits initially. He said several businesses have already asked about getting trained. He said they’d be perfect in churches as well. The class itself is less than an hour. Owen says he is going to start a public fundraising campaign soon, and have kits available in time for the start of the new school year next fall. For more information, log on to “stopthebleedingcoalition.org”.
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