Auburn schools raise funds for “Stop the Bleed” kits

(April 12, 2019) – “Stop the Bleed” is one of the nation’s largest public health campaigns. Its goal is to save lives by encouraging bystanders to become trained, equipped, and empowered to help in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives. May 23, 2019 is National Stop the Bleed Day, which is a designed to provide the public with each access resources to get trained, get kits, or to get involved.

The Auburn Enlarged City School District has joined in on this effort with a campaign of its own and is aiming to equip each instructional area, classroom, and corridor in all seven of its school buildings with a “Stop the Bleed” kit, as well as train staff and students in case a crisis should occur.

“Stop the Bleed” Kits include:

• Instruction Booklet
• Compression Bandage
• Gloves
• Tourniquet
• Gauze
• Hemostatic Gauze (gauze used for packing wounds)
• Sharpie

Health education is a detrimental part of student learning and achievement. Anyone can be trained and be ready to save someone’s life. Uncontrolled bleeding is a major cause of preventable deaths. The average time to bleed out is two to five minutes, while the average time for first responders to arrive at a scene is seven to 10 minutes. Bystanders can fill the gap with “Stop the Bleed” kits.

The cost to purchase “Stop the Bleed” kits to place in each instructional area, classroom, and corridor in all seven of the Auburn Enlarged City School District’s school buildings is approximately $50,000. The district is applying for grants through different community organizations and requesting donations from local businesses to help achieve this goal. To date, the district has secured a $250 community grant from the Walmart Foundation and $1,000 grant from the Dr. Joseph F. Karpinksi, Sr. Foundation.

With this funding, the district will be able to start purchasing “Stop the Bleed” kits, as well as initiate district wide training for all staff. Upstate University Hospital has agreed to assist with training, and the district has two trainers that are certified and registered as train the trainer instructors through bleedingcontrol.org. In addition, the American College of Surgeons will provide the district with education materials. The ultimate goal is to raise enough money to purchase all kits train staff by the end of 2019.

If you have any questions about the Auburn Enlarged City School District’s efforts with the “Stop the Bleed” campaign, or if you would like to make a donation or help in any way, please contact School Nurse Supervisor, Caren Radell, at (315) 255-8829 or carenradell@aecsd.education.