IN ACCIDENTS OR
TRAUMA, THE TOP
PREVENTABLE CAUSE
OF DEATH IS UNCONTROLLED
BLEEDING. In those key moments,
bystanders can quickly become
lifesavers with training from the Stop
the Bleed initiative at Pali Momi
Medical Center.
“Stop the Bleed training takes about
an hour and anyone can do it,” said
Matt Wells, a registered nurse and
trauma program manager at Pali
Momi. “I’ve had people say after
class that nothing about the training
was difficult and that the potential
to help someone stay alive has
changed their mentality of never
wanting to get involved.”
People learn about the different
kinds of medical emergencies and
types of wounds that would need
treatment. Then, health experts
teach them how to respond by
applying direct pressure, tying a
tourniquet and packing the wound.
Every participant gets hands-on
experience by practicing on others
and using open-wound simulators.
These are valuable skills. An
estimated 30% of the people who
die from traumatic hemorrhage
could have been saved if someone
had been able to keep them from
bleeding out.
M
att Wells works with journeyman electricians Blaine Umeda (left) and Bobby Pagdilao (right) to
answer questions and demonstrate tourniquet techniques.
“Not all bleeding is caused by acts
of violence,” Matt said. “It can
be caused by kitchen accidents,
workplace injuries, and many other
things that we do that put us in
danger, from heavy equipment to
sharp objects in our environment.”
Recently, Matt trained more
than a dozen employees from
D. Suehiro Electric in Stop the
Bleed techniques. Safety is part
of the company culture, with
team members there being
offered training in everything
from first aid to CPR.
“The only exposure I've really gotten
on this is through movies,” said Kehau
Yokoi, project estimator for D. Suehiro
Electric. “You see the Hollywood
version of someone being dramatically
saved with a tourniquet. Now I know
what to do. If I ever get in this situation,
I’ll remember learning this.”
“I could see how this will help in the
field for work and in life because
accidents can happen anywhere,” said
Mika Pokaka‘a, field superintendent for
D. Suehiro Electric. “If you're prepared
and you have training, you feel a little
more comfortable doing it.”
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