Trauma staff from NYU Winthrop Hospital, an American College of Surgeons Level 1 Trauma Center, provided Stop the Bleed training to employees from LaGuardia Airport (LGA), educating them on techniques to stop life-threatening bleeding that can occur due to a range of trauma circumstances. NYU Winthrop has trained more than 1,000 Long Islanders in Stop the Bleed, including first responders, security officers, school faculties, and more, but this is the first training dedicated to airport employees. The training was conducted at Hangar 7, which was the former Seaplane Maintenance Hangar and was open to all workers at LGA. Stop the Bleed is a national program supported by the American College of Surgeons and Homeland Security and encourages everyday citizens to become empowered to assist in bleeding emergencies until professional medical help arrives.

“Stop the Bleed training should be offered to employees at every transportation hub in the U.S.,” said D’Andrea K. Joseph, chief of NYU Winthrop’s Division of Trauma and Critical Care. “This is truly critical knowledge, since uncontrolled bleeding caused by traumatic injuries can lead to death within five minutes. Stop the Bleed training can empower workers to help keep our transportation centers well-prepared to assist in emergencies.”

Dr. Joseph said she hopes this will be part of a wave of airport, railroad, and bus depot trainings, with Stop the Bleed training becoming routine safety protocol just as CPR has been for decades.

After a traumatic injury, hemorrhaging is responsible for over 35 percent of prehospital deaths, and most bystanders lack knowledge in how to respond. The Stop the Bleed program teaches tactics to recognize life-threatening bleeding and provide immediate response to control that bleeding including by direct pressure, the use of tourniquets, or packing (filling) a wound with gauze or clean cloth. The Stop the Bleed campaign also advocates for the placement of easily accessible bleeding control kits in public places.

Organizations interested in more information on NYU Winthrop’s Stop the Bleed program can contact stopthebleed@nyulangone.org or phone 516-663-1571.

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Anne Kazel-Wilcox
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anne.kazel@nyulangone.org