Washington, DC - Today, the Administration launched the “Stop the Bleed” campaign during an event at the White House, to provide bystanders of emergency situations with the tools and knowledge to stop life threatening bleeding.  Working with the private sector and nonprofit organizations, the “Stop the Bleed” campaign will put knowledge gained by first responders and our military, into the hands of the public to help save lives.

Uncontrolled bleeding injuries can result from natural and manmade disasters and from everyday accidents. If this bleeding is severe, it can kill within minutes, potentially before trained responders can arrive. Providing bystanders with basic tools and information on the simple steps they can take in an emergency situation to stop life threatening bleeding can save lives. Research has shown that bystanders, with little or no medical training, can become heroic lifesavers.  Similar to the use of CPR or automatic defibrillators, improving public awareness about how to stop severe bleeding and expanding personal and public access to Bleeding Control Kits can be the difference between life and death for an injured person.

Our national preparedness is the shared responsibility of all levels of government, the private and non-profit sectors, and individual citizens. The goal of this initiative is to build national resilience by empowering the general public to be aware of the simple steps that can be taken to stop or slow life threatening bleeding, and to promote the general public’s access to Bleeding Control Kits in public spaces, while they travel, and in the home.

Today’s event included representatives from numerous private sector groups and nonprofit organizations to who are working to build awareness, implement and accelerate this initiative. For more information on these efforts and how you can get involved in the “Stop the Bleed” campaign, please visit dhs.gov/stopthebleed.