Did you know that someone wounded by gunshot can bleed to death within five to eight minutes? With the tragic passing of West Coast rapper, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Nipsey Hussle, due to multiple gunshot wounds, one can’t help but wonder if there were more bystanders could have done?
According to The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, the ability to recognize life-threatening bleeding in someone who is injured and effectively assisting that person can save a life.
Studies have shown that the help given by an immediate responder can often make the difference between life and death, even before medical professionals arrive.
Here are 7 things you, as a
bystander, can do to save a life:
1. Determine if it is safe for you to proceed toward a victim to assist.
People nearby should first secure their own safety and ensure the police and paramedics have been called and alerted.
2. Identify if there are any nearby tools to assist you.
Such as a publicly placed bleeding control kit or everyday
items that can be used to control bleeding.
3. Look for the source of any blood, open or remove clothing if you have to.
Life-threatening bleeding that requires care includes blood that’s pooling on the ground or spurting from a wound, loss or partial loss of a limb, or bleeding from someone who is unconscious.
4. Use your hands to apply direct pressure at the site of the wound to stop the bleeding.
Then, cover the wound with a cloth (a shirt, a scarf, anything around), press down hard with
both hands, and keep pressing.
5. If the injury is particularly deep, pack the wound.
You can use cloth or gauze to control the bleeding.
6. If the injury is on a limb, correctly apply a tourniquet to the injured limb to stop bleeding.
If a trauma kit is available, pull a tourniquet tight around the person’s arm or leg above the wound. Be
aware that this doesn’t mean that a person is going to need an amputation. If a tourniquet is on for under two hours, the limb will probably be fine.
7. Keep the victim calm until help arrives.
Keep the victim and yourself calm and know that you’re not hurting the patient, you’re saving their life. Pressing on a wound or pulling a tourniquet tight will be painful for the person with the wound, but their discomfort doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong.
Tia Muhammad, BS, is an award-winning freelance content & media creative, copywriter, blogger, digital designer, and marketing consultant. She owns the boutique content and digital media company, jackieGLDN|studio.
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