STOP THE BLEED, a simple course to teach people how to control bleeding during the first moments after a serious injury, is gaining momentum at Johns Hopkins, where trauma educators have offered training to hundreds of staff members and to many more in the surrounding Baltimore community.

“Though we often think of shootings, these injuries are actually caused by everything from motor vehicle and industrial accidents to lawnmowers and kitchen knives,” says Zakk Arciaga, adult trauma program manager at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. “Bleeding is the single biggest cause of preventable trauma deaths and can occur in just a few minutes, well before the arrival of emergency services. STOP THE BLEED gets people comfortable responding to these events before they happen” — much as CPR was originally developed to empower bystanders to help heart attack victims.

Trauma surgeon Elliott Haut deals firsthand with these injuries in his work at Hopkins Hospital and is a strong advocate for the program. “I keep STOP THE BLEED equipment in my car, my backpack and my home, and I’m always ready to use it and to teach others how to use it,” says Haut, who has helped train thousands of community members.

To inquire about setting up a STOP THE BLEED training in the Baltimore area, contact: