On June 28, 2018, LAX installed 103 Stop-the-Bleed kits throughout the nine terminals of the airport. There is now a Stop-the-Bleed kit placed less than a three-minute walk from anywhere in LAX. This is the culmination of years of planning and training in which LAFD members have educated and trained members from the TSA, Los Angeles World Airport Police, and the Custom and Border Protection. LAX is now the first major airport in the nation to provide this level of hemorrhage control and access to life saving equipment to members of the public.
To take a more proactive approach in protecting the citizens during an Active Shooter incident, the LAFD has partnered with the DHS in the “Stop the Bleed” campaign. Through the Stop the Bleed campaign, the LAFD is training and empowering ordinary citizens with the knowledge and ability to help save a life. As part of the Fire Chief’s Strategic Plan, the Tactical Emergency Medical Support Unit (TEMS) and the Community Risk Reduction Unit have been charged with presenting this training to our private and public partners along with community stakeholders.
“The national Stop the Bleed campaign
fills a critical link in the chain of survival
until first-responders arrive on the scene.”
No matter how rapidly police officers and firefighters arrive at the scene of an Active Shooter, bystanders will always be there first. A person can die from blood loss sustained from a gunshot wound within five minutes. Therefore, it is critical to quickly stop the bleeding. History has shown that those nearest to someone with a life-threatening injury are best positioned to provide lifesaving care. To help combat the two preventable causes of death from an Active Shooter (hemorrhaging and respiratory distress), Stop the Bleed kits have been created. Stop the Bleed kits are Basic Life Support (BLS) items contained in a convenient bag that can easily be stored and deployed when necessary. They consist of a tourniquet, a chest seal, an emergency bandage (compression wrap), a roll of compressed gauze dressing, a pair of trauma shears, and latex free gloves. Through its Emergency Management Division, LAWA has ordered 250 of the kits at a cost of $17,125 from North American Rescue. One to two kits are in each AED cabinet. Just like the AEDs, the kits include instructions to help bystanders render aid
Dr. Marc Eckstein, the LAFD Medical Directors said, “What we’ve learned over the years is our ability to protect the public is truly dependent on the public’s involvement. The tools in these kits are extremely easy to apply, and they are designed to be used by any lay-rescuer to save the life of another, or even their own life. These kits truly work, they stem hemorrhage and they save lives. This is truly another step to provide for public safety at one of the world’s busiest airports. It is the LAFD’s ongoing mission to provide exceptional Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services. The LAFD is not only committed to proactively leading the way in preparation and response to an Active Shooter incident, but in providing our citizens with the ability to potentially save the lives of their loved ones and community members.”
Launched in October of 2015 by the White House, Stop the Bleed is a national awareness campaign and a call to action. Stop the Bleed is intended to cultivate grassroots efforts that encourage bystanders to become trained, equipped, and empowered to help in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives. To learn more visit (www.dhs.gov/stopthebleed).
By Captain Patrick Leonard-Stop the Bleed Campaign and the LAFD TEMS Unit