A new Texas law that requires all public schools and open-enrollment charter schools to implement a traumatic injury response protocol went into effect Jan. 1.
This protocol includes bleeding control kits.
Texas has seen at least nine shootings at schools in the last five years.
The nationwide Stop the Bleed campaign is an initiative to increase safety and emergency preparedness by equipping bystanders "with the tools and training necessary to save lives in the minutes that matter most."
"No matter how rapid the arrival of professional emergency responders, bystanders will always be first on the scene. A person who is bleeding can die from blood loss within five minutes, therefore it is important to quickly stop the blood loss," according to the Stop the Bleed website.
Bleeding control kits must contain:
- Tourniquets
- Chest seals
- Compression bandages
- Bleeding control bandages
- Space emergency blankets
- Latex-free gloves
- Markers
- Scissors
To comply with HB 496, districts must provide bleeding control kits in easily accessible areas, ensure kits are used in district multi-hazard emergency preparedness plans, and provide agency-approved training to personnel who may use the kits.
Click here for more information on the mandatory bleeding control kits.
