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JBSA News
NEWS | Jan. 17, 2018

Brooke Army Medical Center offering bleeding control course

By David DeKunder 502nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

Brooke Army Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston is offering Bleeding Control for the Injured, a course that teaches the basics of treating a bleeding wound, Jan. 23 from 10 to 11 a.m. in the BAMC Multi-Specialty Trauma Clinic, room 146-3.

The course is part of “Stop the Bleed,” a Department of Defense initiative that raises the awareness of basic actions the public can use to stop life threatening bleeding and save lives, according to bleedingcontrol.org. The class is free and open to all JBSA members, including active-duty, veterans and civilians, who have little or no medical training.

“This course is designed to train individuals on how to intervene and prevent death by blood loss before first responders arrive,” said Brandy Martinez, BAMC Trauma Injury Prevention Coordinator and course instructor. “This class empowers people and gives them the confidence to intervene in critical situations.”

Martinez said the course covers the ABCs of bleeding control: alert, bleeding and compression. In addition, course participants will learn proper bleeding control techniques, including how to compress a wound, applying a tourniquet on and packing a wound while practicing on a hands-on skill station in the classroom.

A person with uncontrolled bleeding or hemorrhaging can die within five to 10 minutes, making uncontrolled bleeding the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., said Martinez. She said that is the reason why individuals should know what to do when they encounter a person with life threatening bleeding.

When treating a bleeding wound, Martinez said it goes back to adhering to the ABCs; alerting someone to get help or call 911, finding and locating the source of the bleeding, and compressing the wound, either by applying a tourniquet or packing the wound with gauze or a clean cloth.

“You never know what situation you will find yourself in,” Martinez said. “If we can intervene before help arrives, we can save a life – it might even be your own.”

Martinez is one of several BAMC health professionals and physicians with experience in treating trauma victims who are teaching the course. She has five years of experience as an emergency room and trauma nurse.

To find out about the course and to register, contact Martinez at 210-539-9346 or brandy.j.martinez4.civ@mail.mil.

Beginning in February, the course will be held on the third Thursday of each month from 1 to 2 p.m. at the BAMC Multi-Specialty Trauma Clinic, room 146-3. The clinic is located on the first floor of BAMC, and can be accessed by going through the hospital’s Garden Entrance. The next course is scheduled for Feb. 15.

In addition, the Bleeding Control course is offered to San Antonio area community groups and organizations, including the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and at schools, churches, hospitals and businesses. Martinez said interest in learning bleeding control has increased in the local community because of the recent shootings in Las Vegas and Sutherland Springs, Texas, in which there were many victims of traumatic bleeding.

Local community members who want to schedule a course for their organization, group or business should contact Martinez.

Schedule of Bleeding Control courses at BAMC or in the San Antonio area can be found at bleedingcontrol.org.

All participants who complete the course will receive a certificate.