REGIONAL – Public safety chiefs from Merrimac, Groveland, and West Newbury are offering free, certified Stop the Bleed training to help community members be prepared to help others in a bleeding emergency.
Stop the Bleed training aims to train, equip, and empower bystanders to provide assistance during a bleeding emergency before first responders arrive. Time is a very important factor when individuals are suffering major blood loss.
The training is being offered to all first responders in Merrimac, Groveland, and West Newbury, as well as all staff in the Pentucket Regional School District. The training will also be offered to community members in all three towns during two, two-hour training sessions.
Certified Stop the Bleed instructors from the local police and fire departments will collaborate to present training, which will focus on hemorrhage control for persons with traumatic injuries. The course will be presented using a combination of lecture and hands-on exercises. The topics covered will include identifying life-threatening bleeding, tourniquet application to extremities, wound packing, and the use of direct pressure.
The training is being funded by a grant from the Department of Homeland Security, administered by the Northeast Homeland Security Regional Advisory Council, which distributes DHS grants in coordination with the Executive Office of Public Safety & Security.
All three communities jointly received nearly $30,000 in grant funding from DHS to conduct the training in 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic forced a delay because training can only be conducted in person.
“I would like to encourage everyone to get bleeding control training,” said Merrimac Police Patrol and Training Supervisor Sgt. Richard Holcroft, who helped organize the training program. “Although this training is partially due to the ever increasing number of active shooter incidents, more importantly, these life saving skills have a much higher potential of being used for everyday accidents. Life threatening bleeding can result from car accidents, use of power tools, chain saws, boating accidents and many other everyday activities.”
Stop the Bleed training will be available to the public at the following dates, times and locations:
• Merrimac Police Department 16 E Main St. Tuesday, April 5, from 7-9 p.m.
• Merrimac Police Department 16 E Main St. Monday, April 25, from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
• Groveland Fire Department, 181 Main St. Tuesday, March 29, from 7-9 p.m.
• Groveland Town Hall 183 Main St. Thursday, March 31, from 9-11 a.m.
Advanced registration is required for each course. To register, visit: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfaSfJIT6pQ_H4DmL1VswcGcGAFNxpxWA-tjKnb0HlVgzSgkw/viewform
Training dates in West Newbury are still being scheduled, and will be announced on the West Newbury Police and Fire Departments’ social media pages.
Anyone interested in the training who has questions can contact Sgt. Holcroft by calling 978-321-0604, or emailing rholcroft@merrimacpolice.org
Stop the Bleed is a national awareness campaign and call-to-action intended to cultivate grassroots efforts that encourage bystanders to become trained, equipped, and empowered to help in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives.
