Stop the Bleed Day is simply an exciting time to share details around this life-saving program, and provide education in our communities.

Stop the Bleed training includes the effective use of emergency bleeding control kits, emergency preparedness, and advanced first aid procedures. There may be a Stop the Bleed kit near you accompanying the AED in schools, hospitals and public places. This vital initiative is also endorsed by the Michigan Legislature as they recognize the importance of this program with resolutions passed, and support for the program in schools, and many community levels.

Here are some exciting highlights of Stop the Bleed Initiatives that took place around the state of Michigan.

On May 22nd at West Bloomfield’s Henry Ford Health- Nicole Papalian and Vanessa Mier focused on the local and accessible Stop the Bleed kits inside of the hospital, and shared demonstrations with tourniquets, hands-on training, and certification information for staff and visitors. Vanessa and Nicole from Novi and West Bloomfield Henry Ford hospitals also discussed the importance of trauma and injury prevention, the Michigan Trauma Coalition, and Michigan’s vital trauma centers.

Each day, many people walk by the large Stop the Bleed kit near the hospital cafeteria, this was an ideal time to expand on the purpose of this kit, and there was fantastic feedback about the program from more than 150 people that we encountered. Stop the Bleed Champions discussed how sharing the Stop the Bleed program in schools, hospitals and in general civilian populations is a priority, and how to become involved. Also, we had an opportunity for people to sign-up and become certified.

Christina Cameron, MSN, RN from Bronson Hospital Trauma Services Participated in Stop the Bleed Day education and outreach at the Calhoun Senior Expo. Tourniquet demonstrations were done and 200 mini first aid kits with Stop the Bleed Education were distributed.

Anita Barksdale, Trinity Health Oakland partnered with area Fire/EMS/Rescue services and Healing Hearts Cardiac Emergency Prevention Services to travel to high school medical track classes in high schools, senior communities with limited resources, and businesses to provide life-saving training on how to manage a life-threatening bleed and HANDS ONLY CPR throughout the month of May.

Tera Richards, University of Michigan Health-West, May 2025

Students Gain Life-Saving Skills Through Stop the Bleed Training

On May 30th, just before the final days of the 2025 school year, students in a life skills class participated in hands-on training focused on bleeding control, using materials and guidance provided by the Stop the Bleed initiative. The session combined demonstration, direct instruction, and interactive practice.

Students self-assessed their knowledge and skills before and after the training using a 5-point scale, where 1 = Very Poor, 2 = Poor, 3 = Fair, 4 = Good, and 5 = Very Good. The results showed clear improvements across multiple areas:

· Knowledge of Bleeding Control: Average self-assessed scores rose from 3 (fair) to 4 (good).

· Skill Proficiency: Ability to perform bleeding control techniques improved from 2 (poor) to 4 (good).

· Emergency Readiness: Confidence in responding to a serious bleeding injury increased from 2 (poor) to 4 (good).

· Comfort with Equipment: Comfort using a bleeding control kit rose from 2 (poor) to 4 (good).

Beyond the quantitative gains, the energy and enthusiasm students showed while engaging with the Stop the Bleed materials demonstrate not only their interest in community health and safety…but also that impactful learning was taking place.

Emma Chandler with Corewell Health Butterworth in Grand Rapids, hosted a Stop the Bleed event led by our general surgery residents.

In April 2025, the team extended this effort to Comstock Park High School, engaging approximately 500 students and staff in a dynamic and educational experience. The event began with a general assembly where the resident presented the Stop the Bleed Power Point.

Following the assembly, the students rotated through hands on skills station where they practiced wound packing, holding pressure and tourniquet application under the guidance of the residents. Additional stations included

· Blood donation station where students were given the opportunity to donate blood

· Blood administration awareness where 3 members of our acute surgery team explained how donated blood is used in clinical settings to save lives.

To round out the event, the school hosted an impact speaker on mental health, emphasizing the importance of well-being and resilience in both everyday life and emergency situations.

Following this event, the district won an award for school wellness and in their success story discussed the importance of Stop the Bleed and the education they received during this event.

One student remarked, “I always thought saving a life was something only doctors could do. Now I feel like I could really help someone if it came down to it.” That sense of empowerment was echoed across the school, as students connected classroom learning to real-world action.

Ann Clancy-Klemme at UP Health System, Marquette hosted multiple awareness tables, including a larger-than-life OPERATIONS game and simulated bleeding control stations to help colleagues fully immerse themselves in the life-saving experience of managing severe bleeding at the scene!

Bring Stop the Bleed to your community: https://mitrauma.org/mtcinjuryprevention/