Yoder Lumber employees learn to Stop the Bleed

MILLERSBURG — As Tom Nelson, safety director for Yoder Lumber, said, this is a service he hopes he never has to utilize, but it was great training for the nearly 80 employees at the Buckhorn location of Yoder Lumber.

Nelson said this is an important program that could be very useful if needed.

On Wednesday afternoon, Gary Mellor, Holmes County Emergency Management Association director; Tara Martin, director of population health at Pomerene Hospital; and a couple Pomerene nurses were on hand for an interactive demonstration to talk about the ABCs of work-related injuries.

The program was about bleeding control and how to provide effective emergency care using Bleeding Control Kits and contacting emergency response support in the case of an emergency situation.

“I’m here with my teammates for this program to teach you the importance of how you react and respond in the event of an emergency bleeding situation,” Martin said. “The likelihood of there being a work injury is very high. Hopefully you will learn things you can take home with you or in the general public.”

Mellor explained the history of the Stop the Bleed program, which began a few years ago through the joint effort of the American College of Surgeons, Training and Tactical Combat, Casualty Care and the National Association of Emergency Technicians, dispelling the myth that tourniquets should never be used.

“Tourniquets have come a long way,” Mellor said. “If you have an injury with an arterial bleed, the most important thing to have happen right away is to get the blood stopped, so you don’t bleed to death or go into shock. Help given by the immediate responder often makes the difference between life and death, even before professional rescuers arrive.”

Mellor pointed to work-related injuries, motor vehicle crashes, home injuries or even mass shootings or bombings, as events where immediate response is helpful.

The first thing to do in an emergency situation is to insure your own safety,” he said. “If you’re not in a safe environment, it is kind of hard to help anybody else.”

The ABCs of bleeding are different than what is taught to an Emergency Medical Technician.

“The first thing you want to do is: A, alert; call 9-1-1. Get that emergency help coming,” Mellor said. “They are not here instantaneously, so we need to get a head start.”

“Next, is B, bleeding; find the bleeding. Find out where the blood is coming from and if it is bleeding profusely,” he continued. “Finally, C, compress; covering the wound with a clean cloth, and applying pressure, pushing directly with both hands, or using a tourniquet or packing the wound with gauze.”

He suggests protecting yourself from blood by wearing gloves if available, but if not, be sure to wash off the blood and report to emergency responders that you did come in contact with blood.

Martin said Stop the Bleed is seeking grant funding options for the Holmes County community and offering these training events to groups and businesses.

“So far, both of our school districts have been involved,” she said. “Yoder Lumber, and Holmes Wayne Electric have also had events where they are able to see a presentation on bleeding control and how to provide effective emergency care using Bleeding Control Kits and contacting emergency response support.”

The presentation included a slide presentation and upon conclusion, the workers were invited to apply a tourniquet with help from Martin, Mellor and the nurses from Pomerene.

Mellor noted the only thing more tragic than a death at an emergency situation is one that could have been prevented.

Reporter Kevin Lynch can be reached at 330-674-5676 or [email protected].

CREDIT: KEVIN LYNCH