When accidents happen, it’s the actions we take beforehand – like learning first aid and donating blood – that can help save lives. During Trauma Awareness Month, the American Red Cross encourages everyone to prepare for the unexpected.

Stop the Bleed

May 23rd is National Stop the Bleed Day, a call to action for people to get trained on how to stop traumatic bleeding. According to the Stop the Bleed Coalition, approximately 40% of trauma-related deaths worldwide are due to bleeding or its consequences, with hemorrhage being the most common cause of preventable death in a trauma.   

The Red Cross encourages everyone to take three steps to help save a life:

• Get Trained – The Red Cross offers a wide variety of First Aid courses, including  First Aid for Severe Trauma (FAST), which is being offered free of charge to high school students under age 19.
• Get a Kit – A variety of bleeding control, first aid and training kits are available for purchase in the Red Cross store.
• Take Action – If you see someone with life-threatening injuries, call 9-1-1, then follow the steps you learned in your first aid training.

Donate Blood

When a trauma patient arrives at a hospital, it’s the blood already on the shelf that saves his/her/their life. And in major trauma situations, like car accidents, a single patient can require as many as 100 transfusions. Having O negative blood on hand is especially critical for trauma patients. As the universal blood type, it can be transfused to all patients, saving the medical staff precious time when seconds count.

The Red Cross strives to collect more than 13,000 blood donations of ALL blood types every day across the country, including an average of 600 donations daily right here in Southeastern Pennsylvania. You can help by scheduling an appointment to donate blood today.

You can take immediate action now by downloading the free Red Cross First Aid App or Blood Donor App.