Texas Schools To Offer Stop The Bleed To Students

In January 2020, Texas House Bill 496 went into effect. This bill requires districts to offer Stop the Bleed Training to students in 7th grade and up. These students are not required to take the course, as it is optional. Bill 496 mandates the following:

1.) Bleeding Control Kits must be placed in AED cabinets and positioned in strategic places around the school. Athletic facilities must have kits located on site. 

2.) Training must be provided to nurses, police officers and PE teachers.

3.) The school must provide training opportunities to interested students in 7th grade and up.

Expansion of Bill 496

Now in 2023, Texas House Bill 1147 has been passed and goes into effect September 1st, 2023. This Bill pertains to the expansion of the mandatory "bleeding control stations" within schools. According to this bill, school districts or charter schools would be obligated to provide yearly training on the use of a bleeding control station. Here are some of the main lines of the Bill that stood out to us:

1.) Provide for a school district or open-enrollment charter school to maintain and make available to school employees and volunteers bleeding control stations.

2.) Charter school to annually offer instruction on the use of a bleeding control station from aschool resource officer or other appropriate district or school personnel who has received the training under Subdivision (3) to students enrolled at the campus in grade three [seven] or higher.

3.) A bleeding control station required under this section must contain all of the following required supplies in quantities determined appropriate by the superintendent of the district or the director of the school:

• Tourniquets approved for use in battlefield trauma care by the armed forces of the United States
• Chest Seals
  
• Compression Bandages
  
• Bleeding Control Bandages
  
• Space Emergency Blankets
  
• Latex-Free Gloves
• Markers
• Scissors
  
• Instructional documents developed by the American College of Surgeons or the United States Department of Homeland Security detailing methods to prevent blood loss following a traumatic event

Feedback

As this Bill is a sensitive topic to some, it has been met with mixed reactions. From Today.com, an interview with pediatric surgeon, Dr. Chethan Sathya states "The actual ability of a child to save another child's life can be very limited. It's probably not going to make a dent." and "It's a sad day in this country when we have to think about passing that type of legislation, rather than implementing policies and prevention strategies that we know work."

Some parents state they have considered moving and their children will not be opting into Stop the Bleed classes, while some have stated it is an important skill to learn. The wording of "tourniquets approved for use in battlefield trauma care by the armed forces" seems to be a horrifying line to some, however this just narrows the training down to specific tourniquets, such as the C-A-T Tourniquet and SOF Tourniquet.

Saving Lives

We aim to save lives at Off Grid. Over 35% of pre-hospital deaths are from massive hemorrhage and seconds matter in every situation. Everyday activities can lead to unforeseen incidents. You can save a life by carrying a kit in your car, home, desk or office.

At the 2022 NJEA Convention, a teacher spoke to us about her initiative to purchase a kit for her classroom. She had purchased the North American Rescue Bleeding Control Kit out of her own pocket, as she stated her school was underfunded. One day a student had been standing on their desk chair, the chair broke and the metal leg went through the students thigh and severed his femoral artery. She saved this student's life with a C-A-T Tourniquet. Many students in school learn CPR, basic anatomy, and even the rules of the road. Offering students a program to learn how to give life-saving care we believe should not be criticized, and is possibly a much needed addition to the curriculum and could save a life tens of years down the road. 

Want to Learn Stop The Bleed Yourself?

STOP THE BLEED offers online courses as well as free courses around the United States. They have provided training to over 3 million people. Click here to learn more. 

If looking for a more advanced in-person course and local to New Jersey, please check out our friends at Firstline Medical.