St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Trains Clarkston Community Schools How to Stop Blood Loss Following Severe Injury
March 20, 2022For Immediate Release
Von Lozon
Public Relations Specialist
Pager: 248-725-2400
1,100 Teachers, Principals and Support Staff to Be Trained
PONTIAC, Mich. (March 21, 2022) – St. Joseph Mercy Oakland trauma experts have teamed up with Clarkston Community Schools to educate and train school district employees on how to apply first aid and control bleeding following a severe injury incident. Nearly one dozen Stop the Bleed® training sessions are scheduled throughout the district during the 2021-2022 school year, with the goal of training nearly 1,100 employees from seven elementary schools (K-5), one middle school (6-7), one junior high school (8-9), Clarkston High School (10-12), Renaissance High School, the district's alternative high school, the Early Childhood Center, Transportation, and Operations and Maintenance.
“The unfortunate reality is that schools across the country are having to prepare for the unthinkable, and we want to make sure our schools here in Oakland County know how to respond should such a situation occur,” said Anita Barksdale, an Injury Prevention Education Coordinator within St. Joseph Mercy Oakland’s Trauma Department. “It’s a difficult and emotional subject to discuss but by addressing the issue head-on and training school employees on how to respond, we are empowering them to save lives. As an Oakland County resident myself, I am so appreciative to the Clarkston school district for being responsible and taking the necessary steps to protect their students and staff.”
The St. Joe's Oakland program is supported by the Michigan Trauma Coalition and is part of a national initiative led by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma. The training series being offered in Clarkston provides step-by-step training on how to recognize and intervene to stop life-threatening bleeding following a traumatic event, in the critical minutes before medical help arrives. The courses are roughly an hour long, which includes a formal presentation and hands-on training on how to apply direct pressure, pack a wound and use a tourniquet to stop bleeding.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, someone who is bleeding severely can die from blood loss within five minutes, before first responders arrive at the scene.
“Clarkston Community Schools is making every effort to ensure our staff and students are safe and prepared,” said Dr. Shawn Ryan, Superintendent of Schools. “The Stop the Bleed® training sessions are in addition to recent professional development on trauma-informed practices and ALICE training. While the substance of these efforts is heavy, facing the uncomfortable is necessary to give us the level of preparedness and confidence that will ensure we provide a safe learning environment for all of our students.”
Launched in October 2015, Stop the Bleed® is a national awareness campaign and call to action. It is intended to cultivate grassroots efforts that encourage bystanders to become trained, equipped, and empowered to help in a bleeding emergency before professional help arrives.
If your school, business or religious organization would like to learn more about this free on-site training, please call St. Joseph Mercy Oakland’s Trauma Center at 248-858-6690.
About Clarkston Community Schools
Clarkston is a highly regarded school district with an enrollment of nearly 7,100 students. We have seven elementary schools (K-5), one middle school serving grades 6-7, one junior high for grades 8-9, and Clarkston High School, which serves students in grades 10-12. We also have a virtual academy, an Early Childhood Center serving children ages 3-5, and an alternative high school/community education facility. Clarkston Community Schools students are well-prepared for a future that excites them, and believe that they can achieve their dreams. The mission of Clarkston Community Schools is to create a learning environment where students, staff, and families are challenged, healthy, engaged, safe, and supported.
About Saint Joseph Mercy Health System
Saint Joseph Mercy Health System (SJMHS) is a health care organization serving seven counties in southeast Michigan including Livingston, Washtenaw, Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Jackson, and Lenawee. It includes 548-bed St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor, 497-bed St. Joseph Mercy Oakland in Pontiac, 304-bed St. Mary Mercy Livonia, 66-bed St. Joseph Mercy Livingston in Howell, and 133-bed St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea. Combined, the five hospitals are licensed for 1,548 beds, have five outpatient health centers, six urgent care facilities, more than 25 specialty centers; employ more than 15,300 individuals and have a medical staff of nearly 2,700 physicians. SJMHS has annual operating revenues of about $2 billion and returns about $115 million to its communities annually through charity care and community benefit programs.