STOP THE BLEED
After a serious shark attack, health care professionals emphasize the importance of taking steps to stop the victim’s bleeding as quickly as possible. A national “Stop the Bleed” awareness campaign was launched in 2015 by the White House to encourage bystanders to become trained, equipped and empowered to help in the event of a bleeding emergency as they await professional help.
In the event of this type of emergency in which a victim is losing blood rapidly, such as a shark attack:
- First, have someone call 911.
- Identify the location of the wound and apply direct, firm, steady pressure with both hands or with bandages, towels or clothing.
- If that doesn’t stop the bleeding and a tourniquet is not available, pack (stuff) the wound with clean gauze or a clean cloth and apply steady pressure.
- If a tourniquet is available, wrap the tourniquet — a belt or a towel may work in a pinch — tightly 2 to 3 inches above the wound (but not on a joint — go above the joint if necessary), tightening the tourniquet to stop the bleeding and keeping the pressure tight. The tourniquet will cause the victim pain, but it is necessary to prevent life-threatening blood loss.
(Video by Reed Wolfley and Rich Klindworth)
