On December 14, Edison High Biology Teacher Mr. Stanley Stellakis and the Aspiring Medical Professionals club hosted a bleeding control and death prevention workshop. As part of the national Stop the Bleed initiative, the seminar instructed students to recognize lethal blood loss and effectively respond to prevent further harm or injury.
Designed and operated by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS COT), Stop the Bleed educates would-be bystanders about impromptu bleeding control in emergencies. Officially launched by the White House in 2015, the program encourages preventative bleeding intervention before professional aid arrives.
Drawing on his EMS involvement outside of EHS, Stellakis brings his experiences teaching this interactive course.
During the workshop, students were taught the “ABC” method for responding to a blood-related injury. As per the method, A, or “Alert,” describes immediately calling emergency services; B, or “Bleeding,” describes locating the source of blood; and C, “Compress,” describes applying pressure on or above the source. During the hands-on portion, participants practiced applying compression bandages and tourniquets on one another. Two stations were set up to model bleeding wounds on limbs, at which participants had to use gauze rolls to stuff a deep arm wound while using tourniquets to stop “bleeding” from a leg wound. At the end of the program, each participant received a certificate from the program as recognition for completion.
“I think it is important to teach bleeding control at school because it is a skill that can potentially save someone’s life,” said club advisor Ms. Nehan Kumar. “This is also a way for students interested in the medical field to learn skills they can use when they are medical professionals.”
Likewise, the program presents an opportunity for anyone to learn a life-saving skill regardless of their career aspirations.
“I think first aid is also important for people who aren’t even necessarily interested in the medical field,” said club co-president Raina Patel ‘24. “Knowledge of first aid is important for everyone as it can help us help others before EMS even arrives at the scene of emergencies, preventing the situation from becoming worse.”
Blood control is an important skill that one may need at any moment, and Stop the Bleed aims to provide that knowledge to anyone interested for an affordable to no charge.
“I strongly advocate for providing more opportunities for both students and staff to receive emergency training,” said Stellakis. “This extends to the broader public beyond our school community.”
The public as a whole grows safer with more knowledgeable citizens with the skills to be able to save a life.
“Whether it’s Stop the Bleed, CPR, or other emergency response skills, offering training at various levels of awareness is crucial,” said Stellakis. The more people understand how to respond to emergencies, the safer we all become.”
Students found the course fun with the hands-on activities they were allowed to experience while also being educational with a broad lecture that goes into a well-depth understanding of the various related topics.
“It was very informative, and I loved the hands-on portion,” said Yashasvi Kompella ‘27. “Getting to work with compression bandages and tourniquets helped me truly understand how to save a wounded individual.”
Aspiring Medical Professionals plans to continue administering the program annually, reflecting the club’s purpose to encourage and educate future medical professionals.