(LEWES, Del.) - Today, Beebe Healthcare joined forces with the Sussex County EMS, and the Lewes Fire Department for an emergency exercise.
They focused on the proper way to help people stop bleeding in the event of an explosion
"It could mean the difference between life and death because most trauma deaths result in people bleeding to death before someone can get to them," Cheryl Hopple of Beebe, said.
The exercise included the help of students from Cape Henlopen high school and junior ROTC.
"We wanted them to act as victims. They had victims cards that were their injuries from a blast," said Hopple
"My injury was a laceration in my leg. I also had severe back pain, and I couldn't walk and I was about 49 years old," one student said.
I laid down as if I was unconscious and had to wait for one of the paramedics to come around to pick me up and put a tourniquet on," added another student.
"We gave them instructions about what they would do either to help themselves or to help somebody else if they had that type of injury," said Hopple.
Then, the exercise had the emergency responders transport the patients to a triage area.
At the end of the exercise, students actually got a chance to see just how hard it is to stop the bleeding on a real leg.
"Even as a nurse myself, I was surprised how tight you have to make that tourniquet to stop the bleeding," Hopple said.
The "stop the bleed" mass casualty campaign is a nationwide effort, with exercise happening throughout the country.
