Stop The Bleed

Stop the Bleed is a national public health and emergency preparedness campaign created by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense and other federal and civilian partners. It was launched in the wake of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and other mass casualty events, based on military research that showed that many preventable deaths on the battlefield resulted from uncontrolled bleeding. The core premise of Stop the Bleed is simple yet powerful: when someone is seriously injured and experiencing life-threatening hemorrhage, bystanders—not just emergency professionals—are often the first and best hope of survival.

The campaign aims to train civilians to recognize bleeding emergencies and to intervene quickly and effectively using simple, life-saving techniques before first responders arrive. The official Stop the Bleed course covers three primary actions:

  1. Applying firm and sustained direct pressure to a bleeding wound.

  2. Packing a wound with gauze or a clean cloth and applying pressure.

  3. Applying a tourniquet to a limb if bleeding cannot be controlled by other means.

Participants in the training learn to identify different types of bleeding, how to assess the severity of an injury, and how to use Stop the Bleed kits, which often include gloves, gauze, trauma shears, and a tourniquet. Training is available through certified instructors nationwide, often free of charge, and has been implemented in schools, workplaces, places of worship, sports arenas, and other public gathering places.

Since its inception, Stop the Bleed has trained over 2 million people worldwide and has become a cornerstone of trauma preparedness in the U.S., particularly in schools and public institutions. The movement has received bipartisan support and is often included in school safety legislation and emergency response planning.

By giving ordinary citizens the tools and confidence to act decisively during bleeding emergencies, Stop the Bleed seeks to build a culture of resilience and responsiveness—where no life is lost due to lack of knowledge or fear to act. It transforms bystanders into immediate responders and empowers communities to protect themselves in moments of crisis.