FAST is the first national STOP THE BLEED^® course designed specifically for high school students, but anyone can take the course and benefit from the training.

You can save a life: Preparing for bleeding emergencies; recognizing that a bleeding emergency exists; emergency action steps; deciding to act in an emergency.

Safety in emergency situations: Keeping yourself safe in an emergency; helping others to safety; violent situations.

Communicating in emergency situations: Communication basics; communicating with others at the scene; communicating with the emergency dispatcher.

Caring for a person with life-threatening bleeding: Using pressure to stop bleeding; applying direct pressure; using a tourniquet; after the bleeding stops.

 

Uncontrolled bleeding is the leading cause of preventable death from trauma. The First Aid for Severe Trauma (FAST) program provides participants with the knowledge and skills they need to respond to an emergency involving life-threatening bleeding, including how to:

■ Recognize a life-threatening bleeding emergency.

■ Ensure safety and communicate effectively in an emergency.

■ Control life-threatening bleeding using direct pressure, a tourniquet, or both. The program is designed to enhance participants’ ability to take decisive, lifesaving action to assist a person with a traumatic injury and life-threatening bleeding until professional responders arrive.