It’s always better to be safe than sorry. On Thursday, the Troup County School System hosted a stop the bleed class in addition to its annual CPR and AED course for teachers.

First responder teams from all of the schools learned how to use tourniquets, apply pressure  and pack wounds with gauze.

TCSS assistant superintendent John Radcliffe said having a program like this is vitally important. Before local first responders can get to the scene, staff need to know what to do when there’s serious injury.

Brian Lee, Troup County AMR operations manager said that bleeding is the number one cause of death in a trauma patient. It can be life saving to have a tourniquet and other supplies on hand.

It never hurts to learn these skills, even if you never use them.

Someone doesn’t even need to be assaulted for the lessons to be used. Radcliffe said an elementary student in another Georgia school system was saved by the school’s staff performing stop the bleed techniques after he fell and injured his leg on a playground.

All of the schools’ staffs will learn training and  the first responder teams will also learn tabletop exercises in October.

Safety should be a priority for the school system and by taking the time to do these classes, TCSS is prioritizing students and staff.