By Paul Wilcoxen
The Southern Illinoisan
MURPHYSBORO, Ill. — May is Stop the Bleed Month. Stop the Bleed is a program that teaches people that with simple tools and the proper training, a bystander can give someone a better chance of survival before medical help arrives.
That was the focus Monday afternoon at Southern Illinois Airport, where Southern Illinois Healthcare’s Office of Disaster Preparedness and the Regional Hospital Coordinating Center hosted a hands-on Stop the Bleed demonstration.
The event brought together trauma instructors and first responders for practical training ahead of National Stop the Bleed Day.
“This is an instance where moments matter,” Arien Herrman, SIH’s System Manager for Regional Healthcare Resiliency, said.
That’s especially true in rural areas like Southern Illinois, where accidents can happen far from help, and the nearest person may be the only one able to step in.
Herrman, a paramedic with 24 years of experience, led the demonstration using realistic scenarios, complete with simulated wounds and fake blood. The demonstration showed how to assess injuries, apply pressure, use tourniquets and pack wounds to control bleeding.
“You can bleed out in three to five minutes,” Herrman said. “That’s often faster than an ambulance can get to you.”
The training emphasized preparation, and Herrman said bleeding control kits should be as standard as fire extinguishers or AEDs.
“I keep them in my kitchen, car and even in my bike saddlebag,” he said. “But they don’t help if the tourniquet’s still in the wrapper. You’ve got to be ready to use it.”
He also addressed misconceptions about tourniquet use. Once considered a last resort, tourniquets are now widely accepted in emergency care.
“When I was a Boy Scout , we were told they might cause amputation,” he said. “Now, they’re my first choice for life-threatening bleeding.”
Dr. Andrew Kastello , a trauma and critical care surgeon at SIH in Carbondale and Herrin , said that quick action from bystanders can save lives.
“If patients spend even just a few minutes bleeding, it can mean the difference between life and death,” Kastello said.
While Southern Illinois has strong emergency crews, rural distance still creates delays. Kastello said he’s treated patients who lived because a tourniquet was applied early, and others who didn’t survive because nothing was done.
“The use of a tourniquet isn’t without risk, but it can absolutely save a life,” he said.
Attendees also learned to give clear instructions in emergencies, mark patients who’ve received a tourniquet, and improvise with whatever materials are available.
“You can pack a wound with gauze, a towel, even a torn bedsheet,” Herrman said. “The goal is to stop the bleeding, no matter what you have.”
SIH offers Stop the Bleed training to schools, churches and community groups. A grant from the Illinois Department of Public Health helps supply bleeding control kits to eligible organizations.
For more information or to schedule training, email rhcc@sih.net or visit stopthebleed.org.
© 2025 The Southern Illinoisan, Ill.
Visit www.thesouthern.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.