CAPCOG Purchases Stop-the-Bleed Kits For Local Schools

The CAPCOG Homeland Security Division purchased more than 1,000 Stop-the-Bleed kits to help school districts and charter schools throughout the ten-county region meet a new state mandate requiring every campus having a kit to help save students, teachers, staff members or parents’ lives.

Stop the Bleed is a national campaign to educate people about how to prevent blood loss of victims with traumatic injuries. The kits contain items such as tourniquets and compression gauze that can be administered by anyone and help control a victim’s bleeding.

“Often following major trauma incidents we find many victims bleed out before they arrive at the hospital,” said Martin Ritchey, the CAPCOG Homeland Security director. “These kits provide a way to stop bleeding and get people to the hospital for treatment and better outcomes.”

By purchasing the kits in bulk, CAPCOG was able to save school district funds and ensure that each kit met the Texas Education Code’s requirements. 

CAPCOG is working with regional partners such as Capital Area Trauma Regional Advisory Council and the Texas Region 13 Education Services Center to distribute kits to schools without kits; some schools may already have them.

CAPCOG also is working with local emergency services agencies to train school district personnel on using the kits, which also is required by law.