Legislation expanding ‘Stop the Bleed’ program in Tennessee schools passes Senate: Bill sponsored by Rep. John Ray Clemmons, Sen. Sara Kyle authorizes bleed-control kits, training for school staff

April 27, 2021 – Medium – Schools in Tennessee could begin implementing a Stop the Bleed program as soon as next school year under a bill that passed the Senate today.

Stop the Bleed training empowers bystanders to take life-saving action to control severe bleeding — regardless of the situation or cause of the bleed. Under House Bill 212, schools are authorized to place a bleeding control kit within the school and train staff members on using the kit, which includes a tourniquet and bandages for compression and bleeding control.

The bill sponsors, Rep. John Clemmons (D-Nashville) and Sen. Sara Kyle (D-Memphis), have worked together on legislation in support of Stop the Bleed programming for several years.

“Sen. Kyle and I are proud to enact this life-saving legislation with bipartisan support. Traumatic bleeding takes too many lives, especially in rural areas with limited access to emergency healthcare services,” Rep. Clemmons said. “We look forward to working with school officials, as well as doctors, across Tennessee to train faculty members and place ‘Stop the Bleed’ kits in every classroom.”

“Stop the Bleed was developed by medical experts in response to the horrific school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary as a way to improve survival rates when bystanders are confronted with severe bleeding,” said Sen. Kyle. “Minutes count when someone is bleeding. I hope no teacher or principal ever has to utilize the care they learn from the Stop the Bleed training, but, in this environment, preparation is realistic, practical and could save a life.”

The American College of Surgeons’ Stop the Bleed program has trained more than 1 million people worldwide how to stop bleeding in a severely injured person, according to the group’s website. Local members inspired the legislation, Rep. Clemmons said.

“I sincerely appreciate the Vanderbilt trauma surgeons and their American College of Surgeons colleagues who brought this life-saving program to our attention,” Rep. Clemmons said. “Their commitment to volunteerism and public health is saving lives every day.”

House Bill 212 passed the Senate 28–0 today. The measure passed the House 90–0 on April 5. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk for final approval.

For more information about Stop the Bleed, visit StopTheBleed.org.