Northwestern Medical Center’s Auxiliary is proud to announce the donation of $20,000 in support of the NMC’s Stop the Bleed program, making it possible to place bleeding control kits in schools throughout Franklin and Grand Isle Counties.

The gift is a unique one for the Auxiliary, whose purpose is to support the mission of Northwestern Medical Center through fundraising and positive community relations. This is the first time an Auxiliary donation has provided equipment outside the hospital.

Joan Aher, President of the Auxiliary, said “Our community has been very generous throughout the years supporting the NMC Auxiliary.  We are very grateful that this important opportunity was presented to the Auxiliary, and we are able to give back to our supporters.”

Katherine Winchester, Supervisor of Volunteer Services at NMC echoed that sentiment. She said that the funds raised by the Auxiliary are put in trust by the community, for the community. Donations like these are the Auxiliary’s way of helping to fulfill the hospital’s mission.

NMC’s Pam Scott, BSN, RN, a 20-year veteran of the Emergency Department, led the charge to bring these bleeding control kits to the school systems. Scott is a certified instructor for the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians in Tactical Combat Casualty Care and Bleeding Control. Scott and the Emergency Preparedness Team from NMC visited the eight schools in the Franklin Northeast Supervisory Union, training school staff on how to respond in an emergency situation where bleeding must be stopped. She aims to complete this training for the other schools in Franklin and Grand Isle Counties this winter and early next spring.

She is passionate about emergency preparedness and empowering the community to feel ready for emergencies. That preparation is central to Scott’s devotion to healthcare and her role as Emergency Preparedness Chair of NMC’s Emergency Department.

Preparation is powerful.

“Our ability to respond is everything,” said Winchester. “If we have the tools to respond, then we are empowered.”

In this case, those tools come in the form of Bleeding Control Kits – compact bags, designed to be stored in public areas in a manner similar to AED devices which are used during a cardiac arrest. The Bleeding Control Kits contain a Combat Application Tourniquet, something Scott trains school staff to use.

While it can be difficult to think about serious emergency events taking place, particularly in a school setting, being ready to react can help ease anxiety.

“No one wants to think about the “what if” scenarios in our local schools, it’s uncomfortable and scary, said Lynn Cota, Superintendent of Schools for the Franklin Northeast Supervisory Union.

“However, we are living in a time where we cannot ignore that bad things happen in a variety of different public places, including schools.  Our best defense when it comes to school safety is to focus on two things: prevention and preparedness.”

Providing access to Stop The Bleed equipment to school personnel equips them with the ability to intervene while waiting for emergency assistance in order to save lives. The majority of deaths occurring in mass shootings are a result of blood loss.

All staff in all nine of the FNESU schools participated in Stop the Bleed trainings in August.

Cota said that the training provided by Scott and NMC’s Stop the Bleed program was very powerful and was well-received by staff. She thanked Scott for her efforts and the Auxiliary for their generosity.

“The collaborative efforts from the medical community, law enforcement agencies, and public schools will serve our communities well.  Thank you NMC for your ongoing focus on community outreach, education, and preparedness.”