7 Minutes.

That is how long the ambulance takes. You could bleed out in 2.

The gap between injury and EMS arrival is the most dangerous window of your life. Here is how to survive it.

14+ Min Rural

The national average hides a brutal truth.

7 minutes in a city. 14+ minutes in rural areas. 1 in 10 rural emergencies waits over 30 minutes. Traffic, weather, and dispatch delays make it worse.

Source: NAEMSP / NHTSA EMS data

2 – 5 Min

Arterial bleeding can be fatal before EMS leaves the station.

A severed femoral artery causes fatal blood loss in as little as 2 minutes. The ambulance cannot win that race. Someone on the scene must act.

Source: Kragh et al., Journal of Trauma, 2009

60%

Of traumatic injury deaths are potentially preventable with bystander first aid.

That is not a stat about hospitals. That is a stat about bystanders, neighbors, and family members who did not have the skills or tools to act in time.

Source: Eastridge et al., Journal of Trauma, 2012

Skill 1: Direct Pressure and Wound Packing

For wounds where a tourniquet cannot reach, such as the neck, shoulder, or groin, packing is the only option.

1 Pack the wound tightly with gauze, pushing deep into the cavity.

2 Apply firm, continuous pressure with both hands.

3 Do not remove the gauze. Add more on top if needed.

4 Hold pressure for a full 3 minutes minimum.

QuikClot hemostatic gauze speeds clotting significantly.

Skill 2: Tourniquet

Applied early: 90% survival rate for limb bleeding. Without it, survival drops to near zero for arterial wounds.

The CAT Gen 7 tourniquet costs about $30 on Amazon. It is the military standard. It saves lives in under 60 seconds, one-handed.

Place it high and tight. Twist the windlass until bleeding stops. Write the time.

Skill 3: Hands-Only CPR

If someone collapses and is not breathing normally, call 911 and start compressions immediately.

100 to 120 compressions per minute. Push hard at least 2 inches deep in the center of the chest. Let the chest fully rise between each push.

No rescue breaths needed. The beat to "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees is the right pace.

Stop the Bleed Classes Are Free

Stop the Bleed is a free, nationwide program backed by the American College of Surgeons.

90 minutes. Hands-on practice with tourniquets, wound packing, and pressure techniques. Classes are in every state.

Find a class near you at stopthebleed.org

Build a $50 – 75 Trauma Kit (IFAK)

Keep one in your car and one at home.

The ambulance is 7 minutes away. The skills take 90 minutes to learn. The kit costs less than a dinner out.

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