Dakota County is working to make sure kids know how to respond to serious injuries in a crisis. In a new push this fall, they’re providing ‘Stop the Bleed’ training and kits to every school district in the county.

Tenth graders at Hastings High School underwent the training this week. They learned how to pack a wound and apply a tourniquet. There are more than 200 teenagers learning how to ‘Stop the Bleed’ this semester, according to health educator Kris Maus.

“We just feel very strongly about empowering our students,” said Maus, who oversees the training and works to build their confidence. “We really want them to leave and feel like they have the skills to do this.”

‘Stop the Bleed’ training was developed by the American College of Surgeons in response to the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.

“In that scenario, there were so many people who could have been saved if they had the skill or the confidence for stopping the bleed,” said Maus.

The school-based training goes beyond preparing students for mass shootings. It touched on injuries that could happen in the kitchen at home, in school workshops, while hunting and playing sports, including ice hockey.

Trauma is the number one cause of premature death in Minnesota, according to the CDC.

“If we can help teach just a few people to recognize and stop bleeding, then we can help save lives,” said Michael Doering, the system director of trauma services for M Health Fairview, who led the hands-on training at Hastings High School. “If you know CPR, you should know Stop the Bleed.”

He has conducted training across the metro and explained they began a partnership with Dakota County in October to ensure it’s offered to students county-wide.

“Really excited to have this opportunity to get this into schools because sometimes getting into schools is a hard thing to do for bleeding control training,” said Doering.

The county hopes to get ‘Stop the Bleed’ training and kits in every school district in the county by the end of 2025. More than 200 students and staff have been trained and more than 82 kits distributed to schools so far.

“It matters and it works,” said Maus. “The possibility of saving a life, it’s just an amazing opportunity we have.”

The trainings are funded by a federal grant administered by the Minnesota Department of Health. It’s for local public health departments that are building or expanding their Medical Reserve Corps units, which are a national network of volunteers.

In Dakota County, they help with public health activities, including the ‘Stop the Bleed’ training.

Sophomore Eli Handrich said it’s already making a difference.

“I feel more safe,” said Handrich. “I feel like I can actually do this and I feel like now if I’m out and about and somebody needs help, I can actually save them.”